Anne Burnell: This Could Be The Start of Something Big

This could be the Start of Something is a pleasant recording. It is a joint work by a pair of well-known Chicago cabaret singers, Anne Burnell and Mark Burnell. They are hardly novices, so the production is professional in every way. They are willing to take some risks as well. They handle "Joy Spring," a version of which was wonderfully done by The Manhattan Transfer with Dizzy Gillespie on Vocalese (Atlantic Records, 1985). Experienced singers will know the Transfer's version, which makes comparisons inevitable. On "Sir Duke," as close to a canonical jazz-rock tune as you can find, Anne and Mark Burnell put put their own stamp on things, which is quite distinctive. Is there any enterprising singer who will not take a crack at Steve Allen's symbolic "The Could Be The Start of Something " (1958) a tune that has launched a lot of illustrious careers from South Philly, then West? And they finish with the true road musician's anthem, Dave Frishberg's ironic "Let's Eat Home" (1990).

Throughout, Jim Widlowski, Pat Mallinger and Fareed Haque offer plenty of support and provide enough melodic variation to keep things interesting, as do a couple of Burnell originals, such as "Give Me One More Song" and "Two."

The music is relaxed and generally upbeat. Anne and Mark Burnell convey an infectious enthusiasm throughout, so whatever one's taste in vocal music, this recording is an appropriate choice.

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