Renowned jazz educator Phil Mattson's sure touch is everywhere on 'Without A Song;' all the arrangements are his, and he produces and plays light piano on the CD (bass and drums are also included on some cuts). Mattson protegees VoicesIowa, students or alumni of prestigious Southwestern Community College's School for Music Vocations (4 men, 2 women) have a bright, effortless sound that invites comparison with the Real Group and The Idea of North. Technically there are just 5 cuts on the CD, but on the first cut, for instance, a sleepy 'Without A Song,' segues into a scattish 'The Song Is You,' continues with a sweetly jazzy 'You Are The Sunshine of My Life before returning to an upbeat 'Without A Song' refrain; and cut 4, 'A Hoagy Carmichael Tribute,' includes the lightly accompanied 'The Nearness of You,' 'Heart and Soul,' 'I Get Along Without You Very Well,' 'Georgia On My Mind,' 'Ole Buttermilk Sky,' 'Stardust,' 'Lazybones,' 'Two Sleepy People,' 'Skylark' and 'Lazy River.' Two a cappella tunes, 'Alfie' and the final cut , 'Over the Rainbow' are particularly nice. Mattson doesn't waste a note, and VoicesIowa is an apt, finely-tuned instrument for his genius.

Listen to Over The Rainbow in RealAudio.