Mercy Streets

On Mercy Streets, vocalist Kate McGarry seamlessly combines music from many disparate sources into a cohesive, emotional experience. “Mercy Street,” written by Peter Gabriel, is a solid display of her folk-pop sensibilities in an arrangement that clearly sets her version apart from the river of reworked pop hit arrangements. McGarry’s vocal style is soft, subtle, and sensitive, and provides a welcomed textural contrast and stylistic variety to “State of Emergency” and “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets.” This is not a typical folk-jazz offering. With contributions from pianist and labelmate Fred Hersch on two tracks, the music is sometimes carefully deconstructed and put back together, now including elements of jazz and versatile drums and percussion from Kenny Wollesen. Overall, Kate McGarry has amazing articulation and offers an effective set that bridges the sonic chasm between folk-pop and jazz. – Paula Edelstein