Barbara Berent is shopping her new recording to record labels and regional and syndicated radio shows.

But the Shenango Township woman's expectations for the success of "Night and Day" are low, and she does not expect to recoup the cost of recording the 12 songs and releasing them on compact disc.

Just putting out the CD, which also features the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, was its own reward for Ms. Berent, a jazz singer who performs under the name Barbara Knight.

Her desire to put together "Night and Day" was "Simply to have a permanent record of the music I do with this incredible band," she said. "I'm so fortunate to work with this band. They're great musicians, the charts are great -- I'm singing great songs."

The songs are standards such as "Bewitched," "Bye Bye Blackbird," "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Just in Time," written by some of the greats of 20th century music, including George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein, Cole Porter and Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart.

Beyond the songs themselves, Ms. Berent wanted to highlight the arrangements.

"I've been singing these incredible charts that were written for me from 1993," she said, recalling that she thought, "We've got to record it. We've got to have a lasting record of it."

The arrangements showcase the talents of band members Paul Ferguson, Vaughn Wiester, Dave Morgan and Rich Shanklin.

Out of the 40 arrangements available, she chose the ones that "felt comfortable to me," she said.

The recording project allowed her to show off a little more than she has in a live setting.

"One of the biggest obstacles is simply being heard when the band is roaring," she said of fronting the band live. "You can't scream over 16 people."

In the studio, she could "lay back."

"I could be more subtle in my phrasing, be more expressive with my lyrics," said Ms. Berent, who helps her husband, Daniel, at his business, Regenex Corp. of West Middlesex, a vinyl window scrap recycling business.

The CD also features a more personal number, "This Lullaby," which is dedicated to the memory of her daughter, Kasey, who died in 2000 at age 6.

The song, arranged by CD co-producer Chas Baker, was the hardest to record, she said. On the day she recorded it, Baker noticed she was agitated, and took the musicians aside to explain the song's significance.

"They played it with tears streaming down their faces," Ms. Berent said. "It was such an emotional moment. I think that shows in their playing."

"I could never do it live. It was arranged for the CD. It will never be performed again."

The CD has gotten airplay on Cleveland and Pittsburgh radio stations, and WPIC in Hermitage. Hearing the songs on the radio was a shock to her son, Nicholas, 5, and daughter, Erica, 3.

"The kids were taken aback -- 'That's mommy!' I don't think they're old enough to quite understand what I do."

Ms. Berent, who previously recorded with the Harry Hersey Orchestra, performs about once a month, either with CJO or the Barbara Knight Trio. An upcoming trio show is Saturday at Martini's in Lakewood, Ohio, and she next sings with the band April 13 at the Canton Palace Theatre.