A number of jazz vocalists are veering over to the more folky side of life, with Kate McGarry being the latest to join up with Tierney Sutton and Kathleen Grace. This session recorded “live” at Soundpure Studios in North Carolina has Ms McGarry’s warm voice joined with Spartan support in the body of Keith Ganz on guitar. She harkens up Judy Collins on material such as Paul Simons’ “American Tune” and makes you feel as if you’re watching a musical during “Can’t Help Loving That Man.” Her wordless vocals on the Brazilian “Aquelas Coisas Todas/Third Wind/Aquio O” is fresh and breezy, and with Theo Bleckmann and Gian Slater joining on vocals, a take of “Pretending to Care”is quite visceral. All that’s missing on this cozy night here is a campfire and some S’mores.
Sunnyside Records