Alison Ruble is a sublime vocalist with an adventurous spirit on her debut CD. Gifted with a rich alto and precise articulation, she blends elements of pop and folk into her infectious arrangement of Cole Porter's "So in Love," while her sublime, deliberate, and funky setting of "If I Had You" casts another chestnut in a very new light. Guitarist John McLean and Jim Gailloreto's playful alto flute provide sublime accompaniment for her warm vocals in "Skylark." Ruble also takes the standard "Lazy Afternoon" into new territory, blending McLean's folky guitar with Gailloreto's spirited soprano sax as the group gradually builds the tension to a soft climax. Ruble especially excels in duo settings, including a hip "It's Magic" with bassist Larry Kohut and a superb "This Nearly Was Mine" with pianist Jo Ann Daugherty. Only Burt Bacharach's monotonous "Always Something There to Remind Me" is a disappointment, as it pales when compared to the rest of the material on Alison Ruble's exciting debut as a leader. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist:
1 Interlude 4:08
Pete Rugolo / Bob Russell
2 So in Love 5:29
Cole Porter
3 If I Had You 4:30
Alison Ruble
4 Skylark 5:34
Hoagy Carmichael / Johnny Mercer
5 Always Something There to Remind Me 4:41
Alison Ruble
6 We Kiss in a Shadow 3:48
Alison Ruble
7 Lazy Afternoon 4:32
Jerome Moross
8 It's Magic 2:53
Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne
9 Something in the Way She Moves 4:48
James Taylor
10 The Night Has a Thousand Eyes 5:55
Alison Ruble
11 This Nearly Was Mine 3:08
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
Credits
Acoustic Bass, Chapman Stick – Larry Kohut
Drums – Tim Davis (13)
Guitar – John McLean (2)
Percussion – Geraldo De Oliveira
Piano – Jo Ann Daugherty
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Flute – Jim Gailloreto
Vocals – Alison Ruble
ALISON RUBLE - This Is A Bird
[2008] Origin / APE (image+.cue), lossless
