She sings Teach Me Tonight – fetchingly too – but you get the
impression Bonnie Jensen’s absorbed the syllabus already. This
is an experienced singer – she has worked extensively in Europe
– and it’s the Diana Krall-like combination of innocence and sexy
womanliness somewhere in the timbre of the voice that lets you
know. Like Krall, Jensen does work as a pianist/singer and there
is that great confidence and self-reliance evident in what she
does. Here, though, the piano duties fell to Michael Bartolomei
while a solid roster of names – notably session ace Graham Jesse
on saxes, Nicholas McBride on drums and David Stratton on bass
– mean that the singer has about as good support as you could
reasonably ask for. Jensen makes good use of it, but part of the
knowingness of this album is the choice of standards that leave
her little opportunity to show us anything very original. These
are great songs and superbly delivered. But it’s Bonnie. That
voice. You can’t help wondering what she could do with a bunch
of fertile tunes and the freedom and security to go with her instincts.
Confirmation comes in her own originals, Reality and the Anita
Baker-ish slow burn The Best Thing In Your Life, where you sense
the real Bonnie at the microphone. Let’s hear more of YOU next
time Bonnie - and a next time there ought to be.
