Peggy at Basin Street East

Peggy Lee may not have had the greatest pipes of her era, but few could equal her preternatural ability to underplay a song, finding nuance and new drama in even the most familiar material. This previously unreleased 1961 New York performance is not only ample evidence of that talent, but one of the most satisfying fixes of pure Peggy ever released. While previous Lee "live" recordings have been revealed to be largely fabrications, this treasure from the vaults offers up an intimate hour with the legend in all its unedited glory. It's a taut set, dotted with medleys that showcase Lee's jazzy charms and deceptively effortless ability to make each song her own, while delivering the hit "Fever" up as breezy, finger-snapping blues and casting Damn Yankees's "Heart" as loopy Cuban romp. If you need an introduction to the legend of Peggy Lee, this would be a lively, gratifying place to start. --Jerry McCulley