Lea Delaria has been called “the best singer in the world” by comedian/actress Sandra Bernhardt. While there is some element of hyperbole in that summation, there is no doubt that DeLaria is a singer deserving of much wider recognition. She is a serious singer, too. Powerful and confident, but able to convey vulnerability when it’s called for. Killer phrasing, too. The whole package is a bit reminiscent at times of young Peggy Lee. And like Lee, DeLaria may not be taken as seriously as she should because she sings popular songs. But she can swing positively any tune, I’m convinced, after listening to Double Standards, Telarc’s release of a 2003 recording that Warner Brothers only released in Europe and has leased to the jazz and classical Telarc label.

Another reason that DeLaria may not be taken seriously is that she began her career as a lesbian-themed comedian who then morphed into a jazz/cabaret singer. In 2001 Warner released her first CD, Play It Cool. That disc contained a broad selection of Broadway showtunes, including “Ballad of Sweeney Todd,” “Cool,” and “All That Jazz.” On Double Standards, DeLaria tackles contemporary pop and rock songs from artists as diverse and unexpected as Patti Smith, Los Lobos, Blondie, Jane’s Addiction, Soundgarden, the Doors, the Pretenders, and Green Day. And, believe it or not, DeLaria pulls most of these numbers off as solid jazz/cabaret showcase arrangements that swing. Whereas many jazzy renditions of pop music songs are lacking in life and stilted from birth, these arrangements actually work, sometimes offering a radically new look at the song.

It helps immensely that DeLaria’s band is comprised of some of the best jazz musicians working and recording today. Pianist/accordianist/arranger Gil Goldstein, a gifted Gil Evans protégé, wrote all but two of the arrangements and plays piano and accordian throughout the album. Drummer Bill Stewart and bassist Christian McBride, two of the most widely utilized rhythm section players in jazz and popular music are also featured throughout. Adding colorful touches to various numbers are tenor sax player Seamus Blake, vibraphonist Stephon Harris, glass harmonica player Bill Hayes, and guitarist Adam Rogers. This band never lets DeLaria down, always offering the best possible support to her strong vocal work.

As I suggested earlier, most of these rearrangements work, sometimes because the arrangement is just right, sometimes because of the work of the musicians and DeLaria, often as a perfect match between the two elements. Patti Smith’s “Dancing Barefoot” is cast as a straightforward swing number, which seems wholly inappropriate, but which works pretty well despite an overly long scat section. Los Lobos’ “Kiko And the Lavender Moon” is a perfect song for this group, as Harris and Goldstein add exotic elements (marimba and accordian) and DeLaria conjures the right mix of mystery and wonderment. The minor-key low-key, late night cocktail bar version of “Call Me” works well also, perhaps because there is a match between the lightweight nature of the song’s lyrics and the casual way DeLaria and company approach it. “Been Caught Stealing,” perhaps the best known song by Jane’s Addiction, is recast as a funky number, with Rogers hitting the wah-wah pedal while Blake offers some phat squonky R&B tenor work. “Black Hole Sun” benefits from being presented as a delicate ballad, its understated nature allowing listeners a full appreciation of the song’s beautiful melody.

As is the nature of these projects, not everything DeLaria attempts works. No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” simply doesn’t work the way it’s presented here. The verse sections, featuring a melodic motif that is nonexistent in the original, sound awkward and the double-time chorus, while better, just isn’t supported by the song’s admittedly sparse melodic content. “People Are Strange,” as a dirge-like minor blues, is ok, but at five-plus minutes it puts too much weight on what was really just a simple little ditty in its original Doors version. Worse is “Tattooed Love Boys” which is stripped of all its gritty emotional content. The song is too full of lust, contempt, and fascination to be anything but a rock song. But even with these less-than-desirable tracks, Double Standards is a fascinating and bold recording that should be heard by listeners who like their jazz vocalists with a strong, individual style.