Pamela Hart: May I Come In?

The founder of the well-respected Austin, TX Women in Jazz Concert Series, Pamela Hart, finally made her own CD in 1998 which won her Austin's Jazz Vocalist of the year award. This initial go around is a combination of evergreens, original material but mostly soft, light soul/R&B by such local contemporary writers as James Polk and Rich Harney. Hart is a versatile, hard working singer, at home with such pop tunes as "I Want You to Be My Man", which features considerable replication of her voice of through over dubbing, the almost spiritual keyboards of co-composer Thomas Hughes and the toe-tapping back beat of Brannen Temple. "Second Time Around" and "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life" show jazz roots that clearly have been shaped by the likes of Sarah Vaughan and especially Nancy Wilson. Regrettably, the former tune is marred by the cloying soprano sax of John Mills which just barely stays in pitch. Hart is also pretty handy with Latin rhythms as on "Though I'm Alone" where, in contrast to "Second Time Around", John Mills serves her well with his swinging, lighthearted flute.

Hart gives us the full plate of what she can do in a variety of genre with her very pleasant, flexible, but not spectacular voice. Learn more about Hart at www.hartbeat.net/welcome.htm and the very ambitious Austin Women in Jazz series at www.musicaustin.com/jazz/wij.html .

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