JAZZ REVIEW : Carroll Rich in Harmony at the Bakery

Barbara Carroll, the pianist who regularly plays at the posh Hotel Carlyle in New York, stopped over in town long enough to play a one-night stand Sunday at the Jazz Bakery.

Carroll’s career has taken her from an early stage as a boppish jazz soloist to a more conservative, less swinging manner well suited to her East Side audiences. Opening with a two-part tribute to Dave Brubeck (“In Your Own Sweet Way,” “The Duke”), she offered homages to Dizzy Gillespie with “Woody ‘n’ You” and Audrey Hepburn with “Moon River.”

On the ballads her harmonically rich concepts compensated for a lack of consistency in her rhythmic approach. There were occasional surprises, such as the use of a 5/4 passage in “Here’s That Rainy Day,” and one charming Carroll original, “Too Soon,” dedicated to Bill Evans. Also included was Evans’ own “Very Early.”

As a singer, Carroll sounds as if somewhere along the way she was advised that this could add a needed dimension to her act. For a couple of numbers her simple, vibratoless style is pleasant, but half a dozen exceeds the desirable quota. Her choice of songs, however, was admirable: “Nobody Else But Me,” “I Wonder What Became of Me.”

As was noted during her previous local visit, Carroll would benefit from the use of a bass player to supply a firm pulse. Nevertheless, her instrumental performances maintained the level of gentle good taste for which she has always been admired.