[Dixielandjazz] Rebecca Kilgore reviewed

[Robert Ringwald]

Rebecca Kilgore and the Harry Allen Quartet: Some Like It Hot: The Music of Marilyn
Monroe (Swing Bros.)
by Christopher Loudon
Jazz Times, March 2013
In recent years, vocalist Rebecca Kilgore and saxophonist Harry Allen, two of jazz's
most prolific artists, have regularly united to shape albums around Broadway scores,
to date revisiting "Guys and Dolls," "South Pacific" and "The Sound of Music." Now
the marvelously simpatico pair takes a bit of a left turn, diving into the relatively
slim Marilyn Monroe songbook.
As Kilgore noted in a recent interview, she was at first hesitant when Allen suggested
the concept, uninterested in parroting Monroe's sultry style. But she agreed to proceed
on her own terms, reinterpreting iconic numbers like "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best
Friend" and "A Little Girl from Little Rock" as jazz standards. Stripped of Monroe's
lush sensuality, the tunes hold up surprisingly well, the requisite sexiness enhanced
by Allen's slinky solos. Ever the musical archeologist, Kilgore digs up a few less
familiar selections, including the charming "Incurably Romantic," the peppy title
track from 1960's "Let's Make Love" and the cuddly if dated "She Acts Like a Woman
Should."
Kilgore rounds out her dozen tracks with the sweet homage "Marilyn Monroe," written
by her pal and frequent collaborator Dave Frishberg. Allen and his quartet mates
-- pianist Rossano Sportiello, bassist Joel Forbes and drummer Chuck Riggs -- also
get to stretch out on two instrumentals: a sizzling "Running Wild" and sparkling
"Some Like It Hot."
-30-


-Bob Ringwald
www.ringwald.com
Amateur (ham) Radio Operator K6YBV
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