Kate McGarry If Less Is More…Nothing is Everything
If Less Is More…Nothing is Everything is Kate McGarry's fourth release from Palmetto – a hybrid of classic jazz and popular music styles. Perhaps the best thing about Kate McGarry, aside from her multifarious and seemingly effortless voice, is her restraint. She reserves her impassioned melismatic wails for just the right moments, resulting in emotional clarity and sincerity.
On this recording, McGarry handles jazz and pop standards with equal capacity. Her reaching across the aisle represents a trend in modern jazz to incorporate influences familiar to virtually everyone. With this album there is no question of pandering. Whether it is Irving Berlin's "Let's Face the Music and Dance," or Bob Dylan's "The Times They are A-Changin," McGarry knows how to meld it to her own unique voice.
Highlights include: "You're My Thrill" - The clearest nod to traditional jazz, McGarry's improvised lines weave in and out of the beat, and Gary Versace takes a rousing organ solo. "The Times They Are are A-Changin" - This rendition of a Dylan classic gives McGarry the opportunity to abandon her usually crystalline voice in exchange for electrifying gravelly moans. Caminhos Cruzados" - A perfect example of "less is more," this melancholy love song by Antonio Carlos Jobim is beautifully accompanied by Gary Versace on accordion and McGarry's husband, Keith Ganz on guitar. "Flor de Lis" - A sprightly bossa featuring a nimble and joyous tenor solo by Donny McCaslin
