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Jackie Allen

Live at the Rococo (Avant Bass)
Twelfth Overall Recording
2019

“Her gift is utterly distinctive and even innovative…a masterpiece. It’s revelatory and sounds effortless.” Billboard

From Nick Mondello, All About Jazz:
"In New York City, there's Radio City, the Blue Note, Birdland, and many other fine venues. Each has its own vibe and Big Apple flavor. In Lincoln, Nebraska there's the Rococo Theater—a gorgeously restored 1920s theater with a slick, small club ambience where vocalist Jackie Allen and her mates chose to record an evening's performance. The result? A Romantic Evening with Jackie Allen—Live at the Rococo an album that has all the intimacy, groove, and taste that not only lives up to its billing, but also generates that undefinable "You Are There" (or should have been) appeal.

Allen and crew brilliantly perform 10 selections, almost all of which are associated with other well-known vocal artists. And, whether it is her take on material from Billie Holiday, Paul Simon, Burt Bacharach/Herb Alpert, or Carly Simon, et al, Allen uniquely reworks their music and puts a hip sheen on old shoes. She accomplishes that here both with her superb vocal instrument and her neat arranging and reharm chops. She's is a confident singer, a risk-taking lyric interpreter who shades and caresses lines—ones which we have heard innumerable times— with intricacy, sincerity and "sleight of heart." Allen launches the show by swinging her way through Holiday's "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" and dives into other waters with a sultry, exotic take on "Lazy Afternoon." A funky-hip arrangement of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful" is a highlight. Allen's word work is at its best as she does it sassy on Smokey Robinson's hit, "The Way You Do the Things You Do." Her dynamic flexibility and range of emotional colors are superb on a beautifully-rendered (and rarely recorded) "Day Dream," "This Guy's in Love with You," and a samba take on "My Funny Valentine." Allen's tasty closer, Carly Simon's Bond movie theme, is a bossa-flavored accolade on which Allen has you believing.

Saxophonist Bob Sheppard, brought in from his busy duties in L.A., adds more than just accompaniment. The guy has a knack for working superbly —and tastefully -with vocalists and does so again here on all his axes. Pianist Ben Lewis and John Moulder's guitar offer superb support from start to finish and Allen's husband and longtime playing partner, bassist Hans Sturm, along with drummer Dane Richeson are restrained perfection throughout the evening. This is a superb, highly- engaged team of Kings framing an Ace.

A Romantic Evening with Jackie Allen -Live at the Rococo is a marvelous way to spend one, regardless of where you are musically or geographically. Set that GPS for "Rococo Theater Lincoln, NE," sit back and enjoy."

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Album Review

Jackie Allen: A Romantic Evening with Jackie Allen - Live At the Rococo

Read "A Romantic Evening with Jackie Allen - Live At the Rococo" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


In New York City, there's Radio City, the Blue Note, Birdland, and many other fine venues. Each has its own vibe and Big Apple flavor. In Lincoln, Nebraska there's the Rococo Theater—a gorgeously restored 1920s theater with a slick, small club ambience where vocalist Jackie Allen and her mates chose to record an evening's performance. The result? A Romantic Evening with Jackie Allen—Live at the Rococo an album that has all the intimacy, groove, and taste that not only lives ...

705
Take Five With...

Take Five With Jackie Allen

Read "Take Five With Jackie Allen" reviewed by Jackie Allen


Meet Jackie Allen: Critically acclaimed vocalist, songwriter and Blue Note recording artist Jackie Allen celebrates the release of her ninth album, Starry Night, live with chamber orchestra. Her CD features star-themed songs arranged by seven extraordinary arrangers who have written for such legendary artists as Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Doc Severinson, Bobby McFerrin, and Diana Krall. Her three previous albums Tangled, Love Is Blue and The Men In My Life have received glowing reviews. The Los Angeles ...

197
Album Review

Jackie Allen: Tangled

Read "Tangled" reviewed by Samuel Chell


It's certainly a highly-competitive field, but among female jazz vocalists, Jackie Allen rises to the top in the Midwest/Chicago area. Her move to a major label on this, her debut for Blue Note, is well-deserved, assuring her of top-notch production values as well as assistance with promotion and distribution. And apparently she remains free to choose what she wants to sing.

This is Allen's eighth recording project, and for various artistic and commercial reasons she's been moving closer to the ...

366
Album Review

Jackie Allen: Tangled

Read "Tangled" reviewed by Jim Santella


While it's clearly a pop album, Tangled has a light, jazzy feel. John Moulder's smooth jazz guitar, Steve Eisen's gentle flute and several keyboards back up Jackie Allen's lovely voice with an easy-to-like ambience. Allen delivers an expressive, convincing session. The singer uses her voice, whispery and coated with smooth silk, to interpret this program with a relaxed ease and subtle passion.

Allen leaves an enjoyable wake behind every song. Her eighth album, both contemporary and filled with ...

286
Album Review

Jackie Allen: The Men in My Life

Read "The Men in My Life" reviewed by Samuel Chell


I first caught Jackie Allen ten or twelve years ago when she was working a lounge in Milwaukee with keyboardist Mel Rhyne. She was obviously a “natural," as talented and hip as she was wide-eyed and innocent (with a Wisconsin wholesomeness). As this album will attest, she's wiser and more seasoned, and she's definitely outgrown Milwaukee.

Jackie Allen has a vocal quality to die for: it's warm, breathy, and sultry in the middle register, retains its lightness in ...

