ROBIN McKELLE - Mess Around (2010) APE (tracks), lossless

Robin McKelle's previous recordings featured a big band, with her vocal stylings leaning on the pop side of jazz. While effective to a degree, she sounds similar in this setting, where this band is stripped down, a small horn section remains and electric keyboards still give the music a retro feel. Her tune choices are all over the map, copping soul and pop tunes with a funky underpinning, rarely swinging although occasionally shuffling, and featuring McKelle's coarse, gritty, at times supple, sophisticated voice. Her accompanying musicians are cream-of-the-crop up-and-comers, including keyboardist Xavier Davis, bassist Tim Lefevbre, saxophonists Mark Gross and Alex Harding, as well as two appearances by veteran Houston Person. Inspired by Ray Charles, the title track takes on a boogaloo facade with Wurlitzer organ, but a similar beat is thrust into Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows." Better suited for ballads as "Cry Me a River," McKelle does have that blue-eyed soul thing going on, but it's the amalgam of the Beatles meeting James Brown through "The Girl from Ipanema" during her version of "Eleanor Rigby" that shows where McKelle is really coming from. A credible effort if not somewhat been there/done that by others, it's to Robin McKelle's plus side that she is seeking new vibes out of something created in her old soul.  by Michael G. Nastos 
Tracklist:
1     Mess Around    4:33   
Robin McKelle
2     I Can't See Nobody    3:52   
Barry Gibb / Robin Gibb
3     Never Make a Move Too Soon    4:21   
N. Hooper
4     Everybody Knows    5:05   
Leonard Cohen
5     Angel    6:07     
Robin McKelle
6     Until the Day I Die    4:58 
Robin McKelle
7     Cry Me a River    4:38
Arthur Hamilton
8     Lonely Avenue    3:24 
Doc Pomus
9     Eleanor Rigby    3:21   
John Lennon / Paul McCartney
10     I Just Want to Make Love to You    4:24   
Willie Dixon / Gordon Gano
11     Since I Looked in Your Eyes    3:35   
Robin McKelle
Credits
    Alto Saxophone – Travis Sullivan
    Arranged By – Alain Mallet, Fred Wesley
    Baritone Saxophone – Alex Harding
    Bass – Tim Lefebvre
    Drums – Mark McLean
    Flugelhorn – Scott Harrell
    Guitar – Marvin Sewell
    Keyboards – Alain Mallet, Xavier Davis
    Organ – Adam Klipple
    Tenor Saxophone – Houston Person, Mark Gross, Michael Tucker
    Trombone – Jeff Galindo, Nelson Foltz
    Trumpet – Ravi Best, Scott Harrell
    Vocals – Robin McKelle