Riffing on the title of versatile veteran L.A. club and theatre performer Rose Mallett’s hopefully titled new album Dreams Realized, it made sense at first to call it something of a musical bookend to and fulfillment of the promise of her 2008 album whose title was Building Dreams.
Upon closer examination, it turns out Dreams Realized features all nine songs from that earlier release, adding seductive, atmospheric, soul-deep and yes, dreamy take on “My Funny Valentine” and a thoughtful spin on Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” whose sense of drama and tension draws from her experience as an award-winning performer for her one-woman Sarah Vaughan tribute Songs for Sarah.
Declared a “Living Jazz Legend” by the Living Jazz Legend Foundation at Los Angeles City Hall, Mallett is as much a delight to listen to now as in the late 2000s, and this re-issue with bonus tracks is a more than welcome showcase of her beautiful, rangy voice as she adeptly and adventurously tackles – and mines the ever-so-sweet, super charming and jazzier possibilities of classics popularized by Chaka Khan (“Ain’t Nobody”), Stevie Wonder (“Creepin’”), Nina Simone (“Feeling Good”), Barbra Streisand (“The Way He Makes Me Feel”) and B.B. King (a whimsical, vibes-infused “Rock Me Baby”).
Other gems include a sly, rambunctious take on Oscar Brown Jr.’s “The Snake” and Mallett’s lone original, the heartfelt, lively and empowering title theme related “Building Dreams,” a showcase for her optimistic view of life and expansive vocal range.
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