CELEBRITIES OF THE YEAR: FROM THE MOST BORING TO THE MOST TALENTED
MOST TALENTED AND LUCKIEST CELEBRITIES
KARRIN ALLYSON
Critics
and jazz lovers from coast to coast echoed the news. And, now with the release
of her ninth Concord Records CD, Wild for You, Allyson is serving
notice to all who were previously unaware—she is a major talent that is about
to drive you wild. Recording the music that first inspired Allyson to sing
during her childhood, Wild For You is a highly personal coming of age,
a deeply touching tribute to the great singer / songwriters and their music of
the 1970s. Whether it is the irresistible groove of Joni Mitchell’s “All I
Want,” the undeniable sass of Melissa Manchester’s “I Got Eyes,”
or the highly personal plea of Elton John’s “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest
Word,” Allyson is able to capture the essence of these classic melodies and
timeless lyrics while convincingly making them her own. Over the years,
Allyson has performed several of the tunes on Wild For You during live
dates to a hearty audience response. Favorites have included Carly Simon’s
“Mind on My Man,” Roberta Flack’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” and Carole King’s
“It’s Too Late.” Allyson says now felt like the right time to release these
important works as a collection, primarily as a result of consistent and
constant requests from her fans. She also notes, “When I first discovered jazz
in college, I delved into the songs of Nancy Wilson, Carmen McRae, Billie
Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. But I never forgot about these great ‘pop’ tunes
and featured them during live performances. I also included a few of them on
previous recordings. I am so excited that I have been able to now dedicate a
whole CD to these tunes.” Karrin Allyson has recorded a series of nine CDs for
Concord Records, each of which have showcased her astonishing breadth of
repertoire, from standards by Gershwin and Porter to Brazilian bossa nova to
samba and Thelonious Monk. Most recently, the vocalist has sharpened her
focus, taking on in turn French and Brazilian music (From Paris to Rio),
the genius of John Coltrane (Ballads: Remembering John Coltrane)
and the blues (In Blue). Her many eclectic and steadfast recordings,
however, are only the tip of the iceberg.
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