For her sixth CD,
Pallatto
uses a variety of different bands; pianist
Lou Gregory
's trio, the legendary
Eldee Young
(bass) and
Redd Holt
(drums), guitarist
David Onderdonk
, husband/pianist
Bradley Parker-Sparrow
, and percussionist
Alejo Poveda
are among the combos. Her voice remains clear, yet dusky as smoke, with cabaret notions and a slight vibrato at the end of phrases -- distinctly similar to
Sheila Jordan
in style, with inflection and Native American-flavored scatability. She really shines on the vocalese treatment of the
Cannonball Adderley
-
Miles Davis
classic
"Somethin' Else"
with rhythmic drive courtesy of
Young
Holt
, counterpoint vocals from
Ron Cooper
and great piano by
Willie Pickens
. The
Gregory
trio works the tender side on a slow
"New Blues,"
the quirky stop-start arrangement of
"I Got Rhythm,"
a traditional, beautifully rendered, extremely slow
"Lil' Darlin',"
and other standards such as
"But Not for Me"
and
"Blue Bossa."
Onderdonk
adds a bossa feel during
"The Lady Is a Tramp"
and the child-like
"Daisy,"
while
Parker-Sparrow
injects ultimate introspection for his original
"So Fine"
and the light jungle ballad
"Antonio."
Most like the aforementioned
Jordan
is the version of
"Baltimore Oriole"
with
Poveda
on bongos and
's bass striding through the changes while
waits for her mate, patiently warbling in the midday sun. This Chicago singer is an alluring find, but an acquired taste. An artist who wears her heart on her sleeve and approaches several jazz and pop angles,
's sound continues to develop. ~ Michael G. Nastos