Female jazz singers recognised by the wider public remain woefully few. Recently I picked up two CDs that offer an opportunity to consider why it should be. Diana Krall quite understandably has been a worldwide phenomenon and in bringing jazz to a wider audience has delighted record companies. Does Live in Paris thrill a life long jazz enthusiast? Marketed clearly for good looks and smooch appeal, it seemed unlikely that there was going to be much to get excited about in someone comfortable with free jazz and beyond.
Krall enjoys a top notch rhythm section for sure. John Clayton on bass and Jeff Hamilton are peerless in establishing the tempo, swinging effortlessly whenever possible, although I remain unmoved by guitarist Antony Wilson's contribution. So what does Krall bring as the pianist? Morton and Cook tell us that she studied with Jimmy Rowles. There are few pianists with such a reputation so Rowles remains in my mind while I listen to her playing. Some solos do hold some of the truncated, unshowy phrasing of Rowles and are sufficiently brief to pique my interest. Krall never overplays either in notes or in duration and this, if nothing else, keeps you wanting more. Her singing is engaging and in contrast to talent shows, not overblown or mannered.
In fact, by the time i got to track 8, Maybe you'll be there, I was drawn in. This version provides a compelling argument for why Krall is to be welcomed. Why is it that so few other jazz singers have covered this Bloom - Gallop tune? So, I was worried I had wasted money on this one, fearing an overdose of schmaltz, but instead I enjoyed th eexperience and find myself encouraged that such good music is proving popular. There must still be a market for jazz. Good tunes, well played will live on, I suspect.
Are such characteristics evident in Its me, the 2003 release by Abbey Lincoln in a series of recordings from Verve? There are similar features to the Krall CD, in that the production values are there, as are premier musicians. Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, James Spaulding all augur well, but Lincoln remained committed to recording her own material rather than simply covering popular old standards. So , although Skylark opens the CD, it is the only chestnut. Interestingly, it is one of the least effective. The orchestral arrangements are conventional, old-fashioned even. Cannot help but refer to the glorious, stripped-down version recorded recently by another singer reaching to a wider audience, Gregory Porter.
Its me has two arrangers for the string accompaniments, Laurent Cugny and Alan Broadbent and I found the latter's scores were slightly more suitable, although I could not pin down what differed between them. As can be her want, Lincoln sounds unengaged on Skylark. This can work when she imparts a tired, weary mood that befits a woman who has experienced a full life, encountering as much strife as success but perhaps this conflicts with the glossy 1960s approach to orchestral backing. Why do producers insist on such string sections when the result is as far removed as possible from the bleaker mood that Lincoln invokes best. Hence, the small band tracks are more effective where that sadness comes through.
There were things i enjoyed, Julien Lourau solos on saxophones and equally the contributions from James Spaulding who has been a favourite ever since the wonderful Blue Notes he contributed to in the sixties. Lincoln's voice is as wonderful as ever, and sadly there were not be many more recordings. For that reason it is worth hearing , try for example track 9 , The Search, which typifies the nest in her style of singing, but Its me does not consistently match Wholly Earth a CD from 1998 where the style is consistent and appropriate. I miss Abbey Lincoln, who with Betty Carter deserve to be as widely known as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald. Let's hope Diana Krall converts discover Abbey next.
