Behind the Voice

Clarence Penn, best known for his drum work, adds keyboards, percussion and vocorder to his repertoire on this clever album where he features various vocalists to his rotating musical team that includes Adam Rogers-Gilad Hekselman/g, Shedrick Mitchell/key, and James Genus-Yasushi Nakamura/b amng others. Most intriguing Is the wide-ranging use of singers, with Kurt Elling in earnest form with Hekselman on "Come Talk To Me" while Emily Braden adds some R&B soul to "The Heart of the Matter". Moody effects from Christopher Bruces's guitar surround Chelsea Jackson on a lovely "Sometimes It Snows In April" while Aaron Marcellus gets romantic on "Why Can't It Wait Until Morning?" There are also a couple instrumentals, including a clever and synthesized "Human Nature" and something akin to Rap on a U2ish "Everlong". Wide ranging ideas.