New Face: Jazz Singer Jackie Allen

 

By Doug Levine

Jackie Allen was born to sing. While she was growing up in Wisconsin, her father played Dixieland jazz on the tuba, Jackie sang and played the French horn. There may have been an Allen family band had Jackie not left home to study jazz and voice at the University of Wisconsin. She formed her first group in the mid-1980s, before moving to Chicago and becoming one of that city's busiest nightclub performers.
Now, with the release of her latest album, Love Is Blue, Jackie Allen proves that she's also one of today's most distinctive¹ recording² artists.
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They are not the usual jazz standards that you might hear on a vocal³ album with "love" in the title. But rest assured, these are songs that are just as poignant⁴ when dealing⁵ with matters of the heart.
Embracing all that romance has to offer and accepting of love's ups and downs, Jackie Allen is low-key on "Lazy Afternoon." But, as easy as she makes it sound on a song about two people just wanting to be alone, she delves⁶ into deeper and darker emotional depths on the title track, "Love Is Blue."
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Remember riding in an elevator or sitting in a dentist's office and hearing Paul Mauriat's feathery instrumental, "Love Is Blue," Jackie says she remembers hearing it years ago, but never knew there were lyrics⁷ until she found the original version in French. On stage, she plans to sing "Love Is Blue" in both French and English.
On "The Performer," Jackie decides it's probably "better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."
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With a jazz style that draws directly from her pop and folk influences, Jackie is being compared to Cassandra Wilson and Diana Krall. Of course, entering the fiercely competitive vocal arena⁸ is always going to be dotted with dangerous curves. Comparisons aside, Jackie Allen is doing just fine. Fans will find her lyrics refreshing⁹, her vocals¹⁰ accessible, and her material intriguing¹¹.
Only time will tell if there's a new jazz star among us.
I am Doug Levine.
注释：
Wisconsin 威斯康星州
tuba 大号
distinctive 与众不同的，有特色的
poignant 令人痛苦的，尖锐的
lyric 歌词
arena 竞技场，舞台
intriguing 迷人的，有魅力的

1 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

2 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

3 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

4 poignant   

adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的

参考例句：

• His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
• It is especially poignant that he died on the day before his wedding.他在婚礼前一天去世了，这尤其令人悲恸。

5 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

6 delves   

v.深入探究，钻研( delve的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• That delves the grave duly. 误不了你的洞房。 来自互联网
• The exhibition delves deep into the physics, aromatics and even the timbre of flatulence. 此次展览向人们介绍了人体物理、气味甚至肠胃胀气的声音等各方面知识。 来自互联网

7 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。

8 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

9 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

10 vocals   

（乐曲中的）歌唱部份，声乐部份( vocal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Also look out for soaring vocals on The Right Man. 另外，也可留意一下《意中人》中的那高亢的唱腔。
• Lazy bass line, lazier drums, lush violins, great piano and incomparable vocals. 懒惰的低音线，较懒惰的鼓，饮小提琴，棒的钢琴和无比的声音。

11 intriguing   

adj.有趣的；迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词)；激起…的好奇心

参考例句：

• These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
• It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》