The Darlings of Today's Jazz Scene

by Arlene Guillen

One evening a jazz guitarist friend and I were cooing over the voice of another friend who is a female jazz singer. My guitarist friend noted that our singer friend should cut an album and then finished with, "like the world needs yet one more album from a female jazz singer." It's partly funny but partly true. Currently in the jazz world, there seems to be a steady supply of female jazz singers. With so many artists offering up a sampling of jazz, it's hard to know which to put in your basket and which ones to pass on. So if you're a newbie to this music, here are a few suggestions to take with you when you peruse the jazz CD section.

Diana Krall
Someone most everyone has heard of, Diana Krall has garnered the most mainstream attention of all the new jazz gals. Krall has eight albums to her credit and has drawn a bigger audience with each release. Her most recent CD, The Girl In The Other Room, is somewhat of a departure from her previous work. Specifically, Krall has branched out from recording standards and penned a few tunes with her new husband, Elvis Costello. The thought of this collaboration is enough to make you want to buy the CD. I mean, what is that gonna sound like? Turns out that it sounds pretty good. "Departure Bay," is a Krall/Costello song that speaks of Krall's recent loss of her mother, and her feelings of sadness but hopefulness come through clearly. But if you want to hear the Diana Krall that first got people listening, get a copy of All For You. This CD is a tribute to the legendary Nat King Cole Trio. Krall is at her best when she is performing with a small group. Listeners get a double treat when she works in the trio format, because like Nat King Cole, Krall sings and plays the piano.

Jane Monheit
Jane Monheit is still in her twenties and has a long career to look forward to. Monheit was the first runner up at the 1998 Thelonius Monk Vocal Competition (this is a big deal) and it's been non-stop for her since then. The jury is still out on whether or not Monheit will stay in the jazz world or go crossover. She has a tendency to show her amazing range in every song, when sometimes you'd just rather she interpret it with more subtlety. Her debut release, Never Never Land, is an all around gem. She has stellar musicians playing with her such as the amazing pianist, Kenny Barron, and the arrangements for the standards she sings are perfect. If you are new to songs that fall into the category of the Great American Songbook, this CD would be a good choice.

Karrin Allison
Like Diana Krall, Karrin Allyson is a pianist and singer. When you get to Karrin Allyson in the jazz CD section, just pick one. Any one. Her distinctive voice and musicianship make listening to all of her CDs a pleasure. But if you must have a recommendation, look for From Paris To Rio. Allyson tackles Brazilian and French material in English, Portuguese, and French. Jazz folks have a love affair with the bossa nova and samba and Allyson's versions get you into the rhythms immediately. Another good choice would be her newest release, Wild For You. The songs in this collection are from singers and songwriters that Allyson listened to in her youth, such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King and James Taylor. But a word of warning: If you think it's sacrilege to sing Mitchell's "Help Me" in any other form than the one Mitchell sang it in, don't buy this CD. Allyson interprets these songs and she has made them her own.

Tierney Sutton
Tierney Sutton is a singer who requires you to really listen, because much of what she does with her voice is amazing. She is an ace at improvisation and hits her target with deadly accuracy. She has a strong collaborative relationship with her longtime band members that is very apparent in her recordings. Each cut has such a startling arrangement, and she comes up with ways to interpret standards that you might never consider, but nonetheless you end up enjoying the experience. Her recent release Dancing In The Dark, is a great listen (see the April CD review). Another CD to purchase would be Blue In Green, which is Sutton's tribute to the legendary pianist Bill Evans. Most of the songs are either written by Evans or associated with him. The first time I heard her version of "Just Squeeze Me," I had to hit replay a dozen times.

So now you have your list and a jumping off point into the large pool of Jazz Singer Land. One jazz artist leads to another, so if you purchase a couple of these CDs, don't be surprised if a year from now your CD collection takes on a completely different look that is decidedly jazz.