Singer-songwriter Kate Schutt has invited outsiders into her secret world of songwriting. Telephone Game, which gets its name from an age-old children’s game, is a unique project that began with Schutt inviting listeners to submit song ideas. She then took those ideas and made them her own, crafting and nurturing them into songs. Along the way, Schutt shared the creative process with fans. "I think people find it quite mysterious," she said. "It is mysterious. I tried to …

Vocalist Robin McKelle, who made a splash with her debut CD, is poised to create even bigger waves this year with the release of her much-anticipated sophomore release, Modern Antique. The CD, which comes out in the United States in August, had an early release in France, where it debuted at no less than No. 1 and continues to ride high on the jazz charts with a cool sound that offers a nod to the 1940s while avoiding being sentimental. The singer recently spoke with JazzReview …

Jazz vocalist and pianist Diane Schuur delivers one of her most personal albums to date with the release of Some Other Time. The CD is a loving tribute to the music that filled her home when she was a young girl. Made to coincide with the 40th anniversary of her mother’s death, the album is a strong return to Schuur’s jazz roots. The Grammy-award winning singer performs selections by Gershwin, Berlin, and Hammerstein, among others. With her strong, flexible voice, she makes the song …

Libby York was recently told that her voice is like a warm bath. That description suits her just fine. "I love it when people tell me my music is relaxing," she said. York offers a respite from a hectic world. Her latest CD, Here With You, is the vocalist’s third album and a heartfelt offering of 11 standards. Rather than the selection of songs, the album’s strength is the small group of musicians that came to York’s side. "These are people I wanted to work with," she said. The g …

When Steve Allee was a young boy, his family would go visit an uncle with an extensive record collection. At some point during the gathering, his uncle would invariably start playing all kinds of musicclassical, Dixieland, even Hawaiian. One day, his uncle played "It Ain’t Necessarily So" performed by Miles Davis and arranged by Gil Evans. When it was over, Allee asked, "Would you play that song one more time?" After it was done playing a second time, he still asked, "Could we h …