As a precocious, music-loving kid growing up in Arkansas, Jonathan Karrant caught the performing bug early. At the age of 7, he belted out “Stormy Monday” in front of what must have been a bemused nightclub audience. So it’s unsurprising that Karrant would make a career out of injecting jazz and pop standards with fresh energy, as he’s done on several recordings and countless stages. What may have been equally or more meaningful to the singer than the accolades he’s accrued was presenting Diane Schuur with the proclamation of Diane Schuur Day in Palm Springs, California. Karrant had been a fan of the pianist and vocalist since childhood, and she’s become a friend and mentor.
On his latest release, Full Circle: To Diane Schuur With Love, Jonathan Karrant, the protégé honors the master by interpreting tunes from her songbook and featuring her on a couple of tracks, including a swinging duet on “Caught a Touch of Your Love.” Schuur, who had previously recorded the number with the Count Basie Orchestra, trades verses with Karrant, whose silky, neo-cool approach provides a contrast to her horn-like delivery. A deft combo sets a retro-hip vibe, with pianist and musical director Tamir Hendelman supplying the arrangement. Guitarist Graham Dechter’s slinky single-string runs exude the bluesy warmth of B.B. King (who had recorded the song with Grover Washington Jr.), while saxophonist Ricky Woodard brings sophisticated brio to his solo and conversation with Kye Palmer’s trumpet. Schuur, who has more or less retired, sounds terrific, her performance at once adroit and playful, particularly at song’s end when she unleashes a thrilling scat coda followed by a whoop of joy. The album concludes with Schuur’s deeply moving read of “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Accompanied solely by Hendelman, the performance is guaranteed to put a lump in the throat of anyone who’s marveled at Schuur’s singular talents over the decades.
