For Karrin's complete Performance Schedule, please see her web site karrin.com
One of the most charismatic figures on tour today. New York Times
Allyson knows what jazz singing is all about...sometimes tender, sometimes tough, (she) always strikes the right chord. Associated Press
The stuff that shivers are made of, both innocent,
sexy and world weary. Washington Post
Name your singing style and there's a pretty good chance
that Karrin Allyson can handle it, and handle it well. Los Angeles Times
As a singer, I feel very influenced by instrumentalists and by many classic instrumental songs, says Karrin Allyson. Its tricky to put lyrics to the great, iconic tunes, because you want to do them justice. For Footprints, her tenth Concord release, GRAMMY® nominated jazz vocalist Allyson made a bold step to do exactly that, however.
Born in Great Bend, Kansas, a prairie town on the Arkansas River, Allyson came of age in Omaha, where her parents (her father was a Lutheran minister and her mother was a psychologist, schoolteacher and classical pianist) moved when she was six. She became a serious classical piano student, eventually making it her major in college, where she first performed professionally, paying tuition as a singer-pianist on introspective 70s pop (Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Janis Ian) and on funk-rock repertoire with an all-female band. She caught the jazz bug from fellow students, and began to listen to Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderley, Carmen McRae, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Bill Evans, and Thelonious Monk. She pored through books, and applied her lessons at local jam sessions. I got hit pretty hard, she says. I loved the beautiful stories in those songs, but quickly realized how exciting it was to be able to improvise and swing to vary tunes and suit your own style. Singing started to take first chair.
Allyson moved to Minneapolis, and developed her craft over the next three years. Then she answered a call for help from her uncle, Ron Schoonover, who owned the Phoenix, a jazz club in downtown Kansas City, and found himself suddenly without a singer. My father and grandfather talked him into giving me a test job, and I ended up moving there, Allyson recalls. Kansas City was very soulful, and it always felt like home. The Phoenix had music from 5 until 2, and different shifts of local players would come in. Musicians who were in the movie The Last Of The Blue Devils played there, and thats where I met the guys I still work with, like [bassist] Bob Bowman, [pianist] Paul Smith, [guitarists] Danny Embrey and Rod Fleeman, and [drummer] Todd Strait. I became pretty much a fixture as a Kansas City bandleader, and kept a lot of people working. A New York City resident since 2000, Allyson projects throughout Footprints the blues-as-catharsis principle that underpins the Kansas City tradition.
The message for this new project, as in most great jazz, is optimistic and regenerative. I always refer to my CDs as my babies, Allyson says. This project is my tenth, and I'm especially proud of it. I was fortunate to work with some truly great collaborators, my idols, and together we gave birth to fabulous recording. The lyrics are like poetry and the music is so alive, energized.
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This profile is maintained by Webjazz.net for Karrin Allyson
Ciao,Karrin Thank you for the add and the friendship. you are very good, I like your stupendous music a lot, Band, and stupendous voice. compliments ..really. you are one of my prefeitis, I feel great admiration for you, be really one whom is worth rather a lot! I hope to listen soon to you, in italy .. talk to you soon, and all of my best wishes to always listen to your good music all the best.. from italy.. and good life.. every day neal
A fantastic, magical mystery musical and lyrical 'moon for the misbegotten' performance at DCCC. You got command of the Brazilian bossa nova like its nobody's (everybody's) business. Vocals in top form and band was every bit as engaging. Cheers!
Hi Karrin...thanks for inspiration at Interplay Jazz last week and felt privliged to be there with you! Hope to see you again before next year!!.... Wil
Ciao Karrin,Thank you for the add and the friendship. you are very good, I like your stupendous music a lot,and stupendous voice. you are fantastic ..really. talk to you soon, and all of my best wishes to always listen to your good music. all the best.. from italy neal
Hi Karrin! Maybe you are interested to know that my album Robotism is finally available on iTunes and JunoDownload. On the album you will find all the tracks you might have heard on my MySpace-player and some more. Are you looking to buy new music that makes you want to dance and which will work really well at your next party? Just go to my page and you will find the links :)
Online Now!
