The Book of Love

On The Book of Love, Cheryl Bentyne of the Manhattan Transfer tells the story of a love affair through music. The relationship starts with discovery and infatuation, hits its high point with "You Go to My Head" and then declines and results in a breakup with "Goodbye." While her singing is excellent, the program never really catches fire, and it lacks the delirious excitement of love at its most intense. The interpretations are a bit too cool and laid-back, and these versions of such warhorses as "Blue Moon" (which has guest John Pizzarelli making it a vocal duet), "Let's Do It," "You Go to My Head" and "Cry Me a River" will not make anyone forget the more definitive recordings. The overall results are pleasant but fall far short of the ecstasy and thrills one would expect from a heated affair.