With a career that spanned the heyday of jazz and the advent of blues, Ethel Waters stands at the forefront of mid-century pop vocalists. Her clear diction and narrative style, subtly tinged with melody, turn classic songs into stories that keep the listener on the edge of his seat.

In the annals of music, she is truly incomparable, equal parts Edith Piaf and Bessie Smith, with a dash of Helen Humes when she really uncorks a note. This collection of 17 tunes is heavy on vocal, highlighting Waters' gift at carrying a tune without wringing it dry.

Among the most melodic tunes is "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone", a wish not kept since her passing in 1977. The instrumentation throughout is stellar, featuring luminaries Bunny Berigan, Coleman Hawkins, Gene Krupa, even Benny Goodman.

The recordings date primarily from the 30s, and the arrangements and recording quality attest this as accurately as carbon dating. The sound is compressed but clear, adding a patina that modern recordings often strive and frequently fail to achieve.

Her duet with Pearl Wright (piano), "Shake That Thing", is subtextually steamy, while the paean to Mae West, "Come Up And See Me Sometime", just lays it on the line. Like Waters herself, the songs play shades of gray, including the 1930 race-blues "(What Did I Do To Be So) Black and Blue".

There's even an operatic flair to her rendition of "Memories of You", and of course her cinematic gem "Cabin in the Sky", as well as a simmering version of "Stormy Weather", a song she first brought to light in 1933. For any aficionado of jazz, swing, or blues, the recordings of Ethel Waters are de rigeur, and this collection is a fine sampling that will surely leave you hungry for more.