Jackie Allen - Love is Blue (2004)

Although very much a jazz singer, Jackie Allen explores music on Love Is Blue that crosses over style-wise into 1970s pop and singer/songwriter material. There are versions of two veteran standards ("Lazy Afternoon" and Alec Wilder's "I'll Be Around") but most of the repertoire, which deals with the darker side of love, is made up of recent originals (including "Go," which was co-written by the singer) and music taken from the pop world.

Allen has a flexible voice and sounds fine on the ballad-oriented material, but the lack of mood variation makes this set of less interest than expected. It is well performed but not essential, despite the talents involved. ~ Scott Yanow

Personnel: Jackie Allen (vocals); Hans Sturm (acoustic bass, double bass); John Moulder (guitar); Frank Glover (clarinet); Laurence Hobgood (piano); Rob Mathes (Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards); Dane Richeson (marimba, drums, percussion).