Search - Karrin Allyson :: Daydream

The Best Album from a most excellent artist

johnr1note | Tinley Park, IL United States | 06/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Karryn Allyson is one of my favorite jazz singers, and this is by far her best album. It is also the very first album of hers I had the opportunity to listen to. I found it completely by accident. My wife's uncle, who was a professional jazz musician, had recently passed away, and some of his musician friends had played at his funeral. One of the numbers they did was a haunting ballad called "Everything Must Change." I asked the performers about the song, and wanted to know if the song had lyrics (I am a singer myself). I was told the song did have words, and they gave me several leads where I could find a recording. Scouring the record stores and the listings, I got nowhere. I had given up my search, when, browsing the jazz CD's, I turned over the first CD in the stack under "A," which was for "Allyson," and discovered this gem of a recording, which included the song I was looking for. It was as if the Holy Spirit had led me there.



And what a beautiful gift and experience this album is! Karryn is a wonderful singer -- expressive, nuanced, but with a simple, unadorned quality. While her vocal tone is "plain," her ability to use her voice is anything but. She's also a great scat singer too. The choice of material is refreshing, with songs in the "jazz standard" category, but not often heard (e.g. "Daydream," "Like Someone in Love"), interesting and innovative arrangements (I particuarly like the 5/4 treatement of "Show Me" from "My Fair Lady" and the "Back Home to Indiana/Donna Lee" combination"), and songs that are just beautiful ("Everything Must Change," "My Foolish Heart," "You Can't Rush Spring"). Plus, the backing musicians/sidemen are top notch, and like another of my favorite female jazzers, Rosemary Clooney, Ms. Allyson lets her sidemen play. And man, can these cats PLAY!!!



There are a lot of "new jazz" singers, and many of them get a lot of grief for falling short of the standards set by the greats of the past, be they Sinatra, Ella, Billie Holliday, Betty Carter etc. The quote is ususally, "this new singer can't hold a candle to [insert name of immortal singer here]." i want you to know, with "Daydream," Karryn Allyson can and DOES hold a candle to the greats of the past, and blazes a few new trails of her own. She proves to be a very capable disciple of the old masters."

Corcovado is worth it

A. Turner | 03/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A great album for drinkin', dancin' or just sharing a nice evening alone with that special someone. Her take on 'Corcovado' is--hands down--the best ever done and is, alone, worth whatever price."