Search - Connie Evingson :: Fever: A Tribute to Peggy Lee

Good Singing Is Always a Pleasure

David Nathan | New Bern, NC USA | 07/26/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's a daunting task to record a tribute album to someone the stature of a Peggy Lee, if for no other reason than every song will be compared to the original. Nonetheless, Minneapolis-based Connie Evingson pulls off this difficult task, and does it with grace and aplomb. This should be no surprise given Evingon's enormous talent. While she uses similar arrangements, she doesn't try to sound like Lee. Her voice is deep and sultry like Lee's, but it's also somewhat lighter. To her credit, Evingson's tribute is not only to songs that Lee sang, but to also to those Lee wrote, reminding us that the multitalented Ms. Lee was also a composer of note. This is good stuff and should be on the shelf of everyone who enjoys and appreciates the vocal art."

A Well-Crafted Tribute

Jazz fan from New Jersey | Montclair, NJ USA | 07/27/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Connie Evingson's cd, Fever, is truly a tribute to Peggy Lee that foregoes the notion of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. While not straying far from the jazz style used by Ms. Lee, Ms. Evingson puts her own stamp on these classic tunes, singing them with the high level of craftsmanship they deserve. Evingson does an excellent job in enunciating the lyric and bringing across the mood of the song whether it be soulful, sultry, or sunny. Her musicians provide excellent backing, in particular Dave Karr on the reeds."

Connie delivers...

Mark Savary | Seattle, WA | 09/22/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Connie offers up a good selection of Peggy Lee songs on this tribute album, and puts her own spin on the songs without being disrespectful to the image or style of Lee. In short, that is what a tribute album should be all about, and Connie delivers in spades."Some Cats Know" is the title track of another Connie Evingson album, and again here she offers up the tune in a slow and sizzling (and sexy), way. "I'm Gonna Go Fishin'" is done in a more sprightly, but no less smoky way. "I Don't Know Enough About You" is again, typical of Connie's style."He's A Tramp" and "Fever" are of course Peggy Lee standards. She owned these songs in a way few artists can ever hope to own a song as their signature tune. Dino had "Return to Me", for example, and it just sounds wrong coming from someone else. Connie does quite well on both tunes here, again, putting her own spin on the Lee classics while not straying too far from the sound Lee fans remember.The only poor choice here would have to be "Is That All There Is?" Peggy Lee could make it work perfectly. I've never really cared for the song anyway, but Connie is too young, and perhaps even too innocent, to pull off the world-weary sound required for this song. Other than that, the CD is rich with Connie's wonderful vocals, and the accompaniment is great. Don't listen to the naysayers. Try this one out."