Out on the Street

Whimsy, irony and satire were the favored approaches of vocalist/pianist John Simon on this 11-track CD. Sometimes his wry vocals and lean piano support effectively scored points; at other times, he seemed more aloof and detached than insightful. Perhaps the problem came from Simon's choice of instrument and presentation style; it was often extremely reminiscent of Mose Allison, but his wit wasn't as probing or self-mocking. That doesn't mean there weren't some quality numbers on the album, but on the whole, John Simon's disc implied more than it delivered.