Jazz Now Magazine
Connie Evingson
"Let It Be Jazz: Connie Evingson Sings The Beatles"
(Summit Records)
Connie Evingson, vocals; Mary Louise Knutson, piano and Fender Rhodes; a
mixed line-up of musicians on all tracks.
Ten out of ten for the
recording engineer who has made brilliant sound possible
for even my battered computer speakers. And just as many
top marks for the
lady in question. Come to think of it, there is not much wrong
with this album at all. Some of the material is unlikely
for a Jazz treatment, but then
Connie has such a hip approach that she gives a groove where
a groove would have otherwise seemed unlikely. She thankfully
makes "Blackbird" unrecognizable in
the strictest sense of the word, and catch the piano rippling and filling in the
background. Pianist Mary Louise Knutson contributes mightily to the success
of this CD with her consistently swinging and sensitive backing. Nice, very
nice! Some of the Beatles music can be compared to British cuisine, the basics
are there but one requires a good cook (usually from somewhere other than the
British Isles) to make it happen. "Fixing A Hole" gets a laid-back,
finger-snapping Reggae beat. "For No One" changes the mood to romance, and the number is
transformed into nightclub material. "Oh Darling" could be a country and
western classic, and Knutson rises beautifully on piano. As unlikely as it may seem
"When I'm 64" (I preferred version 2) displays the singer at
her very best, musically. Evingson phrases with a snap and a
sense of joy as she pulls out the
best that the number has to offer. Nice CD. Good singing. Great
musicians.
by Lawrence Brazier
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