Love Is Here To Stay (2005)

"It is unusual to hear a son and his mother together in a jazz setting, but this ballads CD is a stunning duo date. Charlap is best known as the leader of a superb piano trio. Stewart has recorded only sporadically, though she has worked with her son on some club dates. Her instrument has mellowed like a fine wine, with a slight vibrato that adds to the intimacy of each performance. Charlap's interludes between phrases are lush yet never overdone, while he makes great use of space in his accompaniment. While there are quite a few standards present, they also chose songs that have been unjustly neglected. "Here I Am in Love Again," written by the late Moose Charlap (the singer's husband and the pianist's father), is a hopeful song about love in its early stages, which they approach with tenderness. Another Charlap composition, "I Never Go There Anymore," is just the opposite, a sentimental look back at a distant past that can never be recaptured. The standards are just as enticing." (Ken Dryden, Allmusic)