ANN KITTREDGE

ROMANTIC NOTIONS

King Kozmo Music

Ann Kittredge, vocalist; Christopher Denny & Alex Rybeck, piano; Sean Harkness, acoustic & electric guitar; Mary Ann McSweeney & Jay Leonhart, bass; Rex Benincasa, drums/percussion; Aaron Heick, saxophone/flute; Yoed Nir, cello; Gary Oleyar, fiddle’ Paul Rolnick, background vocals.

Vocalist Ann Kittredge has one of those voices that reminds me of a Broadway talent, or someone performing in on-stage musicals.  Her crystal-clear soprano voice opens with the Stevie Wonder song, “I Just Called to Say I Love you.”  However, it’s the second track on this album that shows off her vocal personality.  When she starts singing the Carole King song, “I Feel the Earth Move” with just a twang of the blues and a bit of country/western style sprinkled into this Pop music arrangement, Ann Kittredge gets her groove on. This song should get plenty of across-the-board airplay.

Next, she interprets “Mr. Tambourine Man” with great emotion and clarity.  Pianist, Christopher Denny is a sensitive accompanist and arranger.  I can feel the comfort level between Kittredge and Denny, as she sells this song.  Here is a vocalist that knows the value of making her audience believe every word she sings.  She chooses songs by Billy Joel (You’re My Home) and Jimmy Webb’s (Didn’t We), making them her own.

A slow swing arrangement on “I Just Want to Dance With You,” features a strong walking bass with a two-feel, and it’s the perfect style for Ann Kittredge.  She’s a cabaret performer with perfect enunciation and just the right amount of emotional attachment to her song lyrics.  Ann Kittredge makes each storyline believable.  You hear this on “Where’ve You Been” and the tune “Garden.” On the Garden arrangement, she is accompanied by Alex Rybeck whose piano playing sounds like a music box.

The Sondheim and Jules Styne composition, “Together Wherever We Go” is the perfect ballad for the Kittredge voice, as is the Webb composition “Didn’t We.”  Both songs have the drama in melody and lyric, allowing Kittredge to get her arms around these tunes with one, big, giant bear hug.  She does a stellar job interpreting the Jimmy Webb tune, and the addition of strings is fantastic.  This is an easy listening, Adult Contemporary production that pulls the best out of Ann Kittredge.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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