Kristin Porter Ruminates By The Light Of The Moon

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If music fans are looking for a singer who has the suave resonance of Dinah Washington and the sensual bowing of Nancy Wilson, they will be pleasantly gratified by Kristin Porter whose self-released debut album By The Light Of The Moon revives nostalgic jazz idioms with a modern glint. The album has a mix of soft swing and bossa nova strands with a Caribbean-reggae lacing entwined harmoniously with Porter’s elastic vocals. She wraps her vocals around the melodies like a chiffon scarf that caresses the body and strokes it lightly with the sensitivity of a gentle lover.

Porter’s rendition of Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen’s perennial minstrel “It Could Happen To You” is an emporium of soft bopping bounces that refresh this classic tune. The bossa nova lighting illuminating Gene DePaul and Sammy Cahn’s number “Teach Me Tonight” has an arousing torchlight glow, and the dancing embers floating across the title track, which was written by Porter, have a classy R&B/soul-bent reminiscent of Gladys Knight. Porter shows a debonair style in her vocals as her singing never loses its poise even along the grassroots reggae grooves of James Moody and Eddie Jefferson’s jumping melody “Moody’s Mood From Love”. Porter turns up the heat with her own track “Never Telling Me You Loved Me” oozing of feminine sweetness in her vocal bends and lounging stretches. The bluesy tones of the piano and saucy saxophone melt into her creamy voicing to form a gorgeous lather in the song.

Kristin Porter’s album is highly recommended for those who seek music with soft aesthetics and a sleek brushing. Her use of soul, swing, bossa nova, reggae, and blues is tailored to her register while giving these musical traits even more depth. Hailing from Springfield, Missouri, Kristin Porter has the makings of someone who is special to the future of modern jazz and soul.