September 1997

Kellye Grey
Tomato Kiss
Proteus

By Geraldine Wyckoff

Kellye Gray goes for it on the opener "Billie's Bounce"-part scatting, part mimicking instruments. It catches one's attention and we are ready to listen on. Her throaty "Speak Low" stays on the mark, and backed by a sympathetic band, particularly pianist Dave Catney, she displays her range, moving from the cellar to the clouds within one short lyric and even within one word. Gray has a tendency to over-dramatize on occasion, moving her from a jazz stage to, perhaps, a Broadway proscenium. She works better when she depends upon her talent as heard on "A House Is Not a Home."