The stellar
A Touch of the Blues pairs
Lee Wiley with an exceptional band led by trumpeter
Billy Butterfield, whose warm, beautiful tone proves a sympathetic counterpoint to
Al Cohn and
Bill Finegan's otherwise dark, melancholy arrangements. While a title like
A Touch of the Blues guarantees the listener few surprises, the album consistently avoids the familiar bluesy clichés --
Wiley's sensuality and sophistication suggest emotional depths to make such gestures redundant anyway. And like her more celebrated songbook sessions, the material here is expertly selected, complementing
Wiley's inherent strengths while affording her the latitude to stretch out in new directions.