Karrin Allyson - Round Midnight

Karrin Allyson - Round Midnight
2011, Concord Jazz

Karrin Allyson gets back to the roots of vocal jazz on her latest album, Round Midnight, due out May 5, 2011.  Allyson offers up twelve intimate portraits in song in understated yet emotionally vibrant fashion, recalling an era where small jazz clubs flourished and a sense of refinement enveloped the stage.  Allyson sings from the blue heartbreak of the speakeasy, covering both classic jazz vocal selections and modern songs in what may be the three-time GRAMMY nominee's most personal work to date.

Round Midnight opens with Bill Evans' "Turn Out The Stars", offering up a melancholy and emotionally heavy reading that brings out the sad nuance of Gene Lees' lyrics.  Allyson slows things down significantly and allows the emotion pool in perfectly articulated lines with her fashionably understated vocal style.  Paul Simon's "April Comes She Will" might seem out of place on the track list, but both the memorial of the passage of time and the depth of the human heart and Allyson's handling of the song are spot on.  "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" is a great, bluesy number about being stuck in the shadow of a love lost.  Allyson is expressive and refined here in what may her best vocal performance on the album. 

Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" gets the royal treatment; heartfelt and warm and full of palpable emotion.  Allyson stays very much true to the spirit of the original.  "There's No Such Thing As Love" features a toughness in the delivery that's a perfect spoil to the vulnerability and heartbreak underneath.  Johnny Mandel's "The Shadow Of Your Smile" is delivered in much the same fashion.  The flute solo here almost steals the show.  Stephen Sondheim's "Send In The Clowns" is a wonderfully nuanced and blue mood piece.  While not as dynamic as some of the famous renditions of this song, Allyson's take captures the emotion of the piece from a place that's dark and reserved.  Allyson closes with the epitome of loneliness in song.  "Round Midnight" (Thelonious Monk) is presented here with just Allyson and an upright bass for accompaniment.  Allyson's subtle and understated vocalization mixes perfectly with an almost free-form style in the bass part to capture hope maintained in spite of the loss of same.  This is a 'wow' moment almost in spite of itself.

Karrin Allyson sings at soundtrack of atmosphere, to be partaken of over a glass of whatever the bartender is pouring on the outskirts of desolation.  The refined and classy beauty that Allyson brings to the dregs of human emotion is refreshing.  With a touch for phasing and a voice full of quiet beautiful, Karrin Allyson will remind listeners of a time when it wasn't so much the singer as the song that mattered.  While she is in front on Round Midnight, Allyson is often an equal part of the ensemble that simultaneously documents the tragedy of human suffering in song, while soothing the hearts of those who seek an oasis in spirit and song.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Karrin Allyson at www.karrin.com or www.facebook.com/karrinallyson.  Round Midnight drops on May 3, 2011.  You can pre-order the album from Amazon.com on CD or as a Download.

Review: Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element - Volume 2

Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element - Volume 2
2009, Silverwolf Records

Johnny Neel has it all, really. A top-level session player in Nashville, Neel has a Grammy nomination under his belt and has written songs recorded by The Allman Brothers, John Mayall, Joe Louis Walker, The Oak Ridge Boys, Marie Osmond and Travis Tritt. Neel is also well-respected as a performer, with a small but significant following mostly on the East Coast of the US. Neel’s sixth solo album, Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element Volume 2, was released earlier this year; A mix of Rock and Blues pervades the disc.

Volume 2 opens with Go, a great mid-tempo Blues/Rock hybrid with some intriguing minor-key vocal harmonies in the chorus. The song is strong overall, but the chorus adds that "gotcha" that draws listeners in and convinces them to stay for a while. Pass Out is a funky Rock jam that turns psychedelic before slamming back into the funk. Thing P-Funk meets Pink Floyd. Thunder is an impressive track, combining a pure Classic/Southern Rock sound with elements of Jazz, Funk and Soul. You'll want to get moving when this song is one. Smackin' Pepper goes for the ten-minute instrumental jam thing and ends up sounding a bit like album filler, although the Moog work in particular is impressive. Hot Beer Emergency mixes Styx-style keyboards with Southern Rock guitar for the most intriguing composition on the disc. Here Right Now is a fun and catchy Classic Rock paean that turns into an extended jam. Neel closes out with Playin' On The Tracks, a decent tune but probably not the best choice as a closer to the album.

Johnny Neel rips it up with his guitar, playing some of the hottest Rock and Blues guitar out there. The songwriting and composition here ranges from above average to excellent, although the extended jams do end up sounding like filler at times. Neel's band is as sharp as a tack, and no matter your inclination you'll find something here to enjoy. Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element, Volume 2 is definitely worth checking out.

Rating: 3 Stats (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element at http://www.johnnyneel.com/, www.myspace.com/johnnyneel, or www.myspace.com/thecriminalelement. You can purchase a copy of Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element Vol. 2 in Neel’s online CD Shop. You can download Volume 2 from iTunes.

