by Scott YanowAfter 3½ years off records, Joanne Brackeen returned by getting signed to Concord and cutting her first standards album. Joined by bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Al Foster, Brackeen explores such unlikely tunes as "I've Got the World on a String," "This Is Always" and "Day by Day," but that does not mean that she was suddenly sounding like Teddy Wilson. Brackeen's distinctive style is heard very much intact in this fairly accessible format, and she makes the ancient tunes sound fresh. Recommended.