A Kiss for Brazil

Karrin Allyson's annual visits to Catalina Bar & Grill are always well worth attending. While she recorded her debut album back in 1992, she is still very much in prime form 32 years later. At Catalina's she was joined by the very talented pianist Miro Sprague, bassist Karl McComas-Reichl, and drummer Dan Schnelle.

Since the singer's most recent album is A Kiss For Brazil, she included several Brazilian numbers that she sang in Portuguese and English including Ivan Lins' "The Island," "Wave," "Double Rainbow," "So Many Stars," and "Manha de Carnaval." In addition to her always very alluring voice, Karrin Allyson showed that she remains one of jazz's top scat-singers, utilizing scatting to uplift and add excitement to some of the songs. On a few numbers she played piano while Sprague switched to an electric keyboard; their trading off and interaction on "Double Rainbow" was particularly memorable. In addition, Ms. Allyson performed a few non-Brazilian tunes including the blues strut "You've Got To Be Taught," the pop ballad "I Can Do Anything As Long As I Know You Love Me," her joyous original "Wrap Up Some Of That Sunshine," a cooking "Happy Talk," and a duet with Sprague on a heartfelt version of "Say It Over And Over Again."

Karrin Allyson should never be taken for granted. She remains one of the greats.