This is a great natural pairing between Kim Nalley (pictured), a fine jazz/blues vocalist, and premier jazz tenor saxophonist Houston Person. The two meshed seamlessly in an evening of playful, expressive jazz, blues and swing numbers that had the audience singing and finger-snapping along.

Opening with an instrumental version of Buddy Johnson’s “Since I Fell for You,” Person’s distinctive sax was ably backed by the trio of Tammy Hall on piano, Michael Zisman on standup bass and drummer Kent Bryson. His sax is seductive, often subtly imploring or demonstratively barking, speaking in an "instrumental lyric" just as potently as the spoken word.

Kim Nalley takes to the stage with Williams/Bishop/Raymond’s song that Billie Holiday recorded, “Swing! Brother, Swing!” and she’s in total command for the next two hours, balancing the set with swing, jazz gems and the blues. Gifted in all genres, Nalley was in fine voice, despite having just had stomach surgery. You wouldn’t know it from the strength of her vocals, aptly displayed by unamplified versions of “Summertime” and “Stormy Weather” performed while sauntering through the audience.

Nalley and Person traded licks on another Buddy Johnson tune, “Fine Brown Frame,” and a deliciously sensuous turn on Bessie Smith’s hit “I Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl.” Kim can sink her teeth into a ballad and likes a wry lyric evidenced on Moose Charlap and Don George’s standard, “I Was Telling Him About You.” Nalley, Person and the band ripped through the Ray Charles smash “Unchain My Heart”(in a heartfelt tribute to David “Fathead” Newman, the amazing hard bop sax legend who died last year) before Kim ended the evening with “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” and the absolutely salacious blue blues tune "(If I Can’t Sell It) I'll Keep Sittin' on It, “ a tasty finale to a great ensemble evening of fine, fine music.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
July 1, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org