Connie Jo Kirk

Never Met Nobody

Austin native Connie Jo Kirk has been singing since she was a child attending Blackshear Elementary School, and she pours a lifetime of experience into this debut release. Kirk comes from a musical time when the boundaries that allegedly separate jazz, R&B, gospel, and soul didn’t exist. Consequently, the 10 songs on Never Met Nobody, most of them Kirk originals, blend all these genres, flowing imperceptibly together. A seasoned performer, she knows how to use her voice to its optimum. Particularly effective is the way Kirk multitracks her voice to form a lush background chorus that evokes a 1960s girl group on “Come On and Let’s Ride,” a Sunday church service on “Butterfly Wings,” and a satiny smooth soul ballad on “Let’s Get It On.” Trumpeter Ephraim Owens adds his special touch of class with understated playing, especially on the title track. Overall, a pleasing maiden voyage. **.5

This article appears in November 16 • 2007.

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