Kelley Utt

Kelley Johnson's CD is full of surprises. She sings her own lyrics to Joe Henderson's "Recorda Me," arranges several of the pieces, and holds her own with an impressive group that includes either Fred Hersch or John Hansen on piano and several different horn players (including altoist Steve Nelson). Although the repertoire contains quite a few standards, each treatment sounds fresh, with some rhythmic displacement of the melodies, unusual frameworks, and consistently mature singing. Whether it be a faster than usual "How Long Has This Been Going On," "Stompin' at the Savoy," Abbey Lincoln's "Throw It Away," or an introspective version of "Make Someone Happy," this is a CD that rewards repeated listenings; it introduces a potentially significant new voice in the Seattle-based Kelley Johnson.

The Standard Of Further: After a year of taking these new piano standards on the road, we now have a better sense of how they roll off the fingertips. As we enter our second year performing these pieces from Future Standards , the material has taken on the sonic patina of precisely the intention of the title. This new album now takes inventory by adding Lonna Kelley to several of the original tracks from Future Standards to up the previous standard. Further, it offers evidence of how these standards hold up live in concert one recent steamy night in London.

Vocalist Kelley Johnson's glistening sound stands out for its emphatic clarity and direct delivery. On 'Something Good,' her 5th recording, Kelley presents songs as soundscapes, from lesser-heard repertoire such as Sondheim's 'Anyone Can Whistle,' or The Carpenters' 'Goodbye to Love,' to reimaginings of golden standards, Cole Porter's 'You Do Something to Me,' or 'Unforgettable.