Karin Krog – Gershwin With Karin Krog (Signed)

Super Rare Signed Original Norwegian Pressing.

The overused term, especially by critics, “Artist Deserving Wider Recognition,” had to have been invented with Karin Krog in mind. Although awarded Downbeat’s New Star award in 1969, Krog has never achieved the acclaim her unique vocal talents clearly deserve — at least not in the U.S. Choosing to do most of her work across the ocean, she has been one of Europe’s best vocalists since making her first recording in 1963. This album combines songs from three sessions, all recorded in her native Oslo, Norway. Tracks two, three, four, five, six and eight were recorded in December of 1973; tracks one, three and nine in June of 1974. Both of these sessions were for the Polydor label. Tracks ten through twelve, cut 15 years later in 1989, were added for this release by Meantime, which issued this album absent any liner notes. Surprisingly, Krog’s voice didn’t age a bit over this period of time. What changed was her delivery. If vocal jazz had a rating system like the movies, the first nine tracks of this album would be rated “R”. Krog’s voice is enticing, sensuous, and sultry. Listen to the verse of “Who Cares?,” where the smoky delivery is magnified by the interplay between Krog and Jon Christensen‘s brushes. On “They All Laughed,” when she sings “I know how Columbus felt,” you feel that she really knows. On “There’s a Boat Leaving for New York,” she’s Siren casting a trance upon the over-matched Porgy. Occasionally the words get lost, as in “My Man’s Gone Now.” But the diction bounces back nice and clear on “Nice Work If You Can Get It.” The last three tracks accentuate diction and phrasing with less emphasis on torridness, earning a PG-13 rating. Excellent work by Bjarne Nerem‘s tenor sax on this album, reflecting Stan Getz‘s influence on veteran Scandinavian horn players. Egil Kapstad has appeared with Krog on many occasions and their interaction shows it. Arild Andersen‘s bass is subtle throughout, as are the drums of Jon Christensen, which never intrude. Krog’s long absences from the U.S. are our loss and Europe’s gain.