Carole Farley offers an unhackneyed selection of American popular song. In Arlen’s case we have a group of songs that testify to his unique blend of the blues and the music of the synagogue. Farley relishes that vocal wail that Arlen builds into the opening line of “When the sun comes out”, while her operatic experience makes “I had myself a true love” a natural choice.

Of the four composers represented, Arlen touches us most. Arthur Schwartz is the surprise runner-up. Farley projects the romantic notion of “waltzing in the wonder of why we’re here” from the song “Dancing in the dark” with clear enunciation and a sense of just where the song is going. The Gershwin songs are lighter, with several up-tempo numbers in a programme of predominantly slow ones. The Weill songs seemed unexceptional in this company.

For the most part, John Constable plays the piano accompaniments on the song sheets, sometimes breaking to swing gently (“Isn’t it a pity?”) or go for broke (“Fun to be fooled”). Upfront microphone work may expose Farley’s vocal limitations from time to time but it’s appropriate for these songs, as is the balance between voice and piano.