Joe Williams - "The Definitive Joe Williams"

I picked this album up during a Winter Holiday trip to New York to visit family about 4 years ago. Joe Williams started off singing with Count Basie's band. This album contains recordings that span his entire career. As a result it encompasses several different styles of jazz including swing, jump blues, bop, straight ahead jazz, lounge crooning... Most of the songs are down tempo, which does a lot to showcase Williams' voice. I listen to this album a lot while driving home late at night. It's relaxing and works when I want to just listen and think. I like this album a lot, and I'm more than a little bumbed that after being stuffed in a cd case I managed to scratch the reflective coating off on part of the last, and one of my favorite, tracks of the album, "What are you doing New Years Eve?" Even if you're not a real fan of jazz, I'm betting you'll find things to like about this album. Hear more of it at Amazon.