ROBIN McKELLE — Modern Antique (2008) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Robin McKelle is a California based singer who enjoys the big-band sound, as well as old-time singers like Peggy Lee and Dinah Washington, reflective in her voice. She has a slightly sultry, at times girlish sound that is striving for vintage sophistication, but also relies on contemporary song stylist precepts. She's not Norah Jones, Diana Krall, or Joni Mitchell by a long shot, and not trying to be. She sounds quite similar to Detroit based vocalist Kathy Kosins in her phrasing and affectations. The problem with this recording, her third, is that it is way overproduced, not in a contemporary synthesizer soaked way, for all of the arrangements are acoustically derived. But the rather large horn section and strings dominate this stylized singer on too many occasions. It will be good someday to hear her with a much smaller ensemble, but meanwhile, you have a fairly good representation of what McKelle sounds like doing a Las Vegas type show set. The program starts off smart enough with of a swinging and rousing version of Steve Miller's "Abracadabra," with McKelle tossing in some good scat singing. A montuno/Afro-Cuban take of "Comes Love" shows the sexy influence of Lee, while the slight contemporary light rock beat tacked on to "I Want to Be Loved" is a popular concession, but the orchestration drenches this tune. Veteran tenor saxophone soloist Pete Christlieb shines on the string infused easy swinger "Cheek to Cheek," while flugelhorn and trumpet guest Joe Magnarelli is strong and supple for the breezy "Day by Day" and stands out during the very complementary chart of "Make Someone Happy." McKelle scats again and quite effectively for "Lullaby of Birdland" with interesting staggered phrasings above a less orchestrated backdrop -- a good thing for her. She also plays piano while singing on her original, the closer "Remember," a pop ballad with strings and laden with the otherwise tasteful guitarist Larry Kuhns. This band has some other good players like trumpeter Wayne Bergeron, saxophonists Bob Shepard or Andy Snitzer, and bassist Reggie McBride, but their individualism is all but smothered. This CD will appeal to a certain audience, but there's nothing new or innovative, save the occasional vocal excursions of the clearly talented McKelle. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist:
1    Abracadabra 3:31
Written-By – Steve Miller
2    Comes Love 3:22
Written-By – Charles Tobias, Lew Brown, Sam H. Stept
3    I Want To Be Loved 3:36
Written-By – Billy Rose, Edward Heyman, John W. Green
4    Lover Man 4:40
Written-By – James Davis, James Sherman, Roger Ramirez
5    Cheek To Cheek 3:44
Written-By – Irving Berlin
6    Day By Day 3:23
Written-By – Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn
7    Save Your Love For Me 6:14
Written-By – Buddy Woodrow Johnson
8    Go To Hell 2:50
Written By – Morris Bailey Jr.
9    Lullaby Of Birdland 3:26
Written-By – George David Weiss, George Shearing
10    Make Someone Happy 4:42
Written-By – Betty Comdon, Adolph Green, Jule Styne
11    Remember 4:39
Written-By – Robin McKelle
Credits :
Arranged By – Alain Mallet (tracks: 4, 9, 11), Chris Barron (tracks: 1, 7), Gordon Goodwin (tracks: 5, 10), Oded Lev-Ari (tracks: 4,9), Randy Waldman (tracks: 6), Robin McKelle (tracks: 3, 4), Willie Murillo (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 8)
Drums – Mike Velario (tracks: 4, 7), Reggie McBride
Drums, Percussion – Bernie Dressel, Nathaniel Morton
Flugelhorn – Joe Magnareli (tracks: 6)
Flute – Mark Visher (tracks: 3)
French Horn – Daniel Ondarza (tracks: 3, 6, 10)
Guitar – Larry Kuhns (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 8, 10)
Oboe – Glen Berger (tracks: 3)
Piano – Alain Mallet (tracks: 4, 7), Quinn Johnson, Robin McKelle (tracks: 10)
Saxophone – Bob Sheppard, Dan Higgins, Pete Christlieb (tracks: 5), Ray Herrmann
Strings – Adriana Zoppo, Cameron Patrick, Christine Wu, David Stenske, Ira Glansbeek, James Hanna, John Whitenberg, Kathleen Robertson, Kirsten Fife, Miriam Mayer, Peggy Baldwin, Peter Kent, Robin Ross, Sarah O'Brien, Susan Chapman
Trombone – Andy Martin, Charlie Morillas, Craig Gosnell, Jason Thor
Trumpet – Don Clark (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10), Gary Grant, Joe Magnareli (tracks: 10), Larry Hall, Willie Murillo
Trumpet [Lead] – Wayne Bergeron (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 to 10)
Vocals – Robin McKelle

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