 Spin This | | Personnel: Karen Blixt: vocals, Joey DeFrancesco: Hammond B3/vocals, Buddy Montgomery: vibes, Russell Ferrante: piano, Alex Acuna: percussion, drums, Guest Artists | | Tracks:1. Swingin’ the Blues
2. Carefully Taught 3. My Favorite Things
4. You Don’t Know Me 5. Night and Day
6. Spin This 7. It’s Over Now
8. Now It’s Over 9. When You’re Smiling
10. Kitchen Blue 11. Four 12. I Thought About You
13. Something So True | |
Spin This
Karen Blixt
Label: HiFli Records
“Spin This” marks the debut CD of talented jazz vocalist Karen Blixt whose unique style brings to mind some great vocalists: Chris Conner, Anita O’Day, Irene Kral, Annie Ross. The session includes a plethora of first rate musicians who do a masterful job of backing up Ms. Blixt in a variety of settings. Special mention must go to Joey Defrancesco, Russell Ferrante, Buddy Montgomery, the great Alex Acuna, and Frank Martin who lend their superior musical gifts to this recording.
There are thirteen tracks, and the material varies from straight ahead material with the classic B3 trio sound, to a piano trio background, and even an arrangement with two bass clarinets. Ms. Blixt contributes the lyrics to three originals in collaboration with Frank Martin, the producer and arranger for the date: “Spin This”, “Kitchen Blue”, and “Something So True”.
The opener “Swinging the Blues”, a Jon Hendricks classic, features Karen phrasing like a horn, and trading choruses with B3 master Joey DeFrancesco. She also takes a nice scat solo. The texture changes dramatically in “Carefully Taught” with Russell Ferrante leading a hip trio behind the vocalist. Of special note is the wonderful acoustic bass work by Darek Oles. The arrangement flips back and forth between a slow languid feel and an up tempo one; there also is some nifty voice overdubbing on this tune. “My Favorite Things” is performed over an 11/8 pulse (3/8-3/8-3/8-2/8 grouping), and then a change of pace with “You Don’t Know Me”, the Ray Charles classic.
The originals have clever lyrics and are very musical. My favorite is “Kitchen Blue”, a jazz waltz, backed by Russell Ferrante, Darek Oles, and Will Kennedy. There is also a nice interlude with vocal and bass in unison.
Stylistically, Ms. Blixt maneuvers within the framework of tunes in a very skillful and comfortable style with the freedom and phrasing of a horn player. Her voice is one that is soulful, swinging, and relaxed. She has the ability to sing without vibrato, and also able to utilize it in a controlled way when necessary, as at the end of a phrase. And the most important aspect of her voice is that it exhibits great intonation.
One of my favorite vocalists was the late Irene Kral. If you listen to the ending of “I Thought About You”, performed with Buddy Montgomery on piano, Karen does an octave jump upwards from G (the 9th) to G above middle C without sliding into the note, and resolves to F; it is very pretty and controlled, and it sounds like classic Irene.
There are other high points on the CD: the 6/8 version of “Night and Day”; “Four” which features the vocalist emulating the Jon Hendricks scat version but in her own unique style; and “Something So True”, which has a lovely arrangement with oboe (Paul McCandless), cello (John Herbert), Russell Ferrante on piano, the great Brian Bromberg on bass, and Alex Acuna on percussion; a nice way to finish up.
All of the musicians here have created a musically supportive aggregate that complements Ms. Blixt, and she works well off of the varied foundations. There are some great musical moments. One contributing aspect is that Karen freely shares the soloing limelight with the musicians, creating an interactive set of performances.
Knowing that she has, in the distant past, done her share of day jobs while studying her craft, I can only wish her good fortune. This CD is certainly a solid introduction to the jazz world and one she can be proud of.
John Ferrara
September 2006 |
