12/30: Bob Fraser and Ki Allen at Nighttown

By Frank Lewis on Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 3:47 pm

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There’s nothing but acoustic guitar and voice on Fraser and Allen’s Calling Card, but that doesn’t mean they need a bigger band to fill out the spaces. Allen’s voice has a deep tone that falls somewhere between Sarah Vaughn’s and Cassandra Wilson’s. Cleveland Orchestra veteran Fraser plays subtly, with full chords and a few arpeggios — and clearly influenced by Charlie Byrd. Their album is a journey through a vast repertoire of jazz, moving through Brazilian treatments of the standards “I Concentrate on You” and “The Best Is Yet to Come” to more personal renditions of “Over the Rainbow.” Plus, there are assorted originals. Guitarist Gaetano Letizia’s trio (which includes bassist Wilbur Krebs and drummer Steve Renko) joins Fraser and Allen for their 7 p.m. performance at Nighttown (12387 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Hts., 216.795.0550). Tickets: $10. — Ernest Barteldes