Miss Wonderful

his is a wonderful four-disc collection of tracks from Peggy Lee's first solo stint with Capitol Records in the mid- to late-1940s, shortly after she left her spot as a singer with Benny Goodman's band in 1943, and her early sides for Decca Records, who signed her in 1952. While many would argue that her best work was done a decade later during her second go-round with Capitol, the selections here (many of them done with husband Dave Barbour and his orchestra) show an assured vocalist with a firm understanding of the pop side of jazz. Among the classic highlights included are her out-of-the-gate hit for Capitol, "Waiting for the Train to Come In," the 1948 smash "Mañana," "Golden Earrings," "Don't Smoke in Bed," "Black Coffee," and a stunning reading of "I've Got You Under My Skin." "Show Me the Way to Get Out of This World" (which leads off the third disc here) is a particular delight, with Lee's smooth phrasing sliding and descending effortlessly through the dwindling syllables of the chorus like a surfer shooting a rapids: "Show me the way to get out of this world/because that's where/everything is." Miss Wonderful is four discs and 104 tracks of cool, crafty, and undeniably sultry vocals by a masterfully nuanced singer. ~ Steve Leggett|