Helen Slater Betrayal Dove

Helen Humes had not recorded as a leader in seven years when she made the first of three albums for Contemporary, all of which have been reissued on CD via the OJC imprint. Humes, 45 at the time, was at the peak of her powers, although she never really made a bad record. Accompanied by Benny Carter (on trumpet), trombonist Frank Rosolino, tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards, pianist Andrew Previn, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and either Shelly Manne or Mel Lewis on drums, the singer is typically enthusiastic, exuberant, and highly appealing on such numbers as "You Can Depend on Me," "When I Grow Too Old to Dream," and "''Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do." She even sings credible versions of "Bill Bailey" and "When the Saints Go Marching In" on this easily recommended CD.

Viol consort Fretwork and mezzo soprano Helen Charlston explore the more reflective and sombre Christmas celebrations of Elizabethan England, in a collection of works by William Byrd, Anthony Holborne, Orlando Gibbons and Martin Peerson.

As the title implies, this concentrates on Shapiro's less celebrated recordings, including 13 songs from her 1963 Helen's Sixteen LP, and a bunch of non-hit singles from 1965 and 1966. For the rock-oriented listener's taste at any rate, the later tunes are by far the most satisfying; Shapiro's voice remains in great shape, and tracks like "Forget About the Bad Things," "Empy House," and the self-penned "Wait a Little Longer" are far more sophisticated and soulful than her early teenage efforts. The earlier sides on the CD are dated standards and early '60s MOR British pop, not quite redeemed by Shapiro's perennially confident vocals.

Helen Merrill dates are always something special. This set for Metrojazz, which has been reissued as a Verve CD, matches the cool-toned yet inwardly heated singer with an all-star sextet arranged by Quincy Jones and featuring solos by trumpeter Kenny Dorham and either Frank Wess or Jerome Richardson on flute and tenor. The repertoire includes versions of "You Go to My Head" and "Just Squeeze Me" sung in French, a couple of numbers by producer Leonard Feather, Duke Ellington's "The Blues From Black, Brown and Beige," and a haunting rendition of "The Thrill Is Gone."