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Saturday Night Jazz 10.03.15

 

  

snj_10.03_part_2.mp3
Part 2

  

 

This episode of SNJ debuts Many a New Day (Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein), the singer’s new release. Fronting an all-star duo—two dynamos of jazz, Kenny Baron on piano and John Patitucci on bass—Allyson proves herself once again as a creative force to be reckoned with. Together they take song after song, 14 in all, and infuse them with renewed energy. If you’ve heard them before, and it’s likely you have, you have never heard them like this.

The songs are drawn from only four Rodgers and Hammerstein shows: Oklahoma! (5 songs), South Pacific (3 songs), The King and I (4 songs), and The Sound of Music (2 songs), and while the individual songs are all well known, they are not always the biggest hits from the shows. Missing are songs like “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” “People Will Say We’re in Love,” and “Hello Young Lovers.” While beautiful, less covered tunes like the album’s title song and the message song from South Pacific “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” are justifiably spotlighted.

Allyson has a beautiful voice which she uses creatively whether swinging and scatting on “The Surry With the Fringe on Top” or teasing sexily with her smoky take on “I’m Just a Girl That Can’t Say No.” She does a wistfully atmospheric vocal on “I Have Dreamed” aided by some elegant piano solo work from Barron, who manages to add effective highlights throughout the album. “Out of My Dreams” gives Patitucci a sweet solo opportunity. “Happy Talk” begins with some illustrative happy vocalise. Allyson is at the top of her game here. She maintains her place among the best of the current jazz singers. And the best thing about this new album is that she’s still got a long list of Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes to work her magic on.

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