For her sixth CD,
Pallatto uses a variety of different bands; pianist Lou Gregory's trio, the legendary
Eldee Young (bass) and
Redd Holt (drums), guitarist
David Onderdonk, husband/pianist
Bradley Parker-Sparrow, and percussionist
Alejo Poveda are among the combos. Her voice remains clear, yet dusky as smoke, with cabaret notions and a slight vibrato at the end of phrases -- distinctly similar to
Sheila Jordan in style, with inflection and Native American-flavored scatability. She really shines on the vocalese treatment of the
Cannonball Adderley-
Miles Davis classic "Somethin' Else" with rhythmic drive courtesy of
Young-
Holt, counterpoint vocals from
Ron Cooper and great piano by
Willie Pickens. The Gregory trio works the tender side on a slow "New Blues," the quirky stop-start arrangement of "I Got Rhythm," a traditional, beautifully rendered, extremely slow "Lil' Darlin'," and other standards such as "But Not for Me" and "Blue Bossa."
Onderdonk adds a bossa feel during "The Lady Is a Tramp" and the child-like "Daisy," while
Parker-Sparrow injects ultimate introspection for his original "So Fine" and the light jungle ballad "Antonio." Most like the aforementioned
Jordan is the version of "Baltimore Oriole" with
Poveda on bongos and
Young's bass striding through the changes while
Pallatto waits for her mate, patiently warbling in the midday sun. This Chicago singer is an alluring find, but an acquired taste. An artist who wears her heart on her sleeve and approaches several jazz and pop angles,
Pallatto's sound continues to develop.