Karrin Allyson

The Houston Press

If there's a choir in heaven, someday the exquisite vocalist Karrin Allyson will lead it. She's such an otherworldly talent that the creator probably already has her on heavy rotation. Well, no worries, mate, Karrin Allyson will be part of this earthly choir for a very long time. But she is moving on, after a jam-packed career with Concord Jazz — thirteen albums, four Grammy nominations, and a recent self-produced holiday album, "Yuletide Hideaway," that won four stars from Downbeat.

New Ventures with Motema Records

In May of 2015, as part of a new agreement with Motema Records, Karrin heads back into the recording studio for a very intimate look at the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein. For Karrin, who actually played Nelly Forbush in a production of South Pacific as a teenager, this album is a return. "I've been all around the world musically, from bop and bossa and chanson to blues and singer-songwriters. And now, I feel like coming home. I find myself powerfully drawn to the world of Rodgers and Hammerstein."

The Appeal of Rodgers and Hammerstein

Why? Well, the tunes for starters, gorgeous melodies, near-perfect lyrics, music that begs to be sung. Music filled with innocence, optimism, a confident can-do response to any problem, an appealing wiseguy humor, a sense that we all belong together on this wonderful planet. So, Rodgers is just a singer, telling the story with two masterful partners, the magisterial pianist Kenny Barron and the superb bassist John Pattituci, underlining and extending.

Karrin's Background and Musical Journey

Karrin lives in New York City, following a childhood in the Midwest, schooling in the Bay Area, a degree in classical piano performance, and important stints in Minneapolis and Kansas City, where she began her recording career with Concord Jazz. Karrin currently spends two days out of three on tour, playing the major jazz festivals, concert venues, and clubs of the U.S. and making repeated tours overseas to Brazil, Japan, Australia, and the great cities of Europe. Throughout 2014, Allyson was featured as a solo vocalist in the Newport Now 60 Tour, which played in thirty cities across the US and Canada before concluding at the 2014 Newport Festival.

Performance Details

• Dinner or two-drink minimum required in addition to the tickets, plus a $0.49 music royalty fee per patron.
• Doors open for dinner 1 1/2 hours before the first show and 1/2 hour before the second show, if there is a second show. Except for Private Events.
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