Kathleen Gorman: I Can See Clearly Now

I Can See Clearly Now testifies to the durability and pliability of everlasting songs while also opening up the floor to new ones. Kathleen Gorman, a pianist-vocalist-composer based in Toronto, fronts a quintet on a trip through six covers and four originals, speaking to truth through her own music and smartly-arranged renditions of some time-tested classics.

When Gorman sings of seeing clearly now on her arrangement of the album-launching title track, it's immediately evident that she's not looking out from Johnny Nash's perch. She's seeing things from her own perspective, a point made obvious through arranging choices and surprising turns in melodic phrasing. George Koller's hip bass riffing and Mark Kelso's sly drumming underscore the sunny sentiments in the song while Alexander Brown's trumpet plays off of Gorman with zest and spirit. It's a fine introduction, both for the album and to the leader's line of thinking.

As Gorman plays on, she manages to deepen or alter the perspective of some songs that we've all grown to love. "Can't Help Falling In Love," for example, is freed from Elvis' grip and given a plaintive body that places the lyrics in a different, slightly unrequited light. In Gorman's hands, the song seems to become a mesmerizing cousin of Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin's "I Can't Make You Love Me." Brown's trumpet evokes a keen sense of longing that connects perfectly with the mood in the air and everybody plays it cool in supporting the song's hidden sentiments. It's the most memorable track on the album, hands down. Elsewhere, Gorman does right with Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," adding some rhythmic lift to the song, and she brings beauty to bear on Carole King's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?," altering the feel, dabbling with reharmonization, and making melodic tweaks that don't detract or distract. Those numbers, taken together, form a gorgeous trinity that elevates I Can See Clearly Now.

A complete run through the album serves to emphasize the positives in Gorman's bag, of which there are many. But it also shows us a few chinks in the artistic armour. The originals, while pleasant enough, are occasionally a bit underdeveloped, and her takes on "Over The Rainbow" and "Lover Man" don't really resonate with much individuality. Those few caveats, however, shouldn't scare anybody away. Gorman has something real to say here. She gives us much to reflect on when she sings and plays.

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