Australian vocalist/pianist Janet Seidel is a true blue Jazz Baby whose recent CD 'The Art of Lounge' may have you think you've set the Way-Back machine for 1953.

She's been compared to everyone from Doris Day to Peggy Lee, and it's definitely fair to say that her understanding of the classics is equal to that of those legendary greats.

On the 14 tracks of 'Lounge' she swings through romantic ballads that have become so much a part of our musical landscape you might think it would be hard to make them sound fresh, yet that's just what Seidel does. She manages the hat trick of sounding flirtatious, confident and even wryly humorous, lending an extra depth to the songs.

Represented on the disc are quintessential jazz/pop songwriters like Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, the Gershwin brothers and Richard Rogers with songs like 'Love for Sale' 'Fools Rush in' and 'I've got a crush on you'.

Ably assisting Seidel is a band that understands the need for a light yet sure hand with such familiar material, including pianist Kevin Hunt, bassist David Seidel and saxophonist Paul Williams.

The vocals are wisely kept up front in the mix, with the keyboards, percussion, horns and strings carrying the music along like a gentle wave.

All in all, whether you listen in your car, home or office, this is a LOUNGE you might want to spend plenty of time in.