by Matt CollarDedicated to her mother, who passed away in 2005, I'll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey finds jazz violinist Regina Carter showcasing the American popular songs her mother loved. Centered around Carter's supple violin chops, the album also features pianist and fellow Detroiter Xavier Davis, bassist Matthew Parrish, and drummer Alvester Garnett. This is a gorgeously arranged and swinging affair that not only includes such straight-ahead numbers as "There's a Small Hotel" and "A-Tisket, a-Tasket," but also finds Carter delving headlong into '30s swing and some of the classical influences of her last album, Paganini: After a Dream. To these ends, Edvard Grieg's "Anitra's Dance" is a superbly executed bit of angular post-bop that brings to mind Wynton Marsalis' Black Codes (From the Underground) with its orchestral mix of counterpuntal rhythms and swing. Similarly engaging is the propulsive gypsy jazz standard "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön," which perfectly suits the guest vocals of Dee Dee Bridgewater. Other tracks, like the softly melodic "Sentimental Journey" and the slowed-down "St. Louis Blues," defy simple conventions without ever straying from jazz tradition. Ultimately, Carter has crafted a deeply intimate, soulful, and lovingly burnished tribute to her mother.