Vocalist/pianist
Karrin Allyson's 2011 effort
'Round Midnight is a smoky, afterglow affair that builds upon the singer's noted skill for interpreting jazz and pop standards. Conceptualized around the classic
Thelonious Monk title track, the album plays like a darkly cool nightclub set -- not dissimilar to the kind of live performances
Allyson is known for. Backing
Allyson here is a superb lineup featuring guitarist Rod Fleeman, bassist
Ed Howard, and drummer
Matt Wilson, as well as saxophonist
Bob Sheppard and harmonica player
Randy Weinstein. Together,
Allyson and her ensemble deliver intensely dramatic and romantic takes on such standards as the leadoff "Turn Out the Stars," the mid-album "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," and of course the title track, which
Allyson performs starkly with just bass accompaniment. Elsewhere,
Allyson gives a sweetly moving take on
Paul Simon's "April Come She Will" and goes against the usual uptempo style of "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," instead delivering a ruminative, impressionistic slow-ballad version that allows her to reveal the nuances of Gene Lee's lyrics. Ultimately, it's
Allyson's emotive voice and her ability to bring out these soft, bittersweet nuances in every track that makes
'Round Midnight such a listenable and heartfelt album. ~ Matt Collar