functions as something of an answer to its predecessor, . That 2014 duet album with was suitably brassy and snazzy, relying on well-loved standards and pizzazz -- the kind of thing designed to stoke nostalgia vibes -- but is a purer jazz record, an intimate songbook collaboration with pianist ; the difference can be heard simply in comparing the versions of "I Won't Dance" that pop up on the two albums -- the swings boldly, the rendition carries a wry resignation. Songbooks have been a standard item for throughout the years but if recalls any specific album in the vocalist's discography, it's , a record released in 1975 when dropped off the major-label radar and his name was perhaps as well-known to record buyers as that of . While there may be a slight wattage differential between and , the difference is due to scale: is a household name; is a star among modern mainstream jazz fans. Accordingly, treats the pianist as an equal, giving him plenty of room to spin out long, liquid solos, passages that seem to glide out imperceptibly from his understated support. Often, features little more than just the singer and the pianist -- when they're augmented by other musicians, it's just bass and drums, offering a bit of rhythm and color -- and this sparseness never seems austere due to the inherent warmth of the musicians' easy interplay, not to mention their individual voices. Both aspects are subtly showcased on , and it's that delicate dance, where enjoy playing together and apart, that makes this so charming. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine