| Jazz |
I was familiar with this singer’s reputation long before I actually had the chance to listen to her. Yet from the very first track of this album, any sense of distance vanishes. The listener is immediately seized, not merely impressed, but truly drawn in. This is a record made up entirely of interpretations, with not a single song written specifically for her: a selection of well-known pieces that were not originally intended for her voice. And yet, within just a few seconds, we find ourselves immersed in the singular world of a fascinating artist, one who can reshape these familiar works with rare elegance and authority.
There is something unmistakably classic about Lisanne Lyons: an ease, a confidence, a command of space and sound that recalls the great voices of the golden age of the Great American Songbook. One might even think of a female Frank Sinatra, an artist capable of interpreting virtually any repertoire and captivating a room instantly, not through showmanship, but through precision, phrasing, and emotional intelligence. This impression is further enhanced by orchestrations of remarkable quality, lush without excess, refined without ever overshadowing the voice.
Lyons’s musicality is anything but accidental. It is the result of an artistic journey deeply rooted in experience. Her path reads like a living map of the American vocal tradition: years spent touring the world with the NORAD Command Orchestra, national tours with the musical City of Angels, countless performances in New York’s legendary jazz clubs, and, alongside all of this, a sustained commitment to teaching. Among her former students are now several singers who rank among the most respected of their generation. Accompanied here by her longtime pianist, John Toomey, Lyons pays tribute to the great figures of vocal interpretation while quietly asserting her own vision. These are stories of love and life revisited, not reenacted, but genuinely inhabited.
May I Come is an album of undeniable charm, inviting rediscovery. Some songs are immediately recognizable, others more obscure, but all are unified by a poetic sensibility that recalls classic musical theater and the romantic cinema of the 1950s. The difference, of course, lies in the contemporary execution. Lisanne Lyons’s vocal technique is thoroughly modern: flexible, controlled, expressive. The recording itself deserves special mention for its exemplary quality. The sonic clarity is remarkable: at no point is the voice drowned out by layers of sound or superfluous effects, a common flaw in many contemporary productions, often betraying a lack of true vocal substance. Here, the balance is perfect. Lyons is not merely an interpreter; she is a voice, a timbre, an instrument of rare distinction.
In 2014, Lisanne Lyons was invited to join the jazz department of Florida International University to create its very first jazz vocal program. In just a few years, the program attracted an impressive number of young talents, several of whom went on to win DownBeat Collegiate Student Awards for outstanding vocal performances. Her influence as an educator mirrors her artistry on stage: rigorous, generous, firmly grounded in tradition while leaving room for individual expression.
The Washington Post praised Lyons, writing that she “reminds us of the magic that can happen when the right singer, the right song, and the right accompaniment come together,” highlighting her “bright, almost flute-like soprano” and her instinctive sense of improvisation. That observation resonates particularly strongly here. This album feels less like a showcase than a subtle dialogue between the artist, the repertoire, and the listener.
There are many very good singers in the world today, and only a handful who clearly stand apart. Lisanne Lyons unquestionably belongs to that rare category. Albums like May I Come are becoming increasingly scarce, projects that favor vocal integrity, musical storytelling, and sonic clarity over fleeting trends. It is easy to imagine this record appealing well beyond the usual circle of jazz aficionados. Anyone who simply loves great voices and beautifully orchestrated music will quickly find it taking an essential place in their collection.
If one regret were to be expressed, it might simply be the desire for more: a future recording that combines this interpretive mastery with original compositions, or a live album capturing the immediacy she seems to command so naturally. In the meantime, May I Come stands as a discreet yet powerful reminder that sophistication, when allied with sincerity, never goes out of style.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, January 24th 2026
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Musicians :
Lisanne Lyons – vocals
John Toomey – piano
John Hart – guitar
Chuck Bergeron – bass
Mike Harvey – drums
BAND 1 (1,4-7):
Billy Ross & Ismael Vergara – alto sax
Dr. Ed Calle & David Fernandez – tenor sax
Mike Brignola – baritone sax
Ryan Chapman (lead), Cisco Dimas, Rodrigo Gallardo & Bobby Keating – trumpet
Seth Weaver, Steve Sigmund, Jason Pyle & Chris Lundquist (bass) – trombone
BAND 2 (2,3,8-10):
John Michalak & Peter Brewer – alto sax
Billy Ross – flute (8)
Tom McCormick, Randy Emerick & Dr. Ed Calle (3,10) – tenor sax
Mike Brignola – baritone sax
Ryan Chapman (lead), Bobby Keating, Peter Francis & Michael Hankins – trumpet
Steve Sigmund, Jason Pyle, Ruben Caban & John Kricker (bass) – trombone
STRINGS (2,8,10):
Jeremy Miller & Mei Mei Luo – violin
Debbie Spring – viola
Arranged & Conducted by Mike Lewis
Track Listing:
1 The Song is You 2:47
2 This is Always 4:22
3 Baubles, Bangles, & Beads 3:04
4 Moonlight 5:29
5 Tulip or Turnip 4:04
6 May I Come In? 5:13
7 Waiter, Make Mine Blues 3:50
8 Unless It’s You 4:55
9 Lover Come Back to Me 4:13
10 There’ll Be Another Spring 4:49
Production Info:
Produced by Mike Lewis & Hal Batt
Recorded by Hal Batt at Criteria Studios & Afterhours Studios, North Miami, FL
During Dec. 2022, Dec. 2023, Jan. 2024
Mixed by Hal Batt / Mastered by Jake Batt at Afterhours Studio
Add. editing by Ryan Chapman
Contractor: Steve Sigmund
Cover photo by Suzette Niess Photography
Studio photos by Ryan Chapman
Cover design & layout by John Bishop