Karrin Allyson - Ballads (Remembering John Coltrane)

[mjzee]

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one. The format itself was sort of a shocker: rather than knowing the songs and then hearing them played instrumentally with a jazz interpretation, here I knew the songs from Coltrane's albums (largely from "Ballads") but had never heard many of these sung before. Allyson has a bewitching, sumptuous voice, and is a very good interpreter of these songs. A top notch band backs her (James Williams, John Pattitucci, Lewis Nash, and either Bob Berg or James Carter on tenor and Steve Wilson on soprano). Recommended.

[Chuck Nessa]

Sorry, just the title of the thread gave me the heebie-jeebies.

[duaneiac]

I have, I think, everything Ms. Allyson recorded on Concord. Every one of her albums is good, but this one was perhaps the very best of the bunch.

[JSngry]

I can't dis on Karrin Allyson, not even a little, but I can't really like her either. Oh well. She's kinda like Dianne Reeves that way for, such a good singer, but I don't as a rule feel it, not so much.

And no matter, name a song off of this album, any song, and I'll recommend another vocal version, not for "that's SO much better" as much as "well, see, maybe not a necessary listen for me personally, this one".

[jlhoots]

I can't dis on Karrin Allyson, not even a little, but I can't really like her either. Oh well. She's kinda like Dianne Reeves that way for, such a good singer, but I don't as a rule feel it, not so much.

And no matter, name a song off of this album, any song, and I'll recommend another vocal version, not for "that's SO much better" as much as "well, see, maybe not a necessary listen for me personally, this one".

Better than Dianne Reeves IMHO.

[GA Russell]

I like her because I think her heart's in the right place.

[JSngry]

And no matter, name a song off of this album, any song, and I'll recommend another vocal version, not for "that's SO much better" as much as "well, see, maybe not a necessary listen for me personally, this one".

Ok, I'm a liar, at least once:

1. Say It (Over and Over Again) - don't know of a vocal version of this one. Oops!

But as far as the others, if people aren't familiar with other vocal versions of the rest of these songs, check these out if you feel like it. It's not like they're rarities or anything. And if you actually like singers (not everybody does), hey, what've you got to lose?

2. You Don't Know What Love Is - So many...but believe it or not, try Kurt Elling, or even better, the remix of his version issued as The Backroom Bandits. The bridge is the same as "This Masquerade", so that pop/dance thing works with it, although Elling's original is done as straight ballad.

3. Too Young to Go Steady - It's a dog of a song, imo, but there's always Nat Cole.

4. All or Nothing at All - Sinatra (60s) or Billie, for starters. It's such a great song you pretty much got to try to fuck it up.

5. I Wish I Knew - Jimmy Scott owns this one afaic.

6. What's New? - Sinatra owns it

7. It's Easy to Remember - Billie

8. Nancy (With the Laughing Face) - Sinatra, game over. Not that there's much game there to be had.

9. Naima - Hey, no fair! But Jean Carne (the version w/Doug Carne)

10. Why Was I Born? - The only one that comes to mind is Ella w/Nelson Riddle, but it's a good'un.

11. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye - Jimmy Scott, Ray Charles/Betty Carter. And Jeanne Lee. ALWAYS go with Jeanne Lee. FTW, Jeanne Lee, always.

This is just me, but these songs, eternal standards many of them may turn out to be, are getting to be like Shakespeare in that nobody really speaks that way anymore (or won't in another generation or two) without having to think/study on it first. Nothing bad about that, c'est la vie, but otoh, recordings have given us disposal to people who sang it in "real time", when a lot of people spoke that way, more or less (of course, nobody hardly "naturally" spoke the way that somebody like Cole Porter wrote a lyric, but what that was was just a refinement of everyday dialect, not a studied recitation of it). So for me, those "real time" renditions are generally what I want to hear as far as "straight" renditions of them.

Having said that, Karrin Allyson is a fine singer as far as that type of thing goes, and I guess if you don't have a lot of "back story" to bring to these songs (or so many others like them) as a listener, then maybe none of that really matters. Probably doesn't. Doesn't seem to be bothering Rod Stewart any.

