(June 29, 2018) It was probably in the first year or so of SoulTracks that I discovered the music of Alison Crockett. A talented singer, she was perhaps most notable as an artist who didn’t record just to record. She always seemed to record when it was time for her to say something.
We last heard Alison with her strong 2012 album Mommy, What’s A Depression, and so we perked up when she recently decided to take on a classic song that has been performed in multiple languages by a who’s who of artists over the years. ”O Cantador” has been interpreted in different ways, but Alison gives it a gentle reading, with piano, bass and drum softly accompanying her fragile lead vocals.
Why did she decide to cover “O Cantador”? She tells us, “I went to Brazil and started performing with these wonderful musicians Felipie Silviera, Thiago Alves, and Vincento Paulinho. During a rehearsal I decided to do the beautiful O Cantador by Dori Caymmi. I thought that since I have been singing jazz for a long time I would know how to sing this song and I could do whatever I wanted. When I started, I was told, ‘No, no, no Al-ee-sohn. Do not do it this way…’ The entire band started to sing a section of the song over and over again for about 20 minutes as I soaked in the vibe and luscious groove of the song. I learned the ‘correct’ way to sing this beautiful melody from the people who really knew how it was supposed to go. It’s the way I sing it now.”
Well, the result of her education is pretty breathtaking. Enjoy “O Cantador.”
By Chris Rizik
Alison Crockett – “O Cantador”