Review: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - Lonely Street

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - Lonely Street
2009, Rounder Records

In an era when no one artist stays dominant in any musical category for more than an album or two, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver's longevity and persistence is astounding. Inspired early on by the legendary Bill Monroe, Lawson has built a 30-year recording career with Quicksilver, and to say it's a highly decorated career is an understatement. Between the years of 2001 and 2007, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver is the only group to take home the Independent Bluegrass Musician Association's award as Vocal Group Of The Year, racking up a total of 14 IBMA awards in the past 13 years. Lawson himself has been a fixture in the bluegrass world for 45 years, receiving multiple GRAMMY nominations and a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor affords by that organization to traditional folk artists. 2009 sees the release of Lawson's latest release with Quicksilver, Lonely Street. The awards will come, but for Dawson it's always been about one thing: the music.

Even 45 years into a storied career, Doyle Lawson has a classic Country voice that’s as clear and true as ever. Lonely Street opens with what can only be described as a prologue in Monroe’s Mandolin. An open tribute to Bill Monroe and the foundation he laid for bluegrass pickers everywhere, Lawson gives a master class in the high lonesome sound that was Monroe’s trademark. It’s a fitting tribute, and the instrumentation and harmonies here are gorgeous. Sound aside; Lawson knows a thing or three about story telling in song. Best example might be Johnny & Sally, which follows a classic formula for the style and yet manages to be sweet in an old-fashioned sense. It’s a witty tune about forbidden love and the good things that come out of it sometimes. The Human Race is a philosophical tune that reminds us what’s important while also reminding us how short-sighted people can be at times. (“Are we losing the human race / Do we ever really learn from our mistakes / Who’s ahead, who’s behind, will there ever be a finish line / are we losing the human race?”).

Lawson & Quicksilver brings us through Old-time country (Yesterday’s Songs), Gospel (When The Last Of Our Days Shall Come) and a good old back porch, flat-picking instrumental (Down Around Bear Cove). An added treat are the two covers presented here. Porter Wagoner’s Big Wind goes back to Country’s early roots for a classic rendition of a great song. Marty Robbins’ Call Me Up And I’ll Come Callin’ On You might quietly be one of the best songs in the Country Music Canon. Lawson puts his own imprint on the song without losing its spirit.

The respect Lawson receives in the industry and the awards that he’s received are a testament to the quality of the music he makes. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver are legends. As Lawson moves into the latter half of his fifth decade in music, he shows no signs of slowing down. Lonely Street shows a performer and band at the top of their game.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver at http://www.doylelawson.com/. You can purchase a copy of Lonely Street at Amazon.com.

Review: Jana Mashonee - New Moon Born

Jana Mashonee – New Moon Born
2009, Miss Molly Records

Jana Mashonee is a voice to be reckoned with. Her soulful, stannic alto is full of vibrato and swirling hues that capture the listener’s attention. She’s a performer for whom you’d gladly buy a concert ticket even if she was singing the phonebook. An award winning (7 Nammy Awards, 1 Grammy nomination) Native American (Lumbee Indian) singer, Mashonee aims for greater popular exposure with her latest CD, New Moon Born. With a mix of Soul, R&B, Latin, Native American and pop styles, Mashonee appears to have found a winning musical combination.

New Moon Born opens with Osiris’ Star and an incredible vocal line from Mashonee. The lyrical depth is more than you might expect from your typical, pop-oriented album; but nothing else here indicates that Mashonee is typical. There are some samples of fairly typical pop fare such as Solid Ground, Used To Be In Love and Water’s Edge. At the same time there are some real stunners on New Moon Born. For Just One Night is a gorgeous, affecting performance featuring some delicious minor key vocal harmonies. The Spanish version, Una Noche is even more powerful. Miracles spices things up with a funk-filled bass line and a dance beat guaranteed to get your feet moving. Sunday Morning shows Mashonee working in her upper register and sounding remarkably like Paula Cole.

So far, so good, but Carousel is the song you came to hear. Jana Mashonee shows signs of a big, powerful voice all throughout New Moon Born, and on Carousel she lets it run with vigor. Carousel is classic Soul/R&B ala Aretha Franklin (or more recently, Melinda Doolittle). Mashonee can belt with the best of them and delivers an absolutely stunning performance here. If she can do on stage what she does on CD then she has the potential to be a legend.

Jana Mashonee is already an icon. She is a sterling musical representative of The First Nations of the Americas, melding Native American and Latin sounds with traditional pop music in a fashion that has few forebears. Her powerful, hue-filled voice is instantly memorable and recognizable; resounding in the listener’s mind like a lucid dream. Mashonee delivers the songs on New Moon Born with a passion that burns right out of your speakers, and she’s impossible to overlook. New Moon Born has the potential to be a breakout recording.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jana Mashonee at http://www.janamashonee.com/ or www.myspace.com/janamashonee. New Moon Born will be released on January 20, 2009. You can order copies or digital downloads through Amazon.com.