But hello Jeanne Lee, Jimmy Scott, Johnny Hartman, Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra (the singer), Doris Day, Dick Haymes, Irene Krall, and god knows how many all of the other dead people who did what they did in the world they did it (also dead/dieing), never mind the people who actually sang them in their original show settings (where there were any), I mean, hell, I don't know too much of a damn thing about that, maybe I will some day, or maybe I won't.

I will say this, though - if the premise of this album is linking standards through Coltrane, well, this could take a while. That cat knew ALL the tunes.

[Mark Stryker]

Sinatra recorded "Say It (Over and Over Again)" with Dorsey. Not sure if this is the record that introduced the song but Coltrane almost assuredly knew the tune from Sinatra/Dorsey.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Mark Stryker

[Mark Stryker]

FWIW, Kurt Elling also recorded "Say It." String quartet, pianist Laurence Hobgood (who I assume wrote the chart) and Ernie Watts on tenor. I don't know of other vocal versions from back in the day but there must be some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMJ3wNSy4RU

[mjzee]

But hello Jeanne Lee, Jimmy Scott, Johnny Hartman, Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra (the singer), Doris Day, Dick Haymes, Irene Krall, and god knows how many all of the other dead people who did what they did in the world they did it (also dead/dieing), never mind the people who actually sang them in their original show settings (where there were any), I mean, hell, I don't know too much of a damn thing about that, maybe I will some day, or maybe I won't.

I'm familiar with most of these singers, and I still like Allyson just fine. I think she brings her own thing to these songs. Liking one doesn't preclude liking the other.

[page]

I have that album too. I saw her perform live twice. One in a big hall and the other time in a very small club with only 60 people in the audience. I was just a few feet away from her. Although I prefer a bit lower, warmer tone in the singers I listen to, I must say she is really something! A jazz musician for sure who knows what and how she wants it. Especially the time in the small place she was great. I spoke to her afterwards and to her guitar player, I can't come up with his name right now. She signed my cd's, the one you mentioned and "Footprints". This last one is an amazing album since she does vocalese on famous songs by Horace Silver, Dizzy Gillespie, Nat Addeley, Hank Mobliey and others.Chris Caswell wrote lyrics. I'm transcribing one of those. Karrin is an amazing jazz singer and an example for me as a musician.
A song that always makes me laugh is her "Sweet Home Cookin' Man". "They say true love is when a man brings home the groceries instead of eating up all of yours"

[A Lark Ascending]

Wonderful record. I bought it when it came out, knowing nothing of the singer. Utterly bewitched me.

I've bought other records by her which I've enjoyed but nothing quite got me like this one. There's a real intensity to it and everything seems to gel. 'Concept' albums often seem like a quick peg to give a recording some sort of unity - but somehow this one really does seem unified and deeply felt.

On her otherwise (to my ears) rather indifferent 'Wild For You' album (mainly 70s singer songwriter covers) she does a superb version of 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.' I often have to play that two or three times in succession.

[duaneiac]

I think Ms. Allyson holds her own quite well not only with today's singers, but with the singers of "classic" pop/jazz fare of old such as Rosemary Clooney, Nancy Wilson, Jo Stafford, Lee Wiley, etc. She has her own "voice" and it is one that is instantly recognizable and generally pleasing to my ears.

I've seen her perform a few times. At one of the most memorable ones, I was working as a volunteer stage hand at the San Jose Jazz Festival. We were just getting the stage set for her performance -- I remember I was helping move Colin Bailey's drum set into place -- when the power went out. After waiting for a long time, it became apparent that there the power was not going to be restored any time soon. The venue would not allow any one to come into the theater due to safety concerns, so Ms. Allyson asked Mr. Bailey to take his snare drum out in the lobby and she proceeded to do an "unplugged" set for folks there. She could have easily said, "Screw it. I'm here ready to perform as the contract required, but the venue provided for me is not able to let me perform. Not my fault. Give me my check and I'm out of here". The fact that she still wanted to give some kind of performance, under less than ideal, makeshift conditions, for people who came out to see her is the mark of a true pro. Quite refreshing. I can't imagine, say, Diana Krall doing that.

