Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book, Vols. 1-2

Given Margaret Whiting's limitations as a stylist, you certainly wouldn't expect an album of Jerome Kern-penned Broadway standards to rank among her jazziest, most lively LPs, but the great arranger Russ Garcia truly outdoes himself, masterminding a delightfully energetic session that's undeniably appealing. While Garcia and sidemen including altoist Bud Shank contribute much of the album's sense of swing, Whiting proves herself a far more fluid and rhythmic singer than her critics care to admit -- her clarion vocals achieve a nice balance between the theatricality of Kern's music and the pizzazz of Garcia's treatments. A pointed reminder that "wholesome" doesn't necessarily equate with "square."