Karrin Allysons music tells an important story.
Its who I am and where I come from, she says. Its important to have your own voice and say who you are as a musician. Everything you hear, that weve recorded or that we do live, has been in my background.
The four-time Grammy-nominated American jazz singer and pianist has released 13 albums on Concord Jazz, including her latest, 2011s Round Midnight. From 2004s Wild For You, a nod to the singer/songwriter music she grew up listening to, to recording in French, the result of having received a minor in the language in college, each effort reflects her life in varied and unique ways.
Theyre like my kids, she laughs. Theyre all kind of different in their own way.
Album titles include Imagina: Songs of Brasil, Ballads: Remembering John Coltrane and From Paris to Rio.
Hopefully what rings true in all of them is organic music making and the great players I have along with me too, I cant say enough about them, she says.
Based in New York City, where Allyson plays regular gigs at the Birdland and Blue Note jazz clubs and Dizzys at Lincoln Center, she spends countless days a year on the road. Her current tour is set to bring her to North Vancouvers Capilano University, Thursday, April 12. Joining her for the performance are A Band and NiteCap.
I love Vancouver, its one of the most beautiful cities on the planet and I look forward to working with these different ensembles and meeting the folks, she says.
Big band is a different animal than playing with a quartet or a quintet or a trio certainly, but its all about music making and making the music speak and I look forward to it, she adds.
Growing up in the Midwest and the Bay area, Allyson was introduced to music, primarily classical, at a young age by her mother. She went on to earn a degree in classical piano performance, though maintained an interest in a variety of musical genres.
Once I started to sing there was really no stopping me, she says. I did rock bands, solo piano stuff, I did funk bands, wedding bands, whatever.
However, she eventually discovered jazz and its been her base throughout her professional career, finding herself primarily attracted to the improvisational aspects.
Every performance is different, says Allyson. The music breathes. It can be funny, it can be poignant, it can be very intellectual. It can be completely soulful and bluesy. And again, it breathes, its different. Its not the same thing every time you play the song and everyone has their own story to tell within these standards and whatever they choose to do in their repertoire.
Allysons latest record, Round Midnight, which was nominated for a Grammy for best jazz vocal album, is modelled after a late night listening set and features some of her favourite tunes. Tracks include Paul Simons April Come She Will, Duke Ellingtons Sophisticated Lady and Stephen Sondheims Send in the Clowns. The title track, a Thelonious Monk classic, was a standard in her repertoire in the early days of her career.
In the liner notes I tell a brief story about imagining yourself walking down a street, perhaps in New York, perhaps in Vancouver, late at night and you happen upon a little intimate club and you hear strains of music. she says. You sit yourself at the bar and youre listening to these beautiful heartfelt tunes by this quartet. Its a cathartic way of dealing with heartbreak and hope at the same time.
Allyson took a stronger role in arranging and played piano more than usual on Round Midnight.
This is the first CD I played all of the piano and keyboard parts on, she says. Ive been doing more of that live so it just made sense to do that on a recording.
Joining her on the record is Bob Sheppard on woodwinds, guitarist Rod Fleeman, bassist Ed Howard, drummer Matt Wilson and harmonica player Randy Weinstein.
Allyson is continuing to brainstorm for her next record.
In my head Im working on it. . . . Im not set on anything just yet. (Im just) playing around with different ideas, she says.
For now, shes focused on touring and performing live, and has a number of upcoming gigs with a variety of ensembles and players all over the world.
It keeps me on my toes for one, she says. It informs your music making and your way of interpretation and it makes it more fun too because I like a life thats a bit varied. Nothing is ever daily.
No matter where the road takes her, Allyson remains committed to sharing stories and leaving a positive impression on her fans.
Its important for me to communicate these songs and its important for me to have the audiences feel better when they leave than when they came in, she says. I really feel thats part of my job.
