The Band and I pairs
Irene Kral with
Ernie Wilkins and
Al Cohn, whose energetic, robust arrangements capture a dimension of the singer rarely glimpsed on record -- upbeat and persuasive, with little of the spectral melancholy that hangs over her later, more familiar sessions. The titular backing unit in question, led by trumpeter
Herb Pomeroy, expertly bridges the gap between traditional big band and modern-era jazz, creating a soulful, lightly swinging showcase that inspires
Kral to deliver some of her most appealing performances -- cuts like "This Little Love" and "I'd Know You Anywhere" boast a radiance sadly absent from subsequent sessions. ~ Jason Ankeny