Ann Hampton Callaway is one of the top cabaret singers of the past decade. She has always been influenced a bit by jazz, and this 1997 release was her first full jazz recording.
Callaway has a haunting voice and, as with most cabaret singers, a great respect for the lyrics she interprets; her singing on "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a bit eerie. Pianist
Kenny Barron,
Bob Mintzer on tenor and soprano, and trumpeter
Randy Brecker all get a generous amount of solo space, while bassist
Jay Leonhart and percussionist
George Jinda are fine in support; considering the high quality of her sidemen, it is a major compliment to the singer to say that her vocals do not cause the set to sag or the listener to lose his interest. On "All Blues" and "Old Devil Moon" in particular, she shows the potential of becoming a significant jazz singer in the future if she sticks to this path. Strangely enough, an intriguing original blues (clocking in around four-and-a-half minutes) is included at the end of the program, but not mentioned on the back cover or in the liners. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow