May I Come In -Reviews
...reminding us of the magic that can happen when the right singer, the right song and the right accompaniment fall into place. Blessed with a luminous, flutelike soprano, Lyons delivers a collection particularly well-suited to her bright tone and improvisational flair.
The Washington Post
"...sparkling, scintillating jazz singing... No matter what she's performing, be prepared to hear it differently than it's usually played." All Music Guide
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 In 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 In 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 In stands as a discreet yet powerful reminder that sophistication, when allied with sincerity, never goes out of style.
– Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Right off the bat, Lisanne Lyons’ vocals soar, like a homerun. She has a solid grip on ‘swing,’ using her jazzy sincerity to captivate me on this tune, “The Song Is You” by Hammerstein and Jerome Kern. Great way to begin her album, “May I Come In.” She makes me want to say, you certainly can.
Mike Lewis has written some excellent big band arrangements for Lisanne’s album. She reminds me of the 1950s when she sings that former big hit by The Kirby Stone Four in 1958, “Bubbles, Bangles & Beads.” Lewis adds an unexpected break in his arrangement that features bassist, Chuck Bergeron with Lisanne Lyons’ voice pirouetting above his walking bass line, confident as a prima ballerina.
I don’t remember hearing an Ellington tune called “Tulip or Turnip.” Lisanne Lyons introduces me to the lyrics, slow-swinging with wonderful horn lines, featuring a trumpet solo that trades fours with Lyons scat-singing vocals. This talented vocalist hits an impressive high note at the song’s ending, sounding like a trumpet herself.
The title tune, “May I Come In” (composed by Marvin Fischer & Jack Segal in 1963) was the title track on a 1964 album by Blossom Dearie. Lisanne Lyons does a fantastic job of interpreting this beautiful ballad, selling each heartbreaking lyric. She follows this with the blues. On a song called “Waiter, Make Mine Blues” that’s pulled from the Anita O’Day catalogue.
Lisanne Lyons has an interesting background. After leaving the Air Force (thank you for your service!) Lisanne earned degrees from the Miami Frost School of Music, receiving two DownBeat magazine awards for her singing and one for arranging. She sang with trumpet great Arturo Sandoval and toured nationally with Cy Coleman’s Tony award-winning City of Angels for one year. Lyons spent time in New York City, then became an influential educator. She developed the first jazz vocal program at Virginia Tech and was the director and founder of the jazz vocal program at Florida International State University for eleven years.
Singing with big bands and orchestras is not new for Lisanne Lyons. In the past, she has been lead singer with the Artie Shaw and Harry James Orchestras, with The Woody Herman Orchestra, Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau, and recorded with the Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet. This album is a reminder of Ms. Lyons’ dynamic talent, as well as her incredible vocal range and authenticity.
– Dee Dee McNeil, Making A Scene: Where Indie Artists Learn to Build the New Music Industry
Possessing a beautiful voice, a solid sense of swing, and a history wrapped within the Great American Songbook, Lisanne Lyons delves into arrangements she enlisted Mike Lewis to create for a jazz orchestra comprised of some of Miami's and New York's finest.
From the hard-driving "The Song is You," to the lush "This is Always," Lyons displays a savvy musicianship earned through her vast experiences, including years traveling the world with the NORAD Command Band, national touring with City of Angels, playing the clubs of New York City, and then her work in education, with former students among the top vocalists of today.
With her long-time pianist John Toomey at her side, Lyons pays homage to some of the great vocal interpreters of song by putting her own stamp on these reimagined stories of love and life. " ...sparkling, scintillating jazz singing... No matter what she's performing, be prepared to hear it differently than it's usually played."
– All Music Guide
Lisanne Lyons gets you lost in the stars with her voice on this collection of standards. She frames her voice under a big band conducted by Mike Lewis, and his charts are the perfect palate for Lyons' vocal brush. She's confident and clear on Duke Ellington's obscure "Tulip or Turnip" and cozy with guitarist John Hart during a starry eyed "This Is Always".
She's peppy around the horns on "The Song Is You" and Rat Packy on the sweet swagger of "Baubles, Bangles & Beads". Some strings come in for extra texture, surrounding her with wondrous charms on the luscious "There'll Be Another Spring". Dressed to kill.
– George W. Harris | Jazz Weekly