One of the benefits of being a diva is that you get to ham it up a bit—stretching a note, scatting, getting a little fortissimo now and then. The key is restraint. Lesley Byers has the balance right.

Quite a few CDs come in from bands I know very little about—this one has been a most pleasant surprise. It's mostly nightclub jazz, not usually a favorite of mine, but I have to admit that it's so artfully done I might just pull on a sharkskin suit and head to Atlantic City to complete the vibe.

There's loungy-Latin on "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most", showcasing the instrumental skill of saxmen Doug Angleaccio and Ed Enright and, of course, the songbird voice of Byers. The title track features a blend of bop and swing that's the soul of this collection, 12 songs equally suitable for dancing or just being cool.

And just when you're settling in, the thermostat goes haywire and it's "Too Darn Hot". Bassist Jake Vinsel fans the flames with a sizzling solo, then the album coasts to a stop with a sweet version of "Straighten Up and Fly Right". What a ride.

www.lesleybyers.com