Kristin Korb at The Muse Performance Space

Kristin Korb
The Muse Performance Space
Lafayette, CO
October 15, 2025

In the first half of the 20th century, jazz borrowed heavily from pop music, turning many tunes of the day into jazz standards. When rock 'n' roll came on the scene, the pop appropriation almost went the way of Blockbuster stores. Sure, many jazz players covered The Beatles, but those efforts often sounded like they were produced at the orders of record companies. Jazz musicians often cited the elementary melodies and chords used by early rock as a reason the then-new pop tunes did not fit into the more sophisticated sounds of jazz. That is no doubt true to some degree. But there was also the lingering suspicion that jealousy played a role as well. After all, jazz was riding high until the rock 'n' rollers knocked it off the charts and nearly out of the public consciousness.

Nevertheless, adaptations of rock and pop songs by jazz players continued, if at a lower rate than in jazz's first few decades. One jazz player who has taken the plunge to jazzify some recent pop music is vocalist/bassist Kristin Korb. In late 2024, Korb released Sweet Dreams (Giant Sheep Music, 2024), an album of all Eurythmics tunes.

For those who recall the band as a '80s hit machine awash in synthesizers, power chords and slick production, the choice of covering this band's music in a jazz context might seem unlikely, or at least challenging with the potential of a problematic result. However, closer consideration of the Eurythmics' music reveals some hints that there might be a bit of grit and substance beneath those highly polished MTV videos. For instance, there was that six-piece horn section (at least on the video) and the soulful trio of backing singers on "Would I Lie To You?" There was Aretha Franklin as a guest vocalist on "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves." There was that bluesy harmonica on "Missionary Man."

Growing up in Billings, Montana, Korb had been a teenage Eurythmics fan. Several decades later, she revisited the band's music with a jazz ear and, as she peeled away the layers of synthesizers and growling guitar chords, she found a bluesy essence that she translated into some innovative jazz.

At The Muse Performance Space, Korb displayed her jazzified Eurythmics material with the help of a couple of local jazz players, Dawn Clement on piano and Jim White on drums. The trio performed 10 of the 12 songs on Sweet Dreams.

Korb emits a comfortable stage presence behind both the microphone and the acoustic bass. Although the trio had not played together before, Clement and White climbed right into the groove and expertly supported Korb throughout the set. She had sent the charts and audio files to them before the performance, so they were fully prepared to execute the jazz version of '80s pop.

A highlight of both the album and the live performance was "Don't Let It Bring You Down," which was a jazz cover of Annie Lennox covering Neil Young. The song lost nothing in the multiple translations and actually gained from its journey. The tune is a minor key exploration of loss and overcoming being dealt a bad hand. The arrangement creates a poignant, bittersweet atmosphere. Musically, it is simply beautiful. The tune allowed Clement to stretch out with a heartfelt, melodic solo befitting the ambiance.

One of the more striking aspects of the Eurythmics was the powerful vocals of Annie Lennox. Covering that band's tunes is bound to draw comparisons between Lennox and any vocalist covering that music. In Korb's case, she has a more delicate approach. An aspect of the Eurythmics' highly produced approach to pop music was that Lennox's voice was often processed, double-tracked, backed by other singers and otherwise part of an electronic swirl. On the other hand, Korb sang with, at most, a touch of reverb, but otherwise au naturel. The result was, not surprisingly, more nuance.

"Would I Lie To You" seemed like it was intended to be a solo piece with Korb accompanying herself on bass. That is how it started, but about halfway through, White began adding some well-placed percussive shots here and there, gradually becoming more active, and by the end, he was in full-on drumming mode, much to Korb's delight. Even with the improvised percussion, this version was quite a contrast to the Eurythmics' hit, which was highly produced and probably included nearly a dozen musicians and ample studio tricks.

"Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves" was a song important to Korb. She explained that it provided a little extra push for her to decide to pursue a career in jazz. Her arrangement borrows from Charles Mingus's introduction to "Haitian Fight Song" to announce the jazz sensibility barging into the bluesy pop of the original.

Krob currently lives in Denmark, having "followed a Viking." She is plugged into the jazz scene there and she recorded Sweet Dreams with an all-Danish band. She has confirmed that the Danish jazz scene is thriving with significant festivals and many great players throughout the country. Denmark has also been a stepping stone for her to perform all over Europe. But she still has some time to come back to her home country for some performances.

Set List

We Two Are One; Don't Let It Bring You Down; There Must Be An Angel; When Tomorrow Comes; Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves; I Saved the World Today; Would I Lie to You?; I've Got a Life; Here Comes That Rain Again; Sweet Dreams; Put a Little Love in Your Heart

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