Listeners familiar with jazz vocalist Ernestine Anderson could be forgiven for stereotyping her as a high-energy soul singer who belts out bluesy, midtempo classics. Those same listeners will have a delightful surprise in Ballad Essentials, a collection culled from performances between 1979 and 1990. Here, Anderson is a supreme ballad artist. Interpreting classics from "Body and Soul" to "Skylark" to "I Should Care" with a supporting cast that alternately includes bassist Ray Brown and pianists Hank Jones, Gene Harris, George Shearing, and Monty Alexander, Anderson is masterly on this compilation. On such tunes as "Time After Time," the live "Skylark", and a beautiful version of "Summertime" that segues from a rubato duet with Alexander to a seductive stroll propelled by Brown's walking lines, Anderson has a relaxed but intense and dramatic sense of phrasing that sometimes recalls Shirley Horn. Her lush and beautiful vocal tone, however, is all her own, making Ballad Essentials a worthy addition to anyone's jazz vocal collection. --Ezra Gale