Something Cool, the new CD from San Francisco’s favorite chanteuse Veronica Klaus, is a perfect representation of why she’s so beloved: sassy, hip renderings of perfectly chosen gems performed con- fidently with abundant style. Klaus carefully and smartly chooses her material to represent her persona through the lyric, enhancing the dramatic effect with her strong contralto and sultry mannerisms.

Backed by the Tammy L. Hall Quartet and some fabulous trumpet work by Mike Olmos, Klaus borrows from the greats (Nancy Wilson, Billie Holiday, Ruth Brown, Anita O’Day and Peggy Lee) while also honoring modern singer/songwriters. Joni Mitchell’s sardonic “For Free” and the lovely Phoebe Snow song “Something Real” mix seamlessly with gems like “Old Devil Moon” (Lane/Harburg) and “Just Squeeze Me” (Fats Waller/Clarence Williams). “You’re My Thrill,” with its muted aching trumpet solos and tightly syncopated drum beat (Kent Bryson), sets a high standard that Klaus maintains throughout this CD. The Holiday hit “Trav’lin’ Light” (Trummy Young/Jimmy Mundy/Johnny Mercer) and the Wilson-recorded “Save Your Love for Me” (Buddy Johnson) show an intelligent entertainer blessed with great arrangements and comfortable with her voice.

Klaus can be soft and vulnerable on a ballad, like the June Christy standard “Something Cool” (Billy Barnes), or raucous and energetic as on “Why Don’t You Do Right (Get Me Some Money, Too)” (Kansas Joe McCoy) and the Ruth Brown lesser-known gem “Somebody Touched Me” (Ahmet Ertegun). Klaus has become a local treasured icon, deservedly so. Her CD title is aptly chosen.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
July 1, 2012
www.cabaretscenes.org