Customer Reviews

Passion Flower

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Everything conjures up to an excellent recording, the kind that I constantly look for and very rarely find.... With Carmen, Sarah and Ella gone, so few of the truly great ones remain, and what's worse, even fewer from the new generations have what it takes to continue and improve the tradition.
But there's hope. Songs, arrangements and, most of all, voice - whoa, what a great one! I love those low notes of hers and her timbre, her musicality, her intonation - in this cd come together to produce a first rate session. And, no doubt, we're in the presence of a gifted interpreter, a reader of lyrics, a true storyteller.
All I can say is that "Passion Flower" made me buy the other one she's recorded so far, the live one, which I also enjoyed thoroughly.
I think Jackie Ryan is an incredible discovery. Can't wait for her next delivery.

By accident I stumbled upon 2003's "This Heart of Mine," and it blew me away (as my review elsewhere explains). So, I ordered this release from 2002, with the question in mind: "Is this woman for real?!"

She is. And then some.

Whereas "This Heart of Mine" concentrates on Spanish and Italian art songs, this one is a polyglot. A very impressive one at that. Most singers can't pull off cabaret, art songs, vocalese, and blues in one set. But Jackie Ryan isn't "most singers." She sings the cool blues of "Now or Never" (evoking images of Lady Day, but really more of Jimmy Witherspoon), the hot blues of Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone to Love," the cabaret of "Serenade in Blue," and the Spanish art songs of "O Silencio Das Estrelas" and "Historia de un Amor" with equal aplomb. The surprise in this one is "The Kicker", a Joe Henderson tune with original Jackie Ryan lyrics. Considering the richness and "almost operatic" quality of Ms. Ryan's voice, the last thing I'd expect from her is a light, straight-toned piece of vocalese; but she pulls it off in a manner that would make Annie Ross proud.

I wouldn't say that this was the best vocal jazz album of 2002; you just cannot top Tierney Sutton's "Something Cool." I would say, however, that Tierney and Jackie by all rights are the "it girls" of today's glut of women vocal jazz artists. If only they had the marketing power of Blue Note or Impulse! behind them, I suspect that a lot more people would agree with me. For now, all I can say is, Buy This Album, and when she breaks out, don't say I never told you so.

Jackie Ryan's "Passion Flower" is the kind of album that I can listen to over & over again. With the addition of her lyrics to Joe Henderson's "The Kicker",I am reminded of the great & jumpin' Lambert,Hendricks & Ross. I also love her lyrics on "Once In Everyone's Life" & "Deep Love" & her English lyrics on "O Silencio Das Estrelas".A wonderful vocalist who is truely a band member who's instrument is her voice.

A friend turned me on to this singer and I tell you she absolutely knocks me out. In every way. Her singing touches my heart. "Serenade In Blue" and "Louisa" are both so hauntingly beautiful they should become instant classics - and all that romance followed by a swingin' "Now, Baby, Or Never", followed by an electrifying "Kicker" (with her own vocalese to boot), capped off by Brazilian and Mexican ballads - makes me want to bow down in awe. To me she is one of the 2 or 3 best singers out there.

Joan Bennet

A FANTASTIC DISCOVERY! Jackie Ryan is my favorite singer, period! She does it all. She has right-on pitch, power, sensitivity, range and above all SOUL! Something lacking in most I have heard these days. Check out this CD. You will not be disappointed. She should be a household name.