233
Album Review

Jackie Allen: The Men In My Life

Read "The Men In My Life" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


One of my great pleasures of the past few years was discovering singer Jackie Allen's debut, Never Let Me Go, in the discount bins. So it was nice to see some buzz on her Naxos recording last season, as well as a friendly reception for this album over the past few months. She's got a warm voice and delivery and has, to the best of my knowledge, always performed in a jazz vocal mode.

The concept of ...

205
Album Review

Jackie Allen: Which?

Read "Which?" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Integration. Jackie Allen’s Which? is the second vocal release from Naxos Jazz. The budget label broke the ice with Gail Wynters’ 1998 release My Shining Hour (86027-2). Allen’s breathy sensuousness is a good label foil for Wynters’ earthy purring. Both vocalists hold the impeccable Bill Cunliffe on piano, Allen also having him as band leader, arranger, and associate producer. She employs Grammy-winning Ralph Jungheim as her executive producer. The Naxos Jazz stable continues to accumulate major jazz talent with appearances ...

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Recording

Critically-Acclaimed Jazz Vocalist Jackie Allen Releases "My Favorite Color"

Critically-Acclaimed Jazz Vocalist Jackie Allen Releases "My Favorite Color"

Source: Michael Ricci

Tenth Overall Recording and First Studio Album in 8 Years Set For Release May 13, 2014 “Her gift is utterly distinctive and even innovative... a masterpiece. It's revelatory and sounds effortless." —Billboard Long known for the enticing smoky quality of her voice and the natural sincerity of her interpretations, My Favorite Color is Jackie's long anticipated follow-up studio release to her 2006 Blue Note recording Tangled. My Favorite Color features two originals and eight standards, reaching from the thirties into ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Jackie Allen's birthday today!

Starry Night (Avant Bass, 2009) With Starry Night, Jackie Allen celebrates her ninth release; a live recording with orchestra featuring star-themed songs arranged expressly for her by seven gifted professionals who have written for such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Doc Severinsen, Bobby McFerrin and Diana Krall. Deftly accompanied by the Muncie Symphony Orchestra and her combo, Jackie\'s performances are... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day widget on ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Jackie Allen's birthday today!

Starry Night (Avant Bass, 2009) With Starry Night, Jackie Allen celebrates her ninth release; a live recording with orchestra featuring star-themed songs arranged expressly for her by seven gifted professionals who have written for such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Doc Severinsen, Bobby McFerrin and Diana Krall. Deftly accompanied by the Muncie Symphony Orchestra and her combo, Jackie\'s performances are... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day widget on ...

33

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Source:

All About Jazz is celebrating Jackie Allen's birthday today!

Starry Night (Avant Bass, 2009) With Starry Night, Jackie Allen celebrates her ninth release; a live recording with orchestra featuring star-themed songs arranged expressly for her by seven gifted professionals who have written for such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Doc Severinsen, Bobby McFerrin and Diana Krall. Deftly accompanied by the Muncie Symphony Orchestra and her combo, Jackie\'s performances are...Starry Night (Avant Bass, 2009) With Starry Night, Jackie Allen celebrates ...

58

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Source:


120

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Jackie Allen

Source: Michael Ricci


251

Recording

Vocalist Jackie Allen's 'Love Is Blue' Now Available on A440 Music Group

Vocalist Jackie Allen's 'Love Is Blue' Now Available on A440 Music Group

Source: All About Jazz

Love is Blue is Jackie Allen's follow-up recording to her critically acclaimed A440 Music Group debut The Men In My Life and further captures the vibe and mood which only Jackie Allen is capable of evoking. For this project, Allen has chosen to focus on the darker side of that most powerful of human relations, love. Hence the project's title, Love Is Blue, an evocative statement that implies as many yearnings and questions as love itself. An appropriate proclamation for ...

“Jackie does more than sing the words… Allen crawls inside a lyric and gets comfortable. My Favorite Color is stunning! 5 stars.” Brent Black, Critical Jazz

“This is a good-to-be-alive set that shimmers, bubbles, and spreads the good vibes from a bottomless well.” Chris Spector, Midwest Record

"…There's only one way to describe it: Wow!" -Christopher Louden, Jazz Times

"A model of lustrous tone and clear headed energy, then waxes blue...exercising the fine art of understatement." -Josef Woodward, Down Beat

"Her gift is utterly distinctive and even innovative, since there isn't another singer out there who phrases like her... a pop masterpiece...It's revelatory and sounds effortless. " -Thomas Jurek, Billboard, All Music Guide

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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Taught at many schools and colleges including:

Roosevelt University (currently)

Elmhurst College

Wisconsin Conservatory

Old Town School of Folk Music

Bloom School of Jazz

Available by appointment

Rates vary

Clinic/Workshop Information

Jackie is available for a variety of clinics including:

Choosing Repertoire

Learning Jazz Standards

Arranging Your Tunes with a Band

Jazz Vocal Masterclasses

Jackie has given masterclasses at universities, festivals, and conferences in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Diana Krall
piano and vocals

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

My Favorite Color

Avant Bass
2014

buy

Tangled

Blue Note Records
2007

buy

Tangled

Blue Note Records
2006

buy

The Men in My Life

A440 Music
2004

buy

The Men In My Life

A440 Music
2003

buy

Call Me Winter

From: My Favorite Color
By Jackie Allen

Diana

From: My Favorite Color
By Jackie Allen

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