In 1953 Peggy Lee recorded her first album, Black Coffee in the 10-inch format. This album features the eight songs from that album, and adds four more from a session in 1956. Released that same year in the 12-inch format, it's one of the best examples of Lee's slow, smokey style. Sparse, intimate, and not in a hurry to get anywhere, it induces a state of instant relaxation.

The small group sessions in 1953 utilized the talents of a drummer named Ed Shaughnessy, who played with Doc Severinsen for years, including in The Tonight Show Band.

Find more information about Peggy Lee, this album, and 17 of her other albums in Classic Christmas Albums.