Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Paula Lammers: A Blanket of Blue

239

Paula Lammers: A Blanket of Blue

By

Sign in to view read count
Paula Lammers: A Blanket of Blue
Vocalist Paula Lammers, a music major at Gustavus Adolphus College and holder of a Masters degree in vocal performance from the University of Minnesota, almost gave up performing to devote her energies to teaching. Then the Minnesota Zephyr, a dinner excursion train, clanged into town. She got a job there, riding the rails and singing songs from the forties. A performer was reborn.

Lammers' debut, A Blanket of Blue, digs into the Great American Songbook with style. "I Thought About You," "Isn't it Romantic," "Honeysuckle Rose," "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," and "Too Close for Comfort" will be familiar to any music fan worth his or her salt; and Lammers and her band—a crack quintet—give these tried and trues and new shine.

Clarity of tone seems Lammers most distinguishing vocal characteristic, along with a seemingly effortless delivery. Her take on "Honeysuckle Rose" has a bouncy feeling, with pianist Peter Schimke opening up with a Waller-esque verve. Lammers' knowing take on this classic, especially her sly and sultry turn of phrase on "when I'm taking sips, from your tasty lips, seems the honey fairly drips," highlights the song's playfully salacious mood and just might send you off for a cold shower.

Ten of the eleven tunes here are covers, and Lammers takes a turn at tunesmithing on "Goodbye... Again," a beautifully melancholy ballad that showcases her crystalline voice nicely.

A strong debut; it makes me want to jump on that Minnsota Zephyr.

Track Listing

I Thought About You; Isn't It Romanitci; The Moon and I; Honeysuckle Rose; Gentle Rain; In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning; Too Close for Comfort; Meditation; Goodbye... Again; More; Under a Blanket of Blue.

Personnel

Paula Lammers: vocals; Peter Schimke: keyboards; Clay Moore: guitar; Billy Peterson: bass; Kenny Horst: drums; Gary Berg: saxophone and harmonica.

Album information

Title: A Blanket of Blue | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Self Produced

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.