Carolyn Leonhart

Carolyn Leonhart - Steal The Moon - 2000 - Sunnyside

Carolyn Leonhart is a jazz singer with one foot firmly planted in the rock/pop universe. She is the daughter of veteran bassist Jay Leonhart, so her jazz sensibilities flow from her upbringing. Yet she gained wide exposure during the '90s as a backup vocalist for the reunited Steely Dan. Her jazz style is tinged with the edginess of a soul or R&B singer. Her first U.S. album, an inspired collaboration with pianist/songwriter Rob Bargad titled Steal the Moon, was released in 2000. © David R. Adler © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/carolyn-leonhart-p290354

Carolyn Leonhart sits astride the jazz and pop worlds, allowing both to inform her singing and repertoire. The daughter of bassist Jay Leonhart and a backup singer for the reunited Steely Dan, Leonhart inflects her jazz singing with an unmistakable dose of soul and R&B, not unlike Chaka Khan or even Rickie Lee Jones. Pianist Rob Bargad is Leonhart's main collaborator on this album, contributing five compositions, including the lush ballad "Yesterday's a Dream" and a borderline-corny but charming vocal duo with Leonhart on "Steal the Moon," a good candidate for radio play. Leonhart even hands two tracks over entirely to Bargad: the Vince Guaraldi-like piano trio feature "Juju Knows" and a bluesy, smart-alecky vocal tribute to a child titled "Little Man." Leonhart is bright-toned and sultry on the standards "Nature Boy," "I've Grown Accustomed to His (Her) Face," and "Moonglow," the last an oh-so-hip duo between her and father Jay Leonhart on the bass. She struts her stuff sassily on "Sunday Kind of Love," Bargad's "All Because of You," and Mose Allison's "It Didn't Turn Out That Way." Bargad's solid post-bop piano work anchors every track. Jimmy Cobb and Billy Drummond share drumming duties, Daniel Sadownick weighs in with perfect percussion flourishes, and David Gilmore guests on acoustic guitar for the title track. As might be expected from a singer with such diverse influences, Leonhart walks a fine line between telling a coherent story and presenting a musical patchwork. But her voice is polished and distinctive, and her band cooks, which invariably makes Steal the Moon a fun listen. © David R. Adler © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/steal-the-moon-r480307/review

Bob Blumenthal (2000 Grammy Award Winner) said that, "For a young singer who was literally born into the jazz scene, Carolyn Leonhart has an uncommonly diverse resume and a surprising range of options. American audiences are getting to know her as one of the backup singers for Steely Dan, a position she has occupied since the Becker/Fagan combine reunited in 1996. (She's the female in the middle on the group's recent PBS special, and she's looking forward to the band's Summer 2000 tour as these notes are written.) Carolyn Leonhart gives us Steal The Moon, a program notable both for its manner and matter. We get to hear her and an exceptional rhythm section bring four quality standards and a choice Mose Allison tune to life, and we also get introduced to a like number of songs by pianist, composer/lyricist and vocalist Rob Bargad. Leonhart and Bargad have created an album with all of the charge and feeling, and far more originality, than we have come to expect from young singers. It offers the promise of more great music from both, although Leonhart hastens to point out that she considers herself a work in progress. "My stuff is developing," she insists, "and I'm hearing different things now. People warn me that I'll have to choose an identity, but why? I love jazz and more pop-related material, and I want to sing both." Someone with Carolyn Leonhart's talent and intelligence can surely pursue more than one path, and will no doubt go her own way. Based on the music she creates here, those of us who treasure truly creative singing, whatever the marketing forces in the music industry choose to call it, will be following her progress for a long time." The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. There's a good review of this album @ http://www.epinions.com/review/_2005389501/content_11567140484 For more Carolyn Leonhart, listen to her "If Dreams Come True" and "Autumn In New York" albums, and Steely Dan's "Everything Must Go" album. Carolyn was also a guest vocalist on the Swiss Percussion Group, Lyn Leon's "Glass Lounge" album. Try and hear that album, which uses glass instrumentation as a backing to the songs. Highly unusual, but sounds wonderful

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

It Din't Turn Out That Way - M.Allison
Nature Boy - E. Ahbez / J. Durgom
A Sunday Kind Of Love - Barbara Belle / Anita Leonard / Louis Prima / Stan Rhodes
Juju Knows - Rob Bargad
All Because Of You - Rob Bargad
Steal The Moon - Rob Bargad
I`ve Grown Accustomed To His Face - Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
Little Man - Rob Bargad
Yesterday`s A Dream - Rob Bargad
Moonglow - Eddie DeLange / Will Hudson / Irving Mills

MUSICIANS

Carolyn Leonhart (vocals)
David Gilmore (acoustic guitar)
Jay Leonhart (bass)
Rob Bargad (piano, background vocals)
Jimmy Cobb, Billy Drummond (drums)
Daniel Sadownick (percussion)