Dena DeRose’s music is like a cool breeze; she’s wry, wise, impeccably musical, no-nonsense, and fun. After her three decades as a pianist-singer, DeRose’s voice and her fingers are on the most harmonious of terms. She’s not afraid of simplicity; DeRose has no time for hollow sentiment, nor does she feel a compulsion to outsmart the makers of the Great American Songbook. Her approach to jazz resides mainly in her swinging rhythm and pianistic phrasing. Her eleventh album as a leader takes its name from a breezy tune, full of hip changes, that was composed by Alan Broadbent. The lyrics, provided by the legendary Mark Murphy, resonated deeply with DeRose since when she’s not teaching at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria, she’s frequently on tour. Appropriately enough she is joined by three other HighNote artists — singer Sheila Jordan (“All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm / Little Willie Leaps” and “Small Day Tomorrow”), saxophonist Houston Person (“The Way We Were” and “The Days of Wine and Roses”) and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt (“Nothing Like You” and “Cross Me Off Your List”) also accompanied by her long-time rhythm section of Martin Wind and Matt Wilson.

DENA DeROSE, vocals & piano • Martin Wind, bass • Matt Wlson, drums

WITH: Sheila Jordan, vocal • Jeremy Pelt, trumpet • Houston Person, tenor saxophone

TRACKS: Ode to the Road • Nothing Like You • Don't Ask Why • All God's Chillun Got Rhythm / Little Willie Leaps • That Second Look • Small Day Tomorrow • The Way We Were • Cross Me Off Your List • I Have the Feeling I've Been Here Before • A Tip of the Hat • The Days of Wine and Roses

 Ode to the Road

 All God's Chillun Got Rhythm

 Cross Me Off Your List

 The Days of Wine and Roses