Podcast 947: A Conversation with Ann Hampton Callaway

Straight No Chaser - A Jazz Show

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We’ll kick things off with my conversation with singer/songwriter/arranger Ann Hampton Callaway. Ann has a new album out on Palmetto Records, and it’s her tribute to one of her earliest music heroes, Peggy Lee.

The recording come on the heels of Callaway’s show, Fever: The Peggy Lee Century, a 100th birthday celebration of the singer at the New York City supper club 54 Below for which she just received a BroadwayWorld nomination for Best Celebrity Show. The album, Fever: A Peggy Lee Celebration! features the vocal strength we’ve come to expect from Ms. Callaway.

She has assembled a crack band to support her interpretations of Lee tunes, led by long-time collaborators Ted Rosenthal at the piano and Martin Wind on bass. Tim Horner is on drums, and guest guitarists Bob Mann and John Pizzarelli add some extra pizzazz.

Ms. Callaway has wisely focused on Miss Lee’s compositions rather than the tunes she covered. The author of over 270 songs in her lifetime, Ann calls her “the first singer-songwriter” in our conversation. In addition to the nine tunes Peggy wrote or co-wrote, Ann shines on the singer’s signature material, like “Fever” and “Black Coffee.” Of special interest is “Claire de Lune”, with music and arrangement by Ann andwords by Peggy Lee from an unpublished poem.

Podcast 947 is my conversation with Ann Hampton Callaway, as we discuss Peggy Lee, Ann’s recent explorations of the Linda Ronstadt Songbook, and some exciting future projects she has coming our way. Musical highlights include “Claire de Lune” and a medley of “This Is a Very Special Day /It's a Good Day.”