If It Ain’t Love (Prairie Star Records)
Released: 22 March 2019

I lament the death of the vinyl record album, listenable from beginning to end. Where else could one hear not only the popular hit or two from your favorite artist, but also hear them experiment with other sounds, other genres?

Patrice Jégou has us covered, here. The impressive list of talent she has assembled for this second studio recording ranges from traditional vocal jazz (Alvin Chea and Mark Kibble from Take 6) to gospel’s Táta Vega, to David Paich of the seventies pop group Toto.

And that’s just the beginning.

The 16-track (!) set opens with the high energy “Lover Come Back To Me,” backed by Kibble and Chea, followed by (did I mention?) “Jersey Bounce,” fronting the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. The big band also backs Ms. Jegou on the title track, “If It Ain’t Love,” along with “Just Squeeze Me,” and“Please Send Me Someone To Love.”

“Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams” features the whole Take 6 bunch; Ms. Vega puts the soul into “Yes We Can, Can,” arranged by Mr. Paich. Jorge Calandrelli arranged for both Barbra Streisand and Tony Bennett – his touch is evident on such tracks as the Bergmans’ “Where Do You Start.”

My favorites include the mellow Steven Bishop tune, “It Might Be You,” the dynamic “Please Send Me Someone To Love,” and “Jersey Bounce,” both backed by the Clayton-Hamilton big band.

Forget the “concept album,” with one or two listenable tracks and eight more to coax a ten-dollar bill (or more!) from your pocket. This set of sixteen provides not only monetary but also acoustic value. The assembled crew of powerful talent is there to put a frame around the showcase for Ms. Jégou’s remarkable voice.

Highest recommendation for this set.

Track list: Lover Come Back to Me, Jersey Bounce, Baubles, Bangles and Beads, Yes, We Can, Can, I’m So Glad I’m Standing Here Today, Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams, If It Ain’t Love, Estate, Lover Come Back to Me, Waltz for Debby, Losing You, Just Squeeze Me, Where Do You Start, Remembrances, Please Send Me Someone to Love, It Might Be You.

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Note: a couple of typos and one repeated word were cleaned up in edits after this was first posted.