Joan Crowe, vocals; Tedd Firth, piano; Jay Leonhart, bass; Scott Neuman, drums; George Walker Petit, Guitars; Justin Flynn, saxophone, clarinet; Mike Petit, Hammond organ.
It seems quite amazing that this is Joan Crowe's first CD; she is a performer of great quality. Her background of cabaret singer and actress gives her the ability in song to tell stories matched to perfect timing. The clarity of her voice and clever use of material can be quite entrancing; there is an intimacy to her voice that at times makes you feel she is sitting on your lap; especially through "Fever/Caught a touch of your Love", "The Way You Look Tonight" and "Ich bin von Kopf biss Fuss" and I have no objection with that.
"Boom Boom" is a delightful coloring of words and music and she swings from gentile to bawdy and back again. Every one of the thirteen tracks is worthwhile, Joan wringing changes with style, injecting her own rhythmic interpretations onto each track with vision and a clear delight. The sequence through the little known Beatle's number "I'm Only Sleeping", then onto "Everything", "Me and Mrs Jones" and "Twisted" displays freshness with attitude that captures the imagination.
Joan Crowe is a superb entertainer; she is also stunning to look at and is currently a red head. We need to hear more from her.
by Ferdinand Maylin