I wrote this review for jazzreview.com but it was deemed too harsh for publication. Oh well...

Mrs. Fun The Best of Mrs. Fun (Daemon Records, 2000)
reviewed by Micah Holmquist
April 3, 2000

Connie Grauer (keyboards, keyboard bass, vocals, guitar),
Kim Zick (drums),
Juli Wood (saxophones)
Rebecca Ross (backing vocals),
Naekomi Collins (backing vocals),
Conni Bloomberg (backing vocals),
Emily Saliers (backing vocals),
Amy Ray (backing vocals),
Brian Lynch (trumpet),
Tom Washatka (tenor saxophone),
Allen Johnson (trumpet),
Jeff Pietrangelo (trumpet),
Dave Matsen (tenor saxophone)

The promotional literature says that Mrs. Fun, a duo made up of Connie Grauer and Kim Zick, has shared concert bills with Billy Cobham, Robert Cray, the Indigo Girls, and the Violent Femmes amongst others. That alone was enough to pique my interest but it turns out that this group’s biography is far more interesting than their music.

Mrs. Fun recorded the 12 tracks found here between 1987 and 1999 and despite some variances in style, just about all of the tracks fall into the category of acid jazz. The problem is that this is acid jazz that can’t decide whether it wants to get people to dance -not a bad thing, by any means- or whether it wants to be jazz. The result is a bunch of less than enjoyable songs that do neither.

If this disc has a saving grace, it is the side musicians. Emily Saliers and Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls are the best known of the guests although their impact is slim to nonexistent. More important is the work of Juli Wood whose saxophone work lights up a number of tracks and gives the material some life. Listeners will be left hoping that the entire release centered around her.

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