Sara Gazarek's sophomore album, Return to You, is her follow-up to her 2005 album, Yours, which was filled with American Songbook standards. On Return to You, Gazarek softly covers songs by icons such as folk great Joni Mitchell and the legendary Paul McCartney, but Gazarek makes sure to distinguish her versions from theirs with her signature vocals and sweet timbre.

"Let's Try This Again" has slight drum work from Matt Slocum and piano and glockenspiel play from Josh Nelson. The glockenspiel, also known as orchestra bells, is a percussion instrument and is similar to a xylophone, but has a higher pitch. The sound the instrument makes coincides wonderfully with Gazarek's soft vocals as she emotes to her man about his petulant mood, how she wants terribly to lift his spirits and right the wrong she had done him, that put him in such a foul frame of mind, with lyrics like, "I can tell that you're feelin' down. Fed up, about to quit it. I know that I caused that frown. I've done you wrong and I'll admit. What can I do to help you to feel good like way back when? Let's work it out, please don't pout. Let's try this again."

On "Northern Lights," Gazarek covers the Seamus Blake song to a tee. Blake honors her by lending his superb guitar playing prowess to the song as Gazarek croons about how the Infinite Spirit is watching out for us all and how he can cure all our ills, with lyrics like, "Fall asleep my fair lady. I can hear you walk for days and filled me up with G-D's good gravy all those years. The Northern lights shine for us. The gates open to warm us. The stars acquire a feelin'. Reach out your hand. Reach out your hand. Reach out your hand and heal me." There is flowing piano work from Nelson as well, that blends well with Blake's guitar strumming for a peaceful tune.

"Carey" is a cover of the Joni Mitchell staple and Gazarek does the folk idol proud. Her open timbre will translate to listeners as Gazarek emotes about a certain male and her adoration for him, despite numerous travails, with lyrics like, "The wind is in from Africa. Last night I couldn't sleep, you know it sure is hard to leave you Carey. It's really not my home. My fingernails are filthyŠAnd I miss my clean white linens and that fancy French cologneŠOh Carey get out your cane and I'll put on some silver. Oh you're a mean old daddy but I like you. Down to the mermaid café and I will buy you a bottle wineŠAnd smash our empty glasses down. Let's have a round for these freaks and soldiers and a round for these friends of mineŠKeeps me in this tourist town. Oh Carey, get out your cane and I'll put on some silver. Oh you're a mean old daddy but I like you." Slocum lightly drums along and Nelson dabs away at the piano, and the melody is music to listeners' eardrums.
On Return to You, Gazarek, a mere 25-year-old lies on the threshold of becoming a jazz great. Her style is all her own and her voice will enlighten the darkest of dispositions.

Reviewer: Sari N. Kent

Reviewer's Rating: 9