Alison Lewis is one of the best singers I have heard in quite a while. Why you ask? First, her voice is pure and strong, she has perfect pitch and a unique understanding of lyrics. But what puts her over the top is her vocal and musical arrangements that are new, fresh and a treat for the ears! Alison describes her arrangement method as a "re-imagining process" where she may alter a song's rhythm, melody and/or the underlying chords in order to uncover a new and deeper appreciation for its meaning. She attributes the success of each composition to equal doses of intuition, thoughtful listening, and inspiration. I could listen to Alison sing all day and so will you. Get this CD; it's like listening to a master class in the art of vocal performance. There are 7 songs on the playlist, 5 great standards and 2 songs composed by Alison.
I had a difficult time picking just one cut from her CD for you to preview so I have attached two cuts. First is a "YouTube" of Alison singing her fabulous take of "My Funny Valentine" and the second "YouTube" is Alison singing the Lennon and McCartney song "Blackbird". Enjoy!
PLAYLIST:
1. Blackbird
2. Cheek to Cheek
3. Like a Rolling Stone
4. Mr Right for Right Now
5. Seesaw
6. Midnight Sun
7. My Funny Valentine
The Players:
Alison Lewis: Vocals and arrangements
Mitchel Forman: Piano (Tracks 1,2,7) Fender Rhodes (Track 3) Hammond B3 Organ (Track 4)
Kevin Axt: Bass (Tracks 1,3,4,6)
Ray Brinker: Drums (Tracks 1,3,4) and Hand Percussion (Track 3)
Andrew Synowiec: Lap Steel and Acoustic Guitars (Tracks 1,3,4)
Eddie Reyes: Cajon and Udu (Track 1)
Adam Shulman: Piano (Track 5)
Paul Eastburn: Bass (Track 5)
Ricky Carter: Drums (Track 5)
Jude Gold: Acoustic Guitar (Track 5)
Anne King: Muted Trumpet (Track 7)
