Calling In The Wings jazz does a mild disservice to the scope of Herron's interests. She's obviously interested in traditional popular song, operatic and music theater vocals, folk, and blues, in addition to jazz music. Songs like "J'Attends" and "Dans Le Vide De La Nuit" even recall a talent like Edith Piaf, although the scoring is decidedly more modern. Many local artists are content to replay the classics, but Maggie Herron shows her talent for original compositions on In The Wings. Only one song out of 10 on the CD is a cover, and Herron's choice to include Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock" places her both generationally and artistically as a vocalist. While Herron is no Joni Mitchell, she is a solid singer, delivering on almost all fronts. You can quibble with her range at times, especially as it becomes stretched a bit thin on soprano passages in songs like "J'Attends." Listening to Herron dig into a traditional blues form on "I'm The Answer" shows the opposite end of her range, which she manages quite well. Her keyboard skills round out the package, and most musicians will admit that finding a singer capable of...well, singing, is 80% of the battle in jazz. The fact that Maggie Herron also composes and plays piano well is impressive. For a glimpse of her piano technique, skip ahead to the instrumental "Up Early" or passages on the album's title track.
Surrounding Herron is a solid five-piece band with two horns and rhythm section. Also local players we assume, they cook nicely behind Herron and follow her on the flights of fancy that depart from traditional jazz. Paul Lindbergh doubles on sax and flute while Eldred Ahlo picks up flugel in addition to trumpet. It's not an ensemble that breaks any musical ground, but you'd count yourself lucky to be in a club listening to a local band of this caliber. In The Wings is a nice achievement for an artist that deserves wider recognition, and while you won't recognize the tunes by title, you may find at least one of their melodies stuck in your head after spinning the CD a few times. Amateur it may be, but Maggie Herron: In The Wings proves that most amateur jazz is still stronger juice than amateur music of almost any other form.
