Customer Reviews

Call Me When You Get There

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I was blown away! The depth of Ms. Knutson's voicings are only matched by the subtle, sultry melodies that sweep you away on a jazz journey. Where has this powerhouse been? Surely, she heralds in a new and better movement in modern jazz, with homages to the past (Tangerine) but also with energetic and exciting originals (Meridian) that focus on depth and form. She is a phenom that was totally unexpected when I opened the shrink-wrap. I am waiting for more recordings with baited breath. If Bill Evans and Marian McPartland had a kid (who took the best genes) it would be Mary Louise Knutson.

"Call Me When You Get There" is a first CD by an interesting piano stylist. It is a mix of standards and original material - all equally well done. The standards like "Tangerine" and "On Green Dolphin Street" will be more than familiar to any jazz fan, but they are very easy to listen to. Her performance mixes classical jazz phrasing with just enough new twists to keep it interesting.

Although the standards are enjoyable, I prefer her original compositions. They definitely have more bite. "Meridian" is a fine example of new creativity applied to an existing genre. Other original songs include "If You Please" and "Call Me When You Get There". Her original material displays a pleasing variety.

One of the most interesting tracks is the "My Fair Lady" ballad "I've Grown Accoustomed to Your Face". It allows Ms. Knutson to stretch out and display her exceptional talent for phrasing. She is classically trained, and it shows to beautiful advantage on especially this track but really, throughout the album. She produices a big solid tone with many layers of nuance.

This music is a bit hard to classify. It is easy to listen to, but it is far beyond easy listening jazz. There are some stylistic echos of Bill Evans. (She's not yet in that league, but then again, who is?) She's direct yet far from obvious. Anyone who enjoys traditional piano jazz that sounds fresh and new will find a lot to like in this CD.

I got "Call Me When You Get There" from a friend at a time I really needed some cheer. This album was awesome. The phrasing is perfect, and unlike other jazz trios, there is no pretention to Ms. Knutson's work. I'm especially charmed by "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" -- making something fresh out of what could be a hackneyed standard. But the whole album is fresh, relaxing, and inspirational. If you love Jazz piano - this is an amazing find.

Mary Louise Knutson has to be one of the most exciting and innovative artists to happen to jazz piano in quite some time. She shows the smoothness and feeling of a Bill Evans (probably the best ever). Her compositions are excellent along with her playing. The performance of the group on the album is superb. Let's hope that this is just the first of many more efforts from this fine artist.