Katie Bull has an unusual and adventurous singing style. Sometimes she sounds quite blue-ish; at other times, as during "On a Clear Day," she emphasizes icy long tones. She is a bit touching on "I'll Be Seeing You" (a duet with pianist
Frank Kimbrough) without being predictable, and scats well on a six/four version of "Watch What Happens." The singer holds her own with her talented sidemen, on a pair of piano trios, both with drummer Matt Wilson, that splits the program evenly. In addition to her singing,
Katie Bull contributed six of the dozen songs including the humorous "No Connection Rag," the perfectly odd "Strange," the sensuous if bizarre "Love Spook" and the "Leftover Blues." The CD concludes with a "hidden" 13th selection that is a free improvisation.
Katie Bull's thoughtful music grows in interest with each listen, and
Love Spook is a major improvement over her earlier CD.