Album: Imagina, Songs of Brasil / Artist: Karrin Allyson / 14 tracks: 1:00:25 / Jazz
Over the years, we have come to expect beautiful performances and recordings from one of the music industry’s outstanding jazz vocalists, and that is exactly what Karrin Allyson has given us once again, this time with her CD Imagina, Songs Of Brasil. Allyson alternates between singing in Portuguese and English while surrounding herself with old friends, Rod Fleeman (acoustic guitar), Gil Goldstein (accordion/piano), Todd Strait (drums), Steve Nelson (vibraphone/marimba) and David Finck (acoustic bass). Michael Spiro plays various percussion instruments.
While Allyson is bilingual, (French being her other language), she is not fluent in Portuguese, however, in a recent interview with Riveting Riffs, she said the fact that she had a good coach enabled her to give the lyrics the proper inflection. Allyson says that she understands the nuances of the language in terms of the songs that she is singing, but does not consider herself to be fluent. Unless you are understand Portuguese, it would be difficult, to detect in a concert setting that Allyson is not more skilled in the language. She easily segues back and forth between English and Portuguese. Allyson’s romantic phrasing reflects the passion of the Latin tunes, and in particular Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Imagina.” If you are not swept away by Karrin Allyson’s recording of “Imagina,” you had better check for a heartbeat.
In her liner notes, Allyson provides this interpretation for this wonderful piece of music, “Imagina means “imagine.” Also known as “Valse Sentimentale,” this was the first song that Tom Jobin wrote. I think his love (mine too!) for Maurice Ravel and French music comes through in this one. Chico Buarque wrote his lovely lyrics to this song several years after it was composed. Pleading to a lover to open the door, witness the morning sun, the rain, the moon. Tonight we lose ourselves and make a new beginning.”
Goldstein’s accordion creates an old-world European ambience, and as always Steve Nelson turns in a sterling vibraphone performance, as the musicians accompany Allyson while she sings “Imagina.”
The opening lines of “Outono (Stay,) remind one of the hauntingly beautiful “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina,” from Evita. Singing at first in Portuguese, and then switching to English lyrics, Allyson sings of two lovers who are enjoying the afterglow, and are looking ahead to their future. The English lyrics were written by Paul Williams, yes the same Paul Williams who penned the Carpenters’ song, “We’ve Only Just Begun.” The tender moods and colors of this song incite passion within the listener, and Allyson’s vocal enhance the powerful emotions that stir deep within.
Those who are familiar with Brazilian music may not be surprised to learn that ten of the fourteen songs that adorn Allyson’s album come from the pen of Brazil’s patriarch of jazz music, Antonio Carlos Jobim. Some of the songs are familiar Jobim tunes, while others are more obscure.
With Jon Hendricks’ English lyrics set to Jobim’s bossa nova “Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune),” Allyson lightens the mood, and livens the pace, while singing a song that takes a playful jab at singers who are slightly out of tune.
We have barely scratched the surface of the fourteen beautiful tracks that you will hear on Karrin Allyson’s Imagina, Songs Of Brasil. It is difficult to believe that although she has been nominated for several Grammy Awards, so far Karrin Allyson has been the bridesmaid. It is only a matter of time before she takes home the hardware, because it is long overdue.
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Reviewed April 2008
