Track Listing

1. Sous le Ciel de Paris [Under Paris Skies]
2. Samba Saravah
3. Te Amo (I Love You)
4. O Pato [The Duck]
5. Ne Me Quitte Pas
6. Plasir d' Amour
7. O Barquinho
8. Cara��o Vagabundo [My Vagabond Heart]
9. Parisian Thoroughfare
10. Des Histoires
11. In�til Paisagem (Useless Landscape)
12. Catavento E Girasol [Windmill and Sunflower]
13. Bachianas Brasileiras, No. 5
14. That Day [Adaption of 'Cinema Paradiso']

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31362 in Music
• Released on: 1999-08-03
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.com
On this release, Kansas City-based vocalist Karrin Allyson embraces romantic classics from both French and Brazilian perspectives. While this is not the first time Allyson has recorded in Portuguese or French, this disc showcases her multicultural impulses with a cozy elegance. Using talented backing musicians, including keyboard players Gil Goldstein and Paul Smith, Allyson covers splendid compositions by the likes of Jacques Brel, Brazil's Caetano Veloso, and America's most notorious jazz expatriate, Bud Powell. On "Plasir d'Amour (The Pleasure of Love)," Allyson's lilting vocals are flawlessly embellished by Rod Fleeman's acoustic guitar and Bob Bowman's bass, as well as an understated string quartet. A wholly mature effort from one of our brightest young voices, From Paris to Rio is a swinging travelogue in song. --Mitch Myers

From Jazziz
"Since I've already recorded five albums of more or less standard material, I felt it was time to venture out into something a little different," says vocalist Karrin Allyson. So for her new record, From Paris to Rio, Allyson decided to sing songs in French and Portuguese. "I've studied French for years," says Allyson. "It was my minor in college, so I have some fluency. Portuguese, on the other hand, I started learning phonetically just to be able to sing the Brazilian repertoire." "Samba Sarava" is from the movie A Man and a Woman, and its lyrics speak of the obsession the French have for Brazilian samba.

--- JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews

A Samba Cabaret
I do not speak French; my understanding of the lyrics is limited to "Par-reee." My Portuguese is as bad but because of the similarity to Spanish I can pick up on a word every now and never. That said I can say that I love this disc without understanding what the lovely voice of Karrin Allyson is singing about, except her ventures into English. It is a feeling one gets from listening to this CD that is infectuous, the music gets under your skin and the samba makes you shuffle your feet without moving. Without a doubt part of the success of this disc is the outstanding musicianship of the band members who lend their talents to create a superb international jazz outing. The accordian and accoustic guitars sound so nice you've got to hear them more than twice; the blending of basic jazz instruments stripped to their most simple accoustic level is the essence of good jazz. The outstanding jazz musicians aside , the real star of this disc is the voice of Karrin Allyson. On track #6, "Plasir d' Amour" (The Pleasure of Love) there is a string arrangement by members of the Kansas City Symphony that gives the song a "classy" sound as the violins, viola and cello compliment the stellar voice of Karrin Allyson. On "Parisian Throughfare" the band and voice of Allyson soar to new heights as the scat singing takes the music to another jazz level as each member alternates solos between her vocalese. I don't know enough to comment on her treatment of Edith Pilaf's "Des Histoires" but I can say that the simplicity and tenderness comes across respectively. My personal tastes tend to favor the Portuguese songs and just happen to be dominant as eight of the recordings come by way of Rio, whereas only five come by way of Paris and curiously one from Italy. Again on the Italian track, "That Day," adapted from "Cinema Paradiso" Karrin Allyson is backed by the strings and her voice is just exquisite; it is relaxing and soothing in a running credits end of movie sort of way. The song is a perfect ending to a great disc much like a good movie that leaves you emotionally drained. This is another great disc by one of the brightest and most underrated voices in jazz circles today. If you like this disc check out her other albums too; maybe it is just me but she has a very sexy and seductive voice, but make no doubt about it , she is very good.

Talented voice
Karrin Allyson is one talented singer. Anyone who can sing jazz in three different languages is to be commended. I have to say the "O Pato (The Duck)" is the best song on the CD. I plan to indoctrinate my kids into jazz in the future by singing this with them! She can scat pretty well, and handle romantic french/portugese songs with class.

My .02 cents
I don't usually write online reviews but after buying this CD, I must say that I love it from beginning to end. The first song I heard from this CD was "My Little Boat" while listening to a local jazz station. I wrote down her name and the title of the song so I could look her up later and I'm glad I did. After listening to a few samples online, I went out on a limb and purchased this CD. I can play it from beginning to end without any skipping. IT'S THAT GOOD! I'm no jazz expert but her voice is so clear and her pitch is right on. This album totally transports me away from the stress of living in the city and relaxes me whenever I need to "get away" but can't. Her voice is like silk!