Artist Interview by: Charles Sudo
In recent years, singer Karrin Allyson has won a hard-earned reputation as one of the most innovative singers in jazz as well as one who takes risks with her music. The Nebraska native, and current New York resident, followed up her Grammy nominated Ballads: Remembering John Coltrane with the recently released In Blue, a bold album featuring recastings of classic standards and more obscure songs from songwriters such as Mose Allison, Oscar Brown, Jr., Tommy Flanagan, Joni Mitchell, and Blossom Dearie. I sat down and conducted a phone interview with Ms. Allyson in mid-autumn to talk about In Blue, her music, living in New York and jazz vocals.
JazzReview: How did you do the research for the songs that wound up on In Blue?
Karrin Allyson: Well, I had the blues idea kicking around in my mind for some time. I wanted to concentrate on a list for several years for the project, because it was always evolving. And before we went into the studio to record the album, I wanted to add some new tune, as well.
Nick [Phillips, the producer of In Blue] suggested “Moanin’.” I always liked the version that Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross did. I had “Blue Motel Room,” “Angel Eyes,” and “Long As You’re Livin’” kicking around, as well. I think the paramount issue was did I love the tune. I think we put together a good song selection.
JazzReview: Did you want to explore the parallels and similarities between jazz and blues during the recording?
Karrin Allyson: Not really. I don’t see them as really being different. I see In Blue as a jazz album because I’m a jazz singer, and I didn’t want to hire jazz players to play blues. Guys like Mulgrew Miller and Lewis Nash are all very versatile players, but I wanted them to play the tunes as jazz songs first and foremost.
JazzReview: You referred to In Blue in prior interviews as a concept album. The same could be said of your Coltrane album and the one before that, From Paris To Rio. Are these conscious decisions by you to do concept albums?
Karrin Allyson: Oh, definitely. I want to explore certain aspects of live gigs, but in a concentrated way; paying tribute to the songwriters who wrote the songs that I sing onstage. The Coltrane album was cool, especially following the sequence of the original album song-for-song. But it isn’t always the way I use to approach a recording project.
JazzReview: Are your albums postcards of where you are certain points in your life, artistically and otherwise?
Karrin Allyson: Yeah, I guess. But I think the same can be said for any artist. I mean, I think I’ve progressed past where I was during In Blue. I’m already thinking of stuff that I want to move onto. As far as the blues is concerned, it’s a mood, one that’s easy to conjure up.
JazzReview: When did you discover that most of the songwriters on In Blue were still alive? I’m asking specifically about Oscar Brown, Jr. As a Chicagoan, that’s a point of pride for me.
Karrin Allyson: I think it was after the fact while I was writing the liner notes, because Tommy Flanagan is no longer with us. I got to hear Oscar in Chicago some time back at a weird little festival. He was singing and his family was also performing onstage. I just remember them all being so nice and accessible. I love Oscar’s Sin and Soul album; I think it’s an underrated classic and it’s informed a lot of my style.
JazzReview: How much freedom has your record label [Concord] given you in developing your recording projects?
Karrin Allyson: The albums are all my ideas. After all these years, I think that the label trusts my instincts by now [laughs]. They don’t call up after the fact and say, “Put a commercial song on the record.” The records are my babies, and Nick, Danny [Embrey, Allyson’s longtime guitarist], and Bill McGlaughlin are all wonderful collaborators. I’m surrounded with wonderful players who bring out the best in me.
JazzReview: You play piano; it was your first instrument, actually. You’re also an excellent scatter. What instrumental approach do you use when you arrange songs? Also, how much do the band members input into the arrangements?
Karrin Allyson: I’m very interactive with my band members. Danny and I definitely collaborate. We work on the arrangements together, mostly working them out from playing on stage. The arrangements are always developing even after we record the tunes.
JazzReview: You’ve lived in New York for about two years now. How do you think that living I New York has affected your approach to your music?
Karrin Allyson: Well, I need to qualify that when I say “scene,” I mean the whole culture around me here. I just like being here. There’s an energy that I can’t explain and I think that comes out more in my music.
JazzReview: Where do you go when you want to listen to music?
Karrin Allyson: Well, my sweetie is a classical musician so we go to some classical shows once in a while. I like to go to the Knickerbocker Bar and Grille and just listen to what’s playing there sometimes.
JazzReview: What do you think of the state of jazz vocals these days?
Karrin Allyson: Jazz, like anything, goes through waves. Any support is good. But singing is more accessible; most people can hum a tune, so they can relate to jazz vocals more than say, bop or improvised jazz.
JazzReview: You’re going to be pretty busy in the upcoming months. What do you see in store for Karrin Allyson?
Karrin Allyson: I’m always striving for sleep [laughs]. I want to write some more. I want to practice; go play some larger festivals. Travel. Go to Europe, Japan. Develop my craft. And just try to make the world a better place.
JazzReview would like to thank Karrin Allyson for agreeing to this interview and hanging in there through some phone troubles and to Concord Records for setting it up.
For more information: http://www.karrin.com
Photo by: © Morrice Blackwell
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