Hearing Karrin Allyson interpret familiar holiday material on her new Yuletide Hideaway album is revelatory.
While jazz fans- particularly her advocates in her former base of Kansas City- have long extolled Allyson's voice, renditions of songs including "Winter Wonderland" and "Christmas Time is Here" cast Allyson in an entirely new light. Allyson is a terrific pop vocalist.
The format never strays from jazz, but Allyson keeps the focus on the songs. Her scatting on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," for instance, is restrained. The hitch in Allyson's voice adds just the right dollop of spice to moth-eaten fare that might otherwise seems trite. In a similar fashion, Rod Fleeman's exquisite guitar work enhances each melody. The result sounds more like Barbra Streisand than Ella Fitzgerald.
It's difficult to imagine anyone not appreciating Allyson's light touch on Yuletide Hideaway. The album deserves to become a perennial holiday classic.
(Original image by Plastic Sax.)
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