My son turned the CD caddy over in his hands. 'Woman jazz singer. File under Eezee Lissnin’ I should think.’

True, this compilation of jazz standards is mostly of the lights-down-low, cabaret style which, played in the average household, will clear a room of teenagers faster than Mr Muscle can dispel limescale.

But its smoothness will appeal to those looking to put their feet up at the end of the day with a nightcap or a warm bath.

The standard of musicianship is uniformly high.  Sinclair is better known for her performances with the Newmarket-based Galaxy Big Band, but the full ensemble is used only twice: on the 50s mambo favourite Sway and the jive standard Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby?

For the rest she is with a quintet: Ruth Applin (piano), Sam Dunn (guitar), director of the Cambridge Youth Jazz Orchestra, Josh Kemp (sax), Nicholas Smalley on drums and, to these ears, the outstanding Spencer Brown on double bass.

It opens with the Gershwins’ bitter-sweet They Can’t Take That Away From Me. Admirably she avoids the temptation in this and other numbers to adopt US vowels. Sadly her own composition, the title track, disappointingly lacks ambition; just a standard slow 12 bar format.

But the whole is produced with great polish by Matthew Dilley, who has worked with the RPO and EMI,  and is a showcase for local pros from the mixing via Cambridge’s own William Rice through to the packaging from Tag Design Cambridge. Just more edge and less silk next time please.

Available from www.valsinclair.co.uk £10.99 inc P&P

Writer: John Gaskell

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