April Aloisio & Joanie Pallatto - April & Joanie Sing!

(Southport, 2024)

Despite what one might think, Aloisio & Pallatto is not a law firm in Little Italy. No, April Aloisio and Joanie Pallatto are two Midwestern gals who sing, and have done so for 40 years. April & Joanie Sing! documents the pair’s friendship in duets from 1986 to 2024. Aloisio, a soprano and Pallatto, an alto, blend into a solid sonic force capable of great tenderness or profound momentum. The pair bookend the release with the two most recent pieces, the Woodstock era “I Feel Free” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” both harmonically propelled by guitarist Fareed Haque. These songs reveal the pair in full bloom. The in-between comprises a decidedly Brazilian flavor. “Samba Do Soho,” “True,” “Ain’t Necessarily So,” and Michael Franks’ “Antonio’s Song” all express a muted and piquant mood well suited to the singers.

In the center of the release is “The Sparrow Suite” derived from Tomas de Utrera’s original flamenco song, “Little Sparrow.” Aloisio and Pallatto create a vocal Flamenco duet ranging from the traditional to free jazz. The veritable treasure is Frank Foster’s “Simone” with lyrics provided by Pallatto and shared with the late Bob Dorough, who also plays piano. Despite its understated nature, this song exudes a hip vibe. “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” is quite the break from the humid southern climes, offering the preceding collection tied with a bow. It is obvious the two singers are close friends and had great fun making the music on this recording.