Sue Raney at Feinstein's at Loews Regency While being soothed and exhilarated by the voice of Sue Raney at Feinstein's at Loews Regency on Thursday evening, I was reminded that for certain singers there is no better description than the quaint euphemism "songbird." Ms. Raney, who was playing her first New York engagement in 25 years, may be 72, but her voice is young, her singing infused with hope. Even while delivering the saddest of torch songs, like Rodgers and Hart's "He Was Too Good to Me," her sound conjured early-morning sunlight on a glistening lawn, a mountain brook percolating in the distance and carefree children running through the woods. Ms. Raney, who was accompanied by Alan Broadbent on piano, Harvie S on bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums, is something of a jazz legend, having recorded her first album, in 1958, with Nelson Riddle when she was 17 More than half a century later, there are few signs of vocal wear and tear. She ascends to near-supersonic heights where she scats and twirls phrases. Turning her voice into a soft, mellifluous siren, she extends notes up and down an octave. Her middle register has a rounded, emotion-charged vibrato reminiscent of Judy Garland's. She also has great taste in songs. Two of the high points on Thursday were the Dave Frishberg gems "Heart's Desire" and "Listen Here." Both are about remaining true to yourself and heeding your inner voice. "Heart's Desire" is outfitted with a gorgeous chromatic melody by Mr. Broadbent, whose pianistic lyricism is of the Bill Evans school, and his accompaniments showered Ms. Raney with rainbows. Part of the show was a tribute to Doris Day, a major influence, whose voice has the same innate sunniness. Before Ms. Day, Ms. Raney added, her idol had been Betty Grable. But Ms. Raney is more of a jazz singer than Ms. Day and is not afraid to take risks. Her rendition of "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) " was dramatically slowed, the better to convey its advice to sit back and let things take their course. That laissez-faire attitude, expressed in nursery rhyme language, is worth pondering.