Mad Love, Ish Review

Mad Love, it might just be the reaction you feel after listening to their album titled ISH. Led by vocalist and keyboard player Kathleen Hollingsworth, the trio is aptly supported by Brent Follis, drums; Dave Captien, bass; Wil Blades, organ, on “Easy Rider,” Dominic Castillo, guitar on “Hey There, Rider” and Ross Garlow, bass, on “Hey There, Rider.” Hollingsworth is an active choral educator, adjudicator, and director, but it is her compositional skills that come forefront on the album ISH in a most vivid way.

Positives: Hollingsworth’s tunes are a mix of Americana panoramic lyrics mixed with the sensibility of jazz. Her harmonic and idyllic stories resonate deeply with the everyday person. Giving credence to the human journey.

Bottom Line: Hollingsworth has a depth to her voice that is accessible and filled with haunting resonance. Only matched by her colorizations with piano, she is a credit to her craft. Hollingsworth’s tunes revel in the freedom of jazz exploration while homing in on the luxation of this modern-day life. From the darkly hued Hollingsworth original “Wave The Sun Goodbye,” her sweetly lilted voice reaches into the marrow of the lyrics and pulls forth strength in each verse that drips like honey from her lips. The Herbie Hancock “Whisper Not,” is given a righteous reading. The group digs deep and reveals their jazz pedigree. At the midpoint “Easy Rider,” is a funk-based tune, that gets into the grit with dactylic twists and turns. A real treat at the end of the program is a bluesy reading of “Candy Man,” a tune made famous by Sammy Davis Jr. Hollingsworth’s interpretation is sleek and seductive as she adjusts the lyrics ever so slightly to sing a tribute to her candy man. ISH is a deliciously diverse listen, but one anchoring pin is each tune is composed or arranged with authenticity, and connection to the lyrics, its believable and veritable. Fall in Mad Love! That’s the short of it!