Search - Patti Austin :: Street of Dreams

From queen of the jingle to diva behind R&B's jazziest pop, Patti Austin, even in the winter of her career, is in possession of one of the clearest voices in contemporary pop music. Ostensibly a vehicle to interpret some of her favorite tunes from a mixed bag of traditions, Street of Dreams finds Austin proudly showing mentor Dinah Washington's imprint on smooth and seemingly effortless renditions of standards such as "The Look of Love," "Someone to Watch Over Me," and "I Only Have Eyes for You." While some of the newer material loses potency due to unfortunate sanitized and synthesized leanings, the aforementioned trio, along with the superlative slow-jazz title cut, rings out with nearly peerless class and flavor. She's still got it. --Paige La Grone