DeSare belongs to a group of neo-traditional upstarts stretching from Harry Connick Jr. to Michael Bublé and Jamie Cullum. But this singer/songwriter/pianist's approach is refreshingly instinctual, blending Connick's smooth virtuosity with a rugged, relaxed quality. Backed by a top-notch band featuring Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar and Harry Allen on tenor sax, DeSare covers old and newer pop and jazz standards without smothering or overthinking the material. And on a few classic-style originals, he exhibits a similarly breezy charm as a tunesmith. — Gardner