Before Me

Knight tries the classic-voice-sings-classic-songs approach on "Before Me," reinterpreting songs by other icons whose talent influenced and inspired her own esteemed career. Tommy LiPuma and Phil Ramone's production, coupled with Knight's soulful vocals, lovingly reinvigorate songs initially associated with Billie Holiday, Lena Horne and others. Among the best—Knight's quietly riveting turn on Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday," the Gershwin standard "But Not for Me" and "Since I Fell for You," which stands up to the 1963 hit by Lenny Welch. The project, however, exudes a sense of safeness. Rather than listening to another version of "Good Morning Heartache" or "God Bless the Child," one comes away wondering what Knight could do with less-covered tunes. That quibble aside, there's still no denying her rich, powerful voice, which just gets better with time. —Gail Mitchell