Great picks on the Deccas Larry. I'll jump on that bandwagon without a second thought. I haven't listened to the Songbird album in a long time. I'll get back on that one, but I do think that a female vocal album per year is a must. There's really something about a great voice and just a couple of instruments that really draws you in and transports you to another place. On all other media, the lack of total fidelity becomes a distraction and prevents full immersion in the moment. But when it's right, I'm just gone. I've been editing some live recording I made (digital) and one of the cuts is Diana Krall singing Joni Mitchell's "Case of You". It's just Diana singing and playing piano in a slightly different style than she usually does, but over and over, I'd get to the applause at the end of the song and think, "Damn, I did it again!" I was supposed to be listening for things that needed to be fixed not enjoying it.
Sorry for hijacking your thread, but I do love you suggestions.