In the Sun

Having shown off her precocious jazz skills and love for old standards on her commercially eye-opening first two albums, the beautiful young star Jane Monheit is more relaxed and in her element on her third effort, which plays up her appeal as a pop chanteuse. Though she oversells the Eric Kaz-Libby Titus '70s rock classic "Love Has No Pride," and is too young to penetrate "Haunted Heart" (listen to Jo Stafford's 1947 version for some real chills), she brings a fresh vibrancy to "Just Squeeze Me" and "Cheek to Cheek," and acquits herself nicely with a pair of numbers by Brazilian tunesmith Ivan Lins. Best of all is her affecting, vocally pure rendering of Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time" (from the musical On the Town), featuring strings arranged by Alan Broadbent. Her accompanists include bassist Ron Carter, trumpeter Tom Harrell, drummer Kenny Washington, and tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm. --Lloyd Sachs