Donald Allen

Like the best pianists, Geri Allen is a master at being able to alternately carry a song or provide background inflections that are subtle yet can't be missed. It's clear right away on the beautiful "Melchezedik", then the short but sweet "Portraits and Dreams", which she does a reprise of at the end. She shines alongside Carmen Lundy's vocals in "Well Done", an aptly titled song, shines solo on "La Strada" and "Nearly". Later, she gets together with husband Wallace Roney on "In Real Time" and later "Our Lady", the latter of which she wrote as a tribute to Billie Holiday. This is a beautiful CD, and if you haven't bought a Geri Allen CD before, get this one. –Amazon

On her Blue Note debut (and eighth recording overall), vocalist Jackie Allen stretches her already crossover approach to where the seams show. Thank God. She is a fine jazz singer and has a way with ballads and standards that is her own to be sure — and she records a couple of them here — but her gift with more pop-oriented material is utterly distinctive and even innovative, since there isn't another singer out there who phrases like her. Tangled was produced with great taste by Eric Hochberg — who also chaired her last session, Love Is Blue, and has played bass with everyone from the jazz stalwart Kurt Elling to one of the greatest crossover folk and jazz singers in history, the great Terry Callier.