Vocalist Gretchen Parlato comes from a long line of professional musicians (her father played bass with Frank Zappa! ), so clearly she's used to mixing it with players who can really play. Parlato's well-received recordings over the past decade have proved she's much more than just a singer with a band. This intimate live set, recorded in a New York club with her two regular groups, both headed by pianist Taylor Eigsti, showcases
a singer who creates in the moment. Parlato uses her soft, supple voice like a horn, though without ever loosing grasp of lyrics and meaning. In particular, her habit of repeating her own lines until they blur into mesmerizing rhythmic phrases brilliantly flirts with serialism and abstraction without ever falling in. gretchenparlato.com CORMAC LARKIN