I was going to mention her version of "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress". I've heard her sing it live and it was gorgeous.

She's not a bad piano player as well.

[mikeweil]

There are others whose voices I like better, but I appreciate her a lot for being a real jazz singer, which is becoming a rarity these days. Her choice of tunes is great, especially the ones the wrote lyrics for.

That she did that lobby performance is another sign she's a real jazz singer. Great story.

[medjuck]

I'm fond of her album Azure-Té. I used to get the title song confused with Ellington's Paris Blues. I was surprised to find that Louis Jordan had recorded Azure-Te.

Edited January 25, 2015 by medjuck

[tranemonk]

Well said. I love Karrin. Have seen her 3-5 times. Extremely underrated. I think my favorite CD of hers is Footprints.

I have, I think, everything Ms. Allyson recorded on Concord. Every one of her albums is good, but this one was perhaps the very best of the bunch.

[Milestones]

I find this to be one of the best vocal albums I have ever heard. I've heard some other stuff by Karrin, and all of it good--but this record is special.

[jazzbo]

I agree, this is my favorite release by Ms Allyson. It's just special.

[MartyJazz]

I too like this album alot, preferring especially the tracks where Bob Berg backs her up rather than the histrionics of James Carter. Saw KA in West Palm Beach some years ago and she gave a terrific performance.

BTW, as long as other vocal versions of these tunes are being lauded, I nominate Dinah Washington's take on "You Don't Know What Love Is". Very good!

[A Lark Ascending]

New one from Karrin Allyson due in a couple of weeks:

Where Rodgers and Hart are staples of jazz singery Rodgers and Hammerstein are much rarer...hard to be hip with Julie Andrews in your head.

Good to see this - R&H may owe as much to operetta as Broadway but I love the harmonic modulations in their songs. Looking forward to it - Allyson rarely takes the straight road (or the hip road, come to that). 

Edited September 15, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[duaneiac]

I saw that disc on Amazon last week and pre-ordered it.  The concept and material did not strike me as being very promising at first, but the song samples sounded very good.  I would expect her to do some creative interpretations of these R&H classics.

[jeffsjazz]

Jeffsjazz here.

I must agree with several posters.This cd is simply fantastic and a concept cd that hits it out of the park.

By  far her best recording ! "Too young to go Steady", gives me goose bumps.Listen to it on a nice valve system to get that warmth !

Absolutely gorgeous !

Edited September 19, 2015 by jeffsjazz

[fasstrack]

The Rodgers and Hart CD is very nice. With Kenny Barron.

[fasstrack]

I can't dis on Karrin Allyson, not even a little, but I can't really like her either. Oh well. She's kinda like Dianne Reeves that way for, such a good singer, but I don't as a rule feel it, not so much.

 

And no matter, name a song off of this album, any song, and I'll recommend another vocal version, not for "that's SO much better" as much as "well, see, maybe not a necessary listen for me personally, this one".

I get something more personal from Karrin Allyson than Dianne Reeves, who I find an excellent but generic singer.

BTW, people looking for originality in interpreting the standards plus a great instrument IMO should look no further than Kate McGarry. I think she's about the best around now. Check out her version of Gypsy in my Soul, with a tempo right down Broadway.

 

[JSngry]

I used to find Dianne Reeves generic as well (and she was, frankly) early on, until I began to look at the arena in which she was choosing to work. Lots of "shields" needed, I think, so the veneer of genericism is not necessarily unnecessary or unwise. She ain't crazy, she ain't a diva, she ain't got no cultural manifesto, and she ain't white. Nothing at all wrong with not being/having any of those things, but marketwise, hey...where DOES that fit in, exactly, if you want to make a living? Not making a thing out of it, just sayin', people who make records and headline gigs do so because they've been able to target their niche, and niches are never about "just" music, that's all.

What really turned me around on her was, of all things, that BN remix project where she sang "Down Here On The Ground" over a Grant Green sample, sang the SHIT out of it, dug into it and pulled it ALL the way back out, and then the lightbulb went off, ah, THAT'S the game she's playing. And then it all made sense.