On Concord Records, Karrin Allyson has been nominated for a Grammy as a jazz singer. Allyson has a distinctive tonal personality that is instantly identifiable. She illuminates hidden layers of emotion in songs drawn from many styles and genres including blues, contemporary pop and the Great American Songbook. Allyson’s ability to convey oceanic emotions with minimal effort is what really sets her apart from her peers. Richard Cook, the Penguin Guide to Jazz Records’ author, wrote that Allyson’s music is infused with craft in a 2004 performance evaluation. This review admirably captures Allyson’s talents. Her singing lacks mannerism is one of her most attractive qualities. There are no dopey melismas or that gospel soul feeling that many younger singers rely on, and there is nothing that makes her sound hollow. She isn’t afraid to try anything foolishly acrobatic. She is an adventurous and ambitious performer, but she doesn’t try to do anything foolishly acrobatic. Sometimes she will perform a scat chorus, which she does very quietly and without any show of emotion. She will take over a familiar song and make it sound new by using quiet touches, such as focusing on specific beats and turning away from one big line to highlight another. User-contributed text may also be available under Creative Commons By–SA License.
