By Philip Mosberg

No wide-legged stance / No flailing of arms / No straining fermatas /
that plead for applause / No, no, that's not you. / You draw us in with your /
softly sung words that / tip-toe their way to the heart /
and finally comfort there, stay / long after the song is ended /
Oh, subtle chantuese / I cannot deny / how your songs bring a smile /
how your songs bring a sigh / long after the echoes die.

This poem, printed in the album liner notes and written by violinist Johnny Friggo, captures the character of New York based vocalist Martha Lorin. On her debut album,  Come Walk With Me , for local label Southport Records, Lorin manages to capture the lyrical beauty of a phrase or a tune without resorting to overblown histrionics.  Her lush, contralto voice and relaxed phrasing never plead with the listener for attention. Instead, Lorin confidently and sensitively interprets the melody and then steps out of the way, allowing her stellar cast of supporting musicians to shine. In addition to Frigo, Lorin assembled a group that included such Chicago luminaries as guitarists Fareed Haque and Dave Onderdonk, clarinetist William Blount, bassist Larry Grey and the one-and-only, Chicago legend Von Freeman on tenor.

Check out Freeman's laid back phrasing on the standard "On Green Dolphin Street" or Frigo's swinging violin responses on Irving Berlin's "Lets Face the Music and Dance". Vancouver pianist and arranger Miles Black's sparse, sensitive and sometimes funky comping is a highlight throughout the album, especially on the Carole King crossover "You've Got a Friend".  And guitarist Haque shows off his ample chops on the Lorin original "Rain Song".

"Artistic Producer" (?) Lorin and arranger Black do a fabulous job mixing the various timbres of their guests. Blount's clarinet dances with Black's piano on Billy Strayhorn's "Just a Sittin' and a Rockin" while Freeman's sax meets Haque's guitar on the Rogers and Hammerstein ballad "Carefully Taught". Each track brings a new timbral surprise.

Unfortunately, Lorin's no frills vocal style extends to her song choice. In addition to the aforementioned "Rain Song", two other original compositions, the aptly titled "Low Down Blues" and the pop-ish, show tune-ish title cut are surrounded mostly by often heard standards. While you certainly cannot deny the genius of Ellington counterpart Billy Strayhorn or Irving Berlin or Cole Porter, little was done to make these compositions Lorin's own. It's a minor problem, but a voice as relaxed and easy to listen as Lorin's deserves to stand out. Her treatment of King's "You've Got a Friend" and the joyous duet with Joanie Pallatto on Strayhorn's "Just a Sittin' and a Rockin'" are steps in the right direction.
 

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