JENNIFER LEE and THE EVER-EXPANDING UNIVERSE, Glimpse

The official branding story goes that versatile jazz vocalist and songwriter Jennifer Lee changed her artist name to include “the ever-expanding universe” just before the release of her third album My Shining Hour (2018) to distinguish herself on the streaming platforms from another singer with the same moniker.

Yet the concept can be applied perfectly to the wide range of vibes, grooves and sounds that drive the energy of her latest collection Glimpse, from lively, swinging jazz to dark, bluesy ballads and spirited samba. Complementing her sensual and breezy yet always emotionally resonant voice on this very personal musical journey – with many songs inspired by and dedicated to her husband George – is her lively, soulful ensemble led by her 24-year collaborator, coproducer and SBE Records label head Peter Sprague on guitar and prominently featuring Adam Shulman on piano and Rhodes.

The George-centric tunes she intersperses into the set start with “I Caught a Glimpse of Your Soul,” which starts as a reflective ballad, then evolves into a swing-filled celebration of their initial moment of kismet. While chipper, optimistic tunes like the horn-splashed “Vivid Technicolor Love” and “chronicle aspects of their romance, she paints an absolutely mesmerizing portrait of the man and his travails as a former NFL quarterback with brain injuries on the graceful Brazilian-styled ballad “Warrior, Drop Your Sword,” which features Randy Brecker’s dreamy flugelhorn harmony. Jennifer also taps into her own experiences overcoming childhood trauma on “Hold On” and the gratitude filled “Serendipity.” Other highlights include a gentle reading of “If I Only Had a Brain” (inspired by Harry Connick Jr.’s version) and her playful, Basia-like wordless vocal texturing on the inspirational, forward thinking “Farewell To Comfort.”