Lisa Hindmarsh - Now I Know (2000)

You can tell after just one track, or sometimes even faster, whether a singer who brands herself a jazz performer has the right combination of vocal equipment and feel for the music to make such a claim credible. In the case of Pittsburgh performerLisa Hindmarsh, all it took was a couple of measures to make her claim quite acceptable. With impressive musical education credentials from both West Virginia University and Marshall University, as well as being a member of the a cappella group In Voice, Hindmarsh is endowed with that sense of phrasing which catches the full flavor of each song she sings while simultaneously imbuing that feeling of jazz into them. Whether it be her torch version of the Peggy Lee favorite "Fever," where she rides the pillow of Jay Weaver's bass guitar and Mike Visnick's snare or Frank Podroskey's trumpet and flugelhorn providing the melodic framework, as Hindmarsh offers a poignant, slightly soulful "The Meaning of the Blues." "Let's Get Away From It All" is a vehicle to show off considerable swinging skills. Of the many qualities that make this debut album attractive is Hindmarsh's ability to do jazz without adopting the affectations and gestures that are sometimes associated with this class of singers, although there is a hint of scatting, on "Bluesette." She gets plenty of support throughout the session from top-of-the-list Pittsburgh jazz performers. Especially important is keyboardist/pianist Al Snyder, who makes sure that the music doesn't stray from that gait and lilt which illuminates Hindmarsh's style the most. Recommended. ~David Nathan