Christine Rosholt: Detour Ahead

There is a lot to like about vocalist Christine Rosholt, who's based in Minnesota's Twin Cities region. On her debut album, she displays a good jazz sensibility on thirteen time-tested tunes.

The album begins promisingly with an easygoing "East of the Sun" and continues with the rarely heard Johnny Mercer lyrics to Woody Herman/Ralph Burns' "Early Autumn." One of the highlights of this session is a presentation of the first-wave bossa Jobim classic "Chega De Saudade (No More Blues)," where guitarist Robert Everest joins her instrumentally and vocally with a poignant Portuguese duet.

More good news follows with the inclusion of the ballads like the title tune, "Detour Ahead," and the Strayhorn/Ellington piece "Daydream," with a fine vibes solo from Steve Roehm (his only appearance on the album) and a bass solo from Michael O'Brien. Also commendable is Rosholt's version of the Green/Hayman tune "I Cover the Waterfront." Anyone who has the good sense to include the timeless Sergio Mihanovic composition "Sometime Ago" deserves special mention. Throughout the album, Rosholt receives keen support from pianist Tanner Taylor, who also switches to Hammond B-3 to add a bit of color to "Honeysuckle Rose."

Christine Rosholt is decidedly more convincing as a singer on the ballads and mid-tempo tracks, sounding somewhat rushed and dramatic on the up-tempo songs. The answer lies within the liner notes. She is primarily involved with the Children's Theatre in Minneapolis, and her stage experience shows in terms of phrasing on those other numbers. Perhaps these tunes, even with the inclusion of the original verses, belong in more of a cabaret-type setting. Despite the above, Rosholt holds a lot of promise.