Karrin Allyson - Sweet Home Cookin' (1994)

Karrin Allyson has a small and sometimes hoarse voice but she does so much with it that her bop session is easily recommended. Her all-star sextet (comprised of trumpeter Randy Sandke, the late tenor Bob Cooper, guitarist Danny Embrey, pianist Alan Broadbent, bassist Putter Smith, and drummer Sherman Ferguson) has plenty of short solos on colorful charts by Alan Broadbent. Allyson sounds perfectly at ease, whether scatting on "No Moon at All," finding fresh melodic variations on "I Cover the Waterfront," or singing her original blues "Sweet Home Cookin' Man." She always swings. ~ Scott Yanow

Personnel: Karrin Allyson (vocals, piano), Bob Cooper (tenor saxophone), Randy Sandke (trumpet), Alan Broadbent, Paul Smith (piano), Rod Fleeman (acoustic guitar), Danny Embrey (guitar), Putter Smith, Bob Bowman (bass), Todd Strait, Sherman Ferguson (drums).