McGarry: ‘Too Marvelous’ for Words

As the trend in jazz singing heads toward strength and showy stylism, vocalist Kate McGarry succeeds with quiet charm and a certain vulnerability. During her opening-night performance Monday at Twin Palms, the halo-toned singer was able to bring angelic touches even to the song “Devil May Care.”

McGarry has several things going for her, not the least of which is her tone, a blend of sweetness and shadow that comes from a reserved, confident instrument that’s always perfectly pitched. This airy, sometimes glistening sound was paced with an intriguing sense of phrasing. Even the most-familiar standards were delivered in surprising yet beautifully accessible rhythms.

McGarry also has impeccable taste, both in material and musicians. Here, her crew--pianist Karen Hammack, bassist Trey Henry and drummer Paul Kreibich--performed a somewhat eclectic program that stretched from Mercer to Monk, from Brazilian composer Djavan’s “Fleur de Lis” to Rodgers and Hart’s “Dancing on the Ceiling.”

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No matter the material, McGarry displayed a singular voice and playful way of phrasing. More difficult tunes, including “Monk’s Dream,” were characterized by her pinpoint placement, often coming in counterpoint to the rhythm section. On ballads, she sang with the accompanying flow, sometimes echoing the piano, sometimes encouraging the piano to echo her.

Hammack’s play fit well into McGarry’s style with equally reserved accompaniment and solos that developed from simple beginnings to more harmonically complex statements. Bassist Henry added double-stop accents at the end of McGarry’s phrasing and improvised with an easy-to-follow lyricism. On one ballad, his melodic play was strong enough to support her lead without piano or drums.

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Drummer Kreibich seemed the most attuned to the singer. With Hammack and Henry on the sidelines, Kreibich supported McGarry during “Dancing on the Ceiling” with only his brushes, establishing rhythmic patterns that brought an intense focus to her pitch and note placement.

His lively, shuffling bossa-nova beat powered Jobim’s “No More Blues,” and he accented the quirky tempo of “Monk’s Dream” with snare rolls that came at well-spaced intervals.

While McGarry’s mellow tones are perfectly suited for ballads and mid-tempo love songs, she also has an apparent inner strength that gives upbeat numbers conviction. This was obvious as she moved confidently through an up-tempo version of “Too Marvelous.” Even as she climbs into her voice’s upper range, she never becomes harsh or too loud.

McGarry, who performs infrequently in Southern California, is truly deserving of wider attention, and her four-night run here, despite the TP’s questionable acoustics and chatty atmosphere, is one that shouldn’t be missed. Come early get a table up by the bandstand and request “East of the Sun, West of the Moon.” She’ll take you there.

* Kate McGarry performs tonight and Thursday at Twin Palms, 630 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. 7-10 p.m. No cover. (714) 721-8288.