Footprints

1	Something Worth Waiting For (Con Alma) 3:34
2	All You Need to Say (Never Say Yes) 4:22
3	Lightining (Lazy Bird) 2:58
4	A Long Way to Go (Equinox) 4:39
5	Strollin' 4:43
6	I Found the Turnaround (The Turnaround) 4:03
7	Follow the Footprints (Footprints) 4:07
8	Life Is a Groove (Jordu) 4:14
9	A Tree and Me 3:09
10	I Can't Say (Teaneck) 3:44
11	But I Was Cool 4:06
12	Give Me a Break (Unit 7) 3:48
13	Everybody's Boppin' 3:35

Barnes & Noble

Karrin Allyson gives the concept album a good name. This superb jazz singer has applied structural formats behind some of her most entertaining albums, including the recent Wild for You which reimagined pop songs of the '70s, as well as Ballads, which found Allyson interpreting the songs that John Coltrane originally recorded on his own Ballads album. Footprints follows in that big-idea tradition, and, not surprisingly, it's another winner. Here, classic jazz tunes are refitted with lyrics for this enterprising vocalist to sing. In the process, such gems as Wayne Shorter's "Footprints," Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma," Coltrane's "Lazy Bird," and Duke Jordan's "Jordu" are transformed into dazzling vocal features that exhibit Allyson's special stylistic gifts. Allyson is also secure enough to share the spotlight to with other first-rate jazz singers: the legendary Jon Hendricks and the under-recognized Nancy King. Where other singers -- of both sexes --seem to be merely taking on the affects of jazz, Allyson proves, with projects such as this, that she's the real thing, a true jazz singer. Steve Futterman

All Music Guide

Vocalist Karrin Allyson has been making waves on the mainstream jazz scene since the '90s, which leaves fans eagerly awaiting new collections like Footprints. While the album features a number of things that fans have come to expect -- good songs, scat singing, and fine vocals -- Footprints also adds a number of guest spots to sweeten the package. Most notably, Allyson is joined by vocalists Nancy King and Jon Hendricks for duets on about half of the songs, and on "Everybody's Boppin'," all three join in the fun. Allyson and King's vocals styles intertwine easily on "All You Need to Say (Never Say Yes)," one of the high points of the album. They also turn in a fine, relaxed take on John Coltrane and Chris Caswell's "A Long Way to Go (Equinox)." Allyson's lighter tone also reflects well with Hendricks' deeper, granular approach on "Strollin'." All three really cut loose on "Everybody's Boppin'," an upbeat bit of nonsense that had to be difficult to record no matter how much fun it sounds. Footprints only downside is that the set list and approach, while always tasteful, is too evenly paced and tame; at times, it follows its mainstream jazz predecessors too closely. Fans who have enjoyed Allyson's early work, however, will embrace the album warmly. Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.