left in 1952 for, among several other reasons, the label's refusal to let her record and release an exotic, tumultuous version of was certainly no songbird, content to loosen her gorgeous pipes on any piece of tripe foisted upon her; she was a superb songwriter with a knowledge of production and arrangement gained from work in big bands and from her husband, (although the two weren't together at the time). The more open-minded acquiesced to her demand, and watched its investment pay off quickly when the single became her biggest hit in years. was 's next major project. Encouraged by longtime A&R , she hired a small group including trumpeter and pianist (two of her favorite sidemen) to record an after-hours project similar in intent and execution to 's "Manhattan project" of 1950, . While the title-track opener of soon separated itself from the LP -- to be taught forever after during the first period of any Torch Song 101 class -- the album doesn't keep to its concept very long; is soon enough in a bouncy mood for and very affectionate on (If there's a concept at work here, it's the vagaries of love.) Listeners should look instead to or for more examples of 's quintessentially slow-burn sultriness. Aside from occasionally straying off-concept, however, is an excellent record, spotlighting 's ability to shine with every type of group and in any context. [When originally recorded and released in 1953, was an eight-song catalog of 78s. Three years later, commissioned an LP expansion of the record, for which recorded several more songs. The 2004 edition is therefore a reissue of the 1956 12-song LP.] ~ John Bush