At the end of the concert, she mentioned that she had a record coming out in 2001. I was on the waiting list as soon as it appeared for preorder on Amazon. I was not disappointed.

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:

Simply great  Jul 04, 2001
By B Barrios
I first found out Lea could sing when I saw here in _On The Town_ in Central Park. Her rendition of "I Can Cook, Too" made me an instant fan, as did her version of "Blue Skies" in the movie _Edge of Seventeen_. After having the pleasure of seeing her act at Joe's Pub in NYC, I was waiting and hoping for her to cut a cd.

And here it is. I love her version of "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd"--she does a great job of jazzing it up. And her version of "Losing My Mind" is soulful and rich.

Lea has a great voice and I am really enjoying this cd. It's great music to have on for company or dinner parties or while simply hanging out.

4 of 4 found the following review helpful:

Smooth!  Aug 07, 2001

She may be a bull ... in a china shop, but Lea's voice is as smooth as the peach fuzz on her chin. She masters the vocal subtleties of jazz, and yet she can belt it out when she needs to. On this CD, Lea gives us some wonderful and unique interpretations of a varied collection of Broadway tunes. Her take on "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" is unlike any you've ever heard before.

5 of 6 found the following review helpful:

DIG THIS DISC !!  Oct 04, 2001
By J. Anderson
This is a smashing CD! SO fine! Sandra Bernhardt says DeLaria is "the best singer in the world", and by the end of this disc, one is rendered incapable of resisting such a laden declaration! Opening with a straight ahead version of "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd", DeLaria immediately opens up her box of MUSICAL gifts. Everything is within her high View, Everything's been seen to, Everything is New and Right, and on top of that, she turns Larry Goldings loose on piano! Potent stuff! DeLaria follows with a post-hip "Cool," and a galvanizingly other-worldly "With Every Breath I Take". Listen: Lea Delaria's got Intelligence -the Bright and Mystic kind!- and MUSICIANSHIP as deep and riveting as it comes. The Voice? Glory in spades, people! It's the real thing! In the end, though, it's the purest musicianship of this woman, and of the artists she has with her here, that makes this disc so Inevitable, and unforgettable. That, and the incredible entry she makes after the instrumental break on "Welcome To My Party" - !!! Who knows what makes a singer great, or why and how such extraordinary gifts come along, redeeming us? This disc goes a long classic cool way in offering evidence as to why Lea DeLaria is 'happening' right now! Fly, Lea, fly baby!! This is just the best music.

2 of 2 found the following review helpful:

I Dig L. DeLaria and so will you!!  Jul 31, 2001
By Bonnie Case-Auriemma
Listening to a local PBS jazz station here in NJ, I was entranced upon hearing Ms. DeLaria's rendition of "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd". I did not get out of my car until the deejay came back on the air to announce the artist. When I got to my office, I then surfed on over to Amazon.com to hear more of her music. I have always loved jazz, but lately put it on the back burner, as blues have become my passion of the moment. I was just as pleased with the other offerings on Lea's "Play it Cool" CD and if you have any kind of a listening for smoky, sultry, jazz - this is your ticket to music heaven!

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