Many times we seem to fall into the trap of a beautiful but lackluster jazz vocalist, sure they have the voice, the feel, the emotion, but the charisma seems vacant.... In most cases that is lost by means of the industries cookie-cutter influence. However refreshing as it is, some do fall into our laps and offer that much needed injection of high-octane spice. Out of the box comes Joan Crowe, the siren with an attitude, with her debut project Bird On The Wire released in August. Ms. Crowe may have just started to develop that, ever so sought after label called "Entertainer" to her resume. Bird On The Wire may not be perfection but it has more panache than a debut offering deserves.
I enjoyed this recording for one very simple reason, the promise of more to come. Ms. Crowe’s vibrant style with her sense for emotional placement is very unique. Ms. Crowe has the ability to address emotion with a story by her octave delivery. This is felt and heard in many cuts such as Kerns "The Way You Look Tonight" and Huff and Gilbert’s "Me And Mrs. Jones," which are the most notable of covers within the project.
To be frank she stretches the limits, delivering different sounds in pieces never before performed in such ways. The kid has guts and is not afraid to take an uncalculated risk.
If you want wild ride on a jazz vocal experience push "Twisted" and buckle up!
Included is her original "Southern Petite Women," a country jazz effort that offers some pure string swing as well as a fine lyrical experience all owned and operated by one Ms. Crowe, a nice touch to this eclectic experience.
After countless spins through Ms. Crowe’s project one can only hope her drive is as strong as her talent for more is needed from her to truly examine the scope of talent. However with such a promising dynamic and attitude-injected display of jazz it would be illegal to not expand her trek forward!
Karl Stober is an international freelance columnist and broadcaster who can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Karl can also be reached at 1-802-380-6065.
