Jazz Journal International, January 2004
Connie Evingson
"
Let It Be Jazz" (Summit Records)
Although she has spent
much of her life in her home state, Evingson's four previous
albums have brought her many admirers from further afield.
This
time, she turns to the music of Lennon & McCartney and, my foot-in-a-rut
expectations to the contrary, the result is a delightful jazz
album with often unexpected results. There are a few of the writers'
many hits hereon,
but most of the songs are not at all over-familiar, although
Blackbird presently appears to be finding favour among jazz singers.
As it is,
unfamiliar and not, the singer approaches the material with wit
and ingenuity. Almost all of the arrangements are by Evingson
and Knutson, and a
very good job they have made of them. Evingson's voice is expressive
and lean, and she swings gracefully. From the perspective of
readers of JJI, it
is important to stress that her take on all the material not
only moves it far away from its pop roots but is also richly
varied, replacing their
sixties pop leanings with a contemporary jazz feel. For example,
Miles Davis would have recognized the approach made to Blackbird,
and there are hints of
jazz-reggae on Fixing A Hole. The two versions of When I'm 64
are not alternative takes but are different approaches; the first
lopes along at a
lazily infectious tempo that hints at the tango, while the second
ups the tempo and closes the album with flair. Very good sound
and full personnel
details but not much information about a young singer who deserves
to be heard far outside Minnesota - Evingson has been theirs
for too long. Warmly
recommended. Readers outside the USA might like to know that
this label is distributed in the UK by Metronome Distribution
Ltd., Singleton Court,
Wonastow Road, Monmouth NP25 5JA.
by Bruce Crowther, Jazz Journal International
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