KELLY EISENHOUR; "Now You Know" (Kelly Eisenhour). ***
Local singer Kelly Eisenhour is making a name for herself in the world of jazz. Even though she'd been performing for years in Las Vegas, it wasn't until she moved to Utah about four years ago that her career started to take off.
Some of her recent engagements have included performances with the Boston Pops, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, at last year's New Year's Eve concert and then again joining Lockhart and the Pops on their tour of the Southeast United States last month.
Eisenhour came to Lockhart's attention about 1 1/2 years ago, when he invited her to sing at his first pops concert with the Utah Symphony. She was also featured on the Utah Symphony's TV special, "Salute to the Symphony 2001," which aired two weeks ago. And now, Eisenhour has released her first CD, "Now You Know."
Eisenhour has a distinctive voice that is husky, rich and warm, and she knows how to sell a song. And as this recording attests, she can sing a wide range of music — and can sing it well.
For her debut album, Eisenhour is backed by some top-notch local musicians: Steve Keen (who also arranged the songs) on keyboards; Lars Yorgason on bass; J.V. Collier on electric bass; Jay Lawrence on drums and percussion; and Kenji Aihara on guitar.
Eisenhour writes some of her own material, and the album includes three of her songs: a mellow "Lazy Afternoon," a smooth "The Right Thing" and the upbeat title number, "Now You Know."
Other tracks include a laid-back version of Van Morrison's "Moondance" and swinging renditions of Sammy Cahn's "Day By Day" and "It Had to Be You." There's also a tender, touchingly expressive interpretation of Rodgers and Hart's "My Funny Valentine."
However, one of the best cuts on the album is Eisenhour's mellow performance of Gershwin's "Love is Here to Stay." Eisenhour brings out the suppleness of the melody and adds just the right amount of sensuality to this delightful song.
"Now You Know" is available through Eisenhour's Web site atwww.keisenhour.com.
E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com