Karrin Allyson

Karrin (pronounced Kah-rin) Allyson’s latest CD, In Blue, is as sweet as all the ones that came before it. Some say sweeter. Backed by a very tasty, top-notch band consisting of her long-time cohort, guitarist Danny Embrey, supreme pianist Mulgrew Miller, drummer Lewis Nash, bassist Peter Washington and Steve Wilson on alto and soprano sax, Allyson makes perfection seem effortless. Known mainly for her fine jazz recordings, Allyson gets into the blues on In Blue (e.g., “Hum Drum Blues,” “Evil Gal Blues”), though, as she explains it, not all the tunes are traditional blues tunes; some songs just “have to do with having the blues,” like George and Ira Gershwin’s “How Long Has This Been Going On?” Her version of “Love Me Like A Man” is particularly groovin’ and soulful. If you like your jazz bluesy and your blues jazzy, you will love In Blue. It’s Allyson at her current finest.