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Allyson's new album "Ballads" (Concord Jazz Records) combines a great idea with excellent musicianship. Yet the result disappoints. The singer says she fell in love with John Coltrane's 1962 album, "Ballads" when someone gave her a copy years ago.
Allyson found the music as styled by Coltrane and pianist McCoy Tyler grabbed her heart and would not turn loose. The 11 selections in her new "Ballads" (three extra songs were added to bring playing time closer to CD standards) are all pleasant songs and most haven't been done to death. Allyson sings with grace, a steady beat (not always easy with songs performed at these funeral-procession tempos).
The musicians backing Allyson include James Williams (all tracks but one), bassist John Pattitucci, drummer Lewis Nash, tenor player Bob Berg along with tenor performer James Carter, and the superb alto man Steve Wilson (wow, is he a good one!).
The songs boast a uniform brilliance, several capturing extra credit because of their relative rarity. The lesser-known numbers include "Say It (Over and Over Again)" and the gorgeous "I Wish I Knew." The Cole Porter brilliance found in "Every Time We Say Goodbye" makes it almost impossible to ruin any version of this excellent old favorite. Allyson achieves excellence in all aspects.
"What's New" has always been a favorite of this writer. Allyson does it justice and June Christy should be smiling after hearing it from her home in Heaven.
The major gripe with "Ballads" comes from something I suppose couldn't be helped. Because these songs are officially known as ballads and because John Coltrane, one of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century, made a memorable album that contained most of these fine charts, the end result of Ms. Allyson's work tends to become an album that will probably be played as background fodder for cocktail parties in the uppity uppity homes of the hoi polloi. Seldom will the listener pause to say, "Oh, how nice that sounds" while the buzz of conversation threatens to overwhelm Ms. Allyson's voice.Karrin Allyson doubtlessly possesses plenty of talent. Her voice contains a soothing quality and she has the ability to scat just like one of her predecessors. But there's an unfortunate amount of rather dull material laced through the entirety of "Ballads."
Delbert Rides Again!
Anyone who's a fan of public television's long-running "Austin City Limits" has unquestionably come across the multi-talented and irrepressible Delbert McClinton. This ole boy has more talent that should be allowed to a single human being. He writes great songs, often with a humorous touch, he sings with energy while looking like he just got away with the family's jewels. To call McClinton a great one is barely scratching the surface of this longtime favorite of the man typing these words.There's a new Delbert album available and you should order your copy immediately. "Nothing Personal" (New-West Records) contains a baker's dozen of some of the most attractive, foot banging, hilarious, and all things to everybody music that has reached this writer's ears in many moons.
McClinton had his writing paws on each song, sometimes working with other songwriters, a few times doing it all by himself. The backing band is just plain wonderful and McClinton has given his world of followers one of the best albums in recent years.
Just read these few lines from the album's opener, "Livin' It Down:"
"My ship came in and she sunk it
I was the toast of the town and she drunk it
I had a run of good luck
And she ran it right into the ground
Now she's puttin' on a show
And I get to play the clown."
Now if you don't like that tiny taste, you're hopeless and should buy several copies for your friends, who undoubtably have better taste that you.
All those Delbert McClinton fans stopped reading before they got this far and headed for the closest emporium purveyor of great music.
Lloyd Jones, Again
Burnside Records, an outstanding small label in Portland, Ore., has reissued the 1989 album, "Small Potatoes" by Lloyd Jones. If you like the blues powered by a sizzling guitar player, this one should be a natural for your music collection.Jones, who's been in the business since the early '70s and has played with a number of name performers, including Charlie Musselwhite, George "Harmonica" Smith and Big Mama Thornton. In the '80s, he worked with Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal and B.B. King. In other words, Jones has definitely been there, done that.
In its original release, "Small Potatoes" received excellent reviews from Down Beat and Guitar Player. It's a fine taste of the blues, with Jones turning in emotional performances flavored with all kinds of tasty licks. Lloyd Jones deserves being front and center instead of working 20 minutes as an opening act. Perhaps the reissue of "Small Potatoes" will help him take several additional steps up the Ladder of Fame.
