Katie King – vocals
Bill Anschell – piano
Craig Flory saxophone, bass clarinet, flute
Jeff Johnson – bass
D’vonne Lewis – drums

Titles – Harry’s Fight, Across the Universe, All or Nothing at All, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Last Night, Do I Move You?, Alone Together,Come Together, Wayfaring Stranger, Throw It Away, And Now, The Inch Worm, Here Comes the Sun  Review by Ric Bang, The Davis Enterprise

To paraphrase a line from the film, “Jerry Maguire,” vocalist Katie King “had me at (her musical) ‘hello’ ” on this album. This lady is, without a doubt, the finest singer I’ve heard in years. She can handle any style, and her unique approach makes each style her own. Her voice is marvelous and her phrasing impeccable, and she hits every note dead-on. There’s no “hunting,” yet she can “bend” her voice for effect as necessary.If her singing weren’t enough, King is backed by as tasty and swinging a quartet as you’ll ever hear: Bill Anschell on piano; Jeff Johnson on Bass; Craig Flory on sax, bass clarinet and flute; and D’Vonne Lewis on drums.

“One for My Baby” 

All too often, talented singers have been sabotaged by clueless A&R people — if the singer isn’t saddled with incompetent musicians, he or she is given inappropriate songs to work with.

But One for My Baby is just the opposite; in fact, this CD is an example of intelligent, thoughtful A&R and the right decisions being made.

Katie King is accompanied by competent Seattle jazzmen, and all of the songs chosen are appropriate for her. One of King’s strong points is sassy, playful blues, and Z.Z. Hill’s “Steppin’ Out‘,” Bessie Smith’s “Good O’ Wagon” and Louis Jordan’s “Early in the Morning” are perfect choices.

Another major asset is King’s sultry, bluesy way with ballads and torch songs, and she couldn’t have had more appropriate vehicles than “Everything Happens to Me” and “One for My Baby.”

Finally, there’s King’s need for the occasional fast-tempo bop swinger, and “Love Come Back to Me” and “I’m Old Fashioned“ fill that need nicely. Because the right decisions were made, One for My Baby paints an appealing and cohesive picture of King’s talents.

Titles –  There’ll Be Some Changes Made, Love Come Back to Me, Don’t Worry ’bout Me, Early in the Morning, If I Had You, What A Wonderful World, I’m Old Fashioned, Steppin’ Out, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Everything Happens to Me, Clear Out Of This World, Good O’ Wagon, One for My Baby, Blue Prelude   Review by Alex Henderson

“Driving Home to You”

Tasty original adult contemporary songs for today, passionately sung with a pinch of blues, jazz, retro pop.

Frank Seeberger – guitar
Eric Verlinde – piano, Chris Symer – bass
Reade Whitwell – drums
Jeff Busch – percussion 

1. Change the World, 2. Finders Keepers 3. Feed the Children 4. Pages of Time 5. Bones 6. Scars 7. And So It Is 8. Driving Home to You 9. Just Be 10. All Because of You 11. Got a Feeling

“Jazz Figures”

Good jazz singers take risks and few are more riskier than putting lyrics to and vocalizing classic bop tunes. This tricky task is what Katie King and her musical cohorts have successfully accomplished on Jazz Figures.Most of the music was composed by Wayne Shorter.  

King’s style is characterized with subtlety and grace. “Timeless Moments (Nefertiti)” is languidly delivered creating a picture of an attractive woman lounging in a diaphanous gown, drinking Southern Comfort and reminiscing of past good times that are not likely to pass this way again. Talented multi-instrumentalist Jay Thomas, as he has done on other of her albums, provides the perfect foil for King. Listen to his soprano, appropriately, on “I Need Rest (Impressions)” built on John Coltrane’s “Impressions” and his shimmering Miles Davis muted trumpet on “Follow the Footsteps.”

The work of Thomas and King alone are reason enough to justify this recording. The rhythm section of Seattle- based musicians Bob Nixon, Jeff Johnson and Steven Bentley are very supportive. Nixon’s pianistic talent is featured throughout, but especially on “All the Notes Are Blue.

Titles – Tell Me Yes or No, Follow the Footsteps (Footprints). All the Notes Are Blue (Blue in Green), I Need Rest (Impressions), I’m in Fall. Timeless Moments (Nefertiti), The Prince (Prince of Darkness), Time Remembered, All the Notes Are Blue
Review by Dave Nathan

“Mostly Ballads”

Katie King made her recording debut with Mostly Ballads, which showed her to be an expressive jazz singer with a sultry, bluesy delivery. As its title suggests, this CD emphasizes ballads but doesn’t exclude comfortable medium tempos.

The Seattle-based vocalist was going for a dusky, torchy jazz-noir ambiance, and the well known standards she chooses (which include “You’re My Thrill,” “How Deep Is the Ocean,” “Don’t Explain” and “Baltimore Oriole“) were quite appropriate for the mood of the session. “If I Should Lose You” is given a likable Afro-Cuban makeover, and equally appealing is King’s sparse version of Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro Blue.” A satisfying… debut, Mostly Ballads indicated that King was an artist to keep an eye on.

Titles –Some Other Spring, If I Should Lose You. Afro Blue, You’re My Thrill, Baltimore Oriole, Don’t Explain, You’re Mine You, I’m All Smiles, My Silent Love. How Deep Is the Ocean. Review by Dave Nathan