"I had to break down and buy this CD after hearing so many nice things about it. Good thing, too!For her debut album, April Barrows has created a wonderful disc that one would normally associate with an established recording star far along the path of fame and fortune. She possesses a surprising maturity not only in writing and vocalizing, but in song selection as well.There are so many good numbers on here that it is tricky to pick out which are the best. I have several instant favorites, among them the two Moon songs, "Mr. Moon" and "I Wanna Turn Out My Light". Others that jump out are "An Old Stuffed Sofa", "Someone Else's Arms", "Lost in a Blue Note", and "Jumping into Spring". But I think if I were forced to choose only one favorite here, it would have to be the fun little number, "Burning the Toast".All of the songs (most written by April), have a classic jazz style, calling to mind the best of female jazz vocalists from both the classic period (1930s - early 1950s), and the "new school" period with today's artists such as Karin Allyson, Rebecca Kilgore, Tierney Sutton, and others. Many of her songs have a wonderful sense of whimsy, and you know that April is giving each offering to us with a wink and a smile. Both "Burning the Toast" and "An Old Stuffed Sofa", along with the two Moon songs, deliver this whimsical sense in spades.The artists backing April's songs fit nicely with her style, and both the band and the singer are not afraid to get out of each other's way when they need to. There's a good clarinet player, too, which is always nice to hear.In short, the CD is a joy to listen to. By all means, if you're a fan of intimate jazz vocalists, you should purchase this disc just as fast as mouse clicks will allow. I plan to do the same with her second album, "All You Need Is The Girl"."
Waiting for next April!
Mark Savary | 09/23/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I bought April's CD about 2 yrs ago after hearing her interview on NPR -- her album has been one of my favorites ever since. I just checked in to see if she has another cd yet, and to my disappointment the answer is no. The combination of her honeyed voice, her playful song lyrics and great musicianship is hard to beat. the band behind her is terrific, too. She's a classic. Buy her album and you won't be disappointed."
Writer Breaks Out
Kenneth N. Fricklas | Boulder, CO | 06/25/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"To the author of the review who suggested "Swing" by Suzy Boguss... well, yeah! April Barrows WROTE those songs! Anyway, its great to hear her own interpretations. Fans of Madelaine Peyroux and Norah Jones' jazz work won't be disappointed to pick this one up, too."
Amazing
Mark Savary | 01/22/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I must have purchased this cd shortly after it came out -- one of those stab in the dark things that just seems to work out. Now her song "My Dream Is You," will be the first song that I dance to with my new husband in June 2002. This music is timeless, and I'm ordering a second copy right now, along with her new cd. Enjoy!"
No Justice
John H. Gillette | Bowie, MD USA | 03/26/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If there were justice in the world, everyone would know about April Barrows. Buy this album, and you can be one of the select few who do.Like others, I first heard Ms. Barrows on NPR. I didn't get her name, so I had to wait until NPR posted her name on their website.Ms. Barrows wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 12 songs on this CD. Yet, when she sings them, they sound like standards that have been around forever.I add my plea to the others: Please, Ms. Barrows, favor us with another CD!"