Karen Gallinger - My Foolish Heart

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:15
Size: 118,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. Gentle Rain
(4:13)  2. Isn't It Romantic
(4:15)  3. My Foolish Heart
(4:05)  4. Someone To Light Up My Life
(3:51)  5. Lowdown Dirty Doggin' Days
(5:04)  6. Emily
(2:49)  7. Just Friends
(5:16)  8. Bridges (Travessia)
(4:44)  9. A Night in Tunisia
(3:53) 10. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:26) 11. Remember Who You Are
(4:31) 12. Someone Like You

With a voice and a style reminiscent of Dionne Warwick, if Warwick had become a jazz singer instead of going down the pop and rock road. The similarity to Warwick's vocal qualities comes through on "Isn't It Romantic," "Gentle Rain" and "Someone to Light up My Life." This similarity notwithstanding, Gallinger's second album showcases all of her jazz singing skills and she brings a full payload of these skills to this session. On "Emily" she swoops (a la Sarah Vaughan), using a medium vibrato and moving between octaves with ease. "Emily" is followed by a light, scatting rendition of "Just Friends" with Jeff Jorgenson's providing the main instrumental support.. "The Way You Look Tonight" shows off Gallinger's poignant side as she moves through the Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields classic with only Tom Zink's piano accompaniment. Contemporary pop is represented with "Remember Who You Are" and "Someone Like You" with the requisite rock beat from Zink's programmed synthesizers. On "Lowdown Dirty Doggin' Blues," Gallinger shows she is not only a talented composer, but a more than adequate blues singer as well. Only one complaint, and that's the use of the synthesizer, which is little more than a computer, to create strings, an organ and other instruments giving an artificial feel to some of the cuts. Computer generated music notwithstanding, Karen Gallinger is a performer who possesses ample poise, confidence and maturity. No amateur night stuff here. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-foolish-heart-mw0000245981

Personnel: Karen Gallinger (vocals); Jeff Jorgenson, Gary Gould (saxophone); Tom Zink (keyboards, programming); Herb Jimmerson (synthesizers, programming); Gannin Arnold, Bob Moore (guitar); Anders Swanson (bass); Dave Derge (drums); Chris Wabich, Angel Rodriguez (percussion); Denise, The Waters (background vocals).

My Foolish Heart

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Karen Gallinger - Remembering Bill Evans

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:43
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. Turn Out The Stars
(4:00)  2. In April ( For Nenette)
(4:20)  3. Catch The Wind
(5:22)  4. Waltz For Debbie
(4:52)  5. Five
(3:36)  6. My Bells
(3:58)  7. Funkallero
(3:49)  8. We Will Meet Again
(5:32)  9. Only Child
(4:40) 10. Remembering The Rain
(7:06) 11. Dawn Preludes ( Time Remembered)
(7:39) 12. Interplay
(2:05) 13. I Remember Bill

For her fourth album, Karen Gallinger has taken on the not insignificant undertaking of devoting a program virtually entirely to the compositions of a singularly inventive jazz pianist, Bill Evans. Evans' musical structures can be difficult to deal with just as instrumentals, never mind when lyrics have been added. His music can be jagged and quirky and was usually composed without any idea of accommodating the needs of a lyricist. In addition to being technically intimidating, his music can be brooding, pensive, and introspective reflecting the personal difficulties he faced throughout his far too short life. The obstacles notwithstanding, vocalist Karen Gallinger and her talented cohorts pull off this undertaking with facility and aplomb making Remembering Bill Evans a notable event. 

Their success was aided and abetted by Evans' widow, Nenette Evans, who provided material giving the performers unique insights on the music. This results in not only excellent interpretations of some of Evans' better-known compositions like "Turn out the Stars" and the jazz classic "Waltz for Debbie" tour de force performances, but lesser-known works like "My Bells" and "Only Child" are made memorable occasions as well. With her dark, deep voice, restrained scatting, and her unusual ability to transform her voice into a stringed instrument like a bass or cello, this becomes Gallinger's finest album to date. Her supporting cast is excellent. Tom Zink's piano, which shows the influence of Evans, along with Larry Steen's lyrical bass and Chris Wabich's restrained drums provide the foundation upon which this session is built. Larry Koonse is on just four tracks, but on those his guitar work is sterling. In addition to her singing, Gallinger also wrote the lyrics to some of the songs. This is a fine tribute album and is recommended. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/remembering-bill-evans-mw0000112556

Personnel: Karen Gallinger (vocals); Larry Koonse, Gannin Arnold (guitar); Tom Zink (piano); Chris Wabich (drums).

Remembering Bill Evans

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Karen Gallinger - Live At The Jazz Bakery

Styles: Vocal, Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:57
Size: 116,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(3:53)  2. Long Ago And Far Away
(5:15)  3. Makin' Whoopee
(7:16)  4. The Song Is You
(5:34)  5. Lost In The Stars
(5:52)  6. Estate (In Summer)
(4:13)  7. It Could Happen To You
(4:20)  8. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
(5:34)  9. So Many Stars
(4:56) 10. Scrapple From The Apple

One of Southern California's more active jazz singers, Karen Gallinger makes her recording debut with a live performance at the famous jazz watering hole, the Jazz Bakery. The "active" as it applies to Gallinger means not only the number of gigs she plays, but the way she prances on this album. Upbeat, loose, and definitely hip, Gallinger shines as she delivers a play list of ten tunes, mostly familiar standards she infects with a large dose of freshness. The centerpiece is a seven-minute romping of "The Song Is You." 

Not only does Gallinger take this tune on a hair-raising vocal roller coaster ride, it's also one of the frequent occasions where the fine rhythm section of Jack Reidling, Tom Warrington, and Joe LaBarbera are given the freedom to express themselves. Their playing is important to making this CD as attractive as it is. While the temperature cools down on such tunes as "Estaté," Gallinger's husky, smoky voice still pulsates, here adding a touch of sensuality to help capture the picture of sultry summer this tune creates. Most of the time, Gallinger and her cohorts are moving along at a speedy pace. Gallinger manages to sing up-tempo while keeping her precise diction intact, no slurring of words here. It's also here and elsewhere that Gallinger makes apparent she is well-versed in the importance of selectively using her scatting skills to make a musical point without drowning the tune. The most emotional moment on the session is a poignant rendition of "Lost in the Stars," where Gallinger uses the full force of her vocal skills for her emotional reading, which she dedicates to a friend in need. This album is an excellent first effort by a very talented vocalist. ~Dave Nathan   http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-jazz-bakery-mw0000126138

Live At The Jazz Bakery

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