Vocalist Liz Cole’s debut album, I Want To Be Happy, blends strong jazz foundations with creative interpretations of classic standards. Her smooth, warm vocals radiate optimism and joy, making the disc a highly desirable listen. Cole is equally at home with the demands of each song on  the album, whether swinging or ballad. Just when you think you’ve listened to her score brilliantly with a particular song (“Love”), she transcends with the following track (“Tú”).

The title tune, “I Want to Be Happy,” is a particularly lively and uplifting track that captures the album’s spirit. My favorite track is probably “I’d Give A Dollar For A Dime,” which showcases Cole’s gift for interpretation (in this case, the songwriting of Eubie Blake, John Finke, and Andy Razaf). Don’t hold me to that choice, I’m already leaning to “Mean To Me,” a track that displays the fine playing of the album’s superb musicians.

Musicians: Liz Cole (vocals), Larry Koonse (guitars), Otmaro Ruiz (piano), Jacob Mann (piano), Darek Oles (bass), Edwin Livingston (bass), Jonathan Richards (bass), Jackson Irvine (vibraphone), Aarón Serfaty (drums).