Lisa Sokolov - Presence (2004)

Personnel: Lisa Sokolov (vocals, keyboards); John DiMartino (piano); Cameron Brown (bass); Gerry Hemingway (drums).

Lisa Sokolov's Presence is part jazz, part performance art, and 100 percent uninhibited. Her improvisations are full of passion and she generally acts out the words she sings, sometimes to startling effect. Even when performing a standard such as "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" or "You Do Something to Me," she comes across as a bit demented and often extreme in the emotions she expresses but also very talented. Sokolov's voice is strong and flexible while her tonal variations are intense yet logical if often abrasive. Clearly she is never shy to take chances in her music, and listeners who do not mind being taken to unexpected (and not completely comfortable) places will find this stimulating excursion well worth taking. ~ Scott Yanow