Jule Malischke

Well known on Broadway for her roles in Chess, Les Misérables, and Sunset Boulevard, Judy Kuhn recorded her first solo album in 1995 with this tribute to Jule Styne. Kuhn has a striking, exceptional voice as well as an earnest approach to a lyric that makes you feel as if you're seeing straight into her heart. Songs range from the obligatory "The Party's Over" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses" to the faux-art song "I Said No." Two of the more unusual settings are "You'll Never Get Away from Me" with a rumba beat and the normally torchy "Music That Makes Me Dance" as a fast waltz; both work due to the skillful arrangements of Michael Skloff and the marvelous artistry of Judy Kuhn. – David Horiuchi