Karrin Allyson
‘Round Midnight
Concord Records
www.concordmusicgroup.com

Magos Herrera
Mexico Azul
Sunnyside Records
www.sunnysiderecords.com

Etta Jones & Houston Person
The Way We Were: Live In Concert
High Note Records
www.jazzdepot.com

Lisa Kirchner
Something To Sing About
Albany Records
www.albanyrecords.com
By George W. Harris

Well, there’s one thing for sure you can’t say after checking out these
for ladies-“All singers sound alike.” These for vocalists are like
musical snowflakes, with sizes and shapes all their own; if you don’t
find what you’re looking for here, then maybe try Montovani.

Karrin Allyson has made a career of having one of the most emotive and
visceral voices in the business. She’s living proof that a singer
doesn’t need a 3 octave range to get people listening, as she can say
more in her hickory-smoked voice than thousands of other anonymous
divas. Here, she creates a nocturnal mood with an hour’s worth of
subdued and lonely tunes. Teamed up with the sensitive spirits of Rod
Fleeman/g, Ed Howard/b, Matt Wilson/dr, Bob Sheppard/reeds, and Randy
Weinstein/harmonica, Allyson burns the embers low and reflectively on
deeply intimate readings of songs like “Smile” and “The Shadow Of Your
Smile.” She delivers an agonizingly melancholy “Goodbye” while creating
a late night confession on “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” as if she’s
opening up to you after a nice meal and dessert by the fire. Mood music
at its apotheosis.

Magos Herrera plays it smart on her latest release Mexico Azul by using
her soft and sultry voice solely in Spanish. I’m sure she’s tempted to
cross over into English, but it NEVER works, and this passionate
collection is better for it. The team of Adam Rogers/g, Luis Perdomo/p,
Alex Kautz/dr, Rogerio Boccato/perc and Tim Hagans/tp glide together
like changing partners on a dance floor with Ms Herrera. Rogers, in
particular, does some marvelous guitar pax de deuxs with her,
particularly on the caressing “Noche Criolla” and “Azul,” while Hagins’
horn adds a smoky atmosphere on “Angelitos Negros” and “Tres Palabras.”
Herrera’s intimate and husky voice breathes passion like few others,
communicating more in a foreign language than most Anglos.

Etta Jones left us in 2001, but High Note Records has enough material
in the can to make us want God to send her back for a few more shows.
This one, recorded in 2000 with longtime compatriot Houston Person (as
well as Stan Hope/p, George Kaye/b and Chip White/dr) has the lovely
lady singing material that goes back to her hit “Don’t Go To Strangers”
as well as swingers like “I Could Have Danced All Night” and the R&B
cooker “Ma He’s Makin’ Eyes At Me.” Jones had an inflection in her
delivery that was irresistible, and her relaxed yet clear enunciation
on something like “Fine and Mellow” make the blues go down as easy as a
banana daiquiri. If that isn’t good enough, Person’s husky toned
obligattos and solos, as well as his work with the band on
instrumentals like “Please Send Me Someone To Love” make this a disc
for some serious toe tapping. A style and sound that you have to LIVE
to be able to produce.

Lisa Kirchner has produced a number of albums before; this one has the
verdant-toned vocalist mixing up modern classical and some other lesser
known material. She’s got a nice supporting team with Sherman
Irby/reeds, Joel Fan-Xavier Davis/p, Dwayne Burno-Vicente Archer/b, Ron
Jackson/g and Willie Jones III/dr, yet she uses them in more of an
“adult contemporary” than a straight out jazz format. Samuel Barber’s
“Under The Willow Tree” and John Adams’ “Leila’s Song” display some
well trained chops, while Marsalis’ “Sophie Rose-Rosalee” or her own
“Crazy Love, Crazy Heart” show some vocal flexibility.