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FRIDAY 6/3/2011
BY WILL FRIEDWALD
Karrin Allyson

Birdland
315 W. 44th St., (212) 581-3080
Through Saturday
Karrin Allyson has chops, but more important, she has taste and restraint—one gets the distinct impression that she could belt a lot louder and higher than she generally does. Instead, she sings with amazingly subtlety, employing just enough technique to put her songs over. She keeps within a very specific range, both melodically and emotionally, which allows her to blend beautifully with the rest of her group, especially guitarist Rod Fleeman. The result is a true collaboration in which all the instruments interact while remaining within a specific sonic space. Accompanying herself on piano, Ms. Allyson puts "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" into a distinct 4/4 tempo (as opposed to the usual out-of-time treatment), enhancing both the music and the narrative. At almost precisely 12 a.m on Wednesday, she concluded with a haunting duet with bassist Ed Howard on 'Round Midnight," also the title of her new album.