The Berlin Susannah (Music Review: Susannah McCorkle, Adeus - The Berlin Concert)

Sussanah McCorkle passed away in 2001, leavign behind a great discography. But apparently, there's more , as evidenced by "Adeus, The Berlin Concert" which was a limited release in Europe. The live album stems from set set at Club Quasimodo in Berlin in April 16. 1996, which in my opinion, represents McCorkle at her peak. She has always straddled between cabaret and jazz, combining intimate lyric interpretation in a jazz setting. She is a song stylist (listen to her dramatic interpretation of 'That Old Feeling' here) while she swings like a chandelier on "Swing That Bass."  At times, Billie Holiday's influence rears a bit too much, but that couldn't be the worst thing in the world, could it? This is a great recording, it sounds kind of old fashioned - there's a warmth to it that you don't hear anymore in today's music, and you cannot the beat the repertoire: apparently it represents songs from her albums at that point. I sometimes get jaded with some of these sings, as I have heard some over and over, but when a good singer, like McCorkle, sings, I pay attention. I found myself sitting at attention with "I Thought About You," a song she sings perfectly. She was gone too soon, of course, but thankfully recordings like this will always keep her alive.