Tony DeSare - Last First Kiss (2007)

Last First Kiss builds nicely upon vocalist/pianist Tony DeSare's superb 2005 debut album, Want You. A charming presence on the microphone with classic silver-screen good looks and a singer/songwriter's soul, DeSare not only updates such classic American popular song standards here as "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You" and "How Deep Is the Ocean?," but also reinterprets such modern-day hits as "Kiss," turning Prince's iconic funk track into a slowed-down organ-driven shuffle. Similarly invigorating, DeSare dims the lights on Carole King's usually upbeat "I Feel the Earth Move" and delivers instead a brooding, Miles Davis-influenced afterglow version. It's just this kind of postmodern niftiness that stops Last First Kiss from being yet another solid yet predictable neo-crooner outing and turns it into a truly surprising listen. Also a pleasant surprise is DeSare's own songwriting, and here he showcases his knack for both classic jazz standard-influenced songcraft, as on the poignant "I'll Never Have Enough of You," as well as more contemporary rock-influenced writing, as evidenced by the sweetly melodic and bittersweet title track. Of course, at his core DeSare is a supremely gifted interpreter of jazz standards, and his softly melodic, straight-ahead take on "There Will Never Be Another You" mainlines heartbreak to your soul. Throw in a stellar backing ensemble, including bassist and co-writer Mike Lee, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, and tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, and Last First Kiss enters the race as an early contender for one of the best releases of 2007.