“…There's only one way to describe it: Wow!” Christopher Louden, Jazz Times
“A model of lustrous tone and clear headed energy, then waxes blue...exercising the fine art of understatement.“ Josef Woodward, Down Beat
“Her gift is utterly distinctive and even innovative, since there isn't another singer out there who phrases like her... a pop masterpiece...It's revelatory and sounds effortless.“ Thomas Jurek, Billboard, All Music Guide
“Jackie Allen… possesses a voice that combines the expressiveness of Annie Lennox and the pitch of Rickie Lee Jones, while achieving it’s own bright, dramatic sound…sassy… tender. Download this.” V.R. Peterson, People Magazine
“A sparking performance… enhanced by her warm, pliable voice and expansive range, Allen's greatest strength was her sheer musicality and the way in which she both framed and interpreted her songs.... interpretations that found an amiable balance between storytelling and jazz spontaneity...Allen also revealed an admirable willingness to explore and add new material to the familiar jazz lexicon.”
Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times
“You can't help absorbing Jackie's emotional pull. She gives her audience a personal reflection of her inner soul that everyone can enjoy.” Jim Santella, All About Jazz
“This new amalgam of pop-jazz-folk-funk-gospel is pure Allen, just what she wants her gifted voice to be saying…words flow from her exquisite voice, time after time. Allen often sounds like she's sharing her inner most secrets and deepest fears... this feels like a very real 21st century American woman, struggling between her feminine resilience and the vulnerabilities of an ageless girl.“
Kevin Lynch, The Capitol Times
“… musically sophisticated and artistically daring... she knows how to utterly reinvent the most familiar tunes...Allen has a knack for unearthing long-forgotten tunes.” Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
“Expressive power, heart felt sparkle and stirring allure.” Northwest Jazz Profile
“Allen’s got an entire rainbow of emotional colors and, of course, the great musicality in her singing." Critic’s choice, L.A. City Beat
“Jackie Allen casts an amazing spell with her voice. From the opening lines of the opening track, “Lazy Afternoon”, you are seduced by the soaring yet intimate nature of her singing—wide open, yet full of secrets. There is sensual longing, and a sense of peaceful contentedness with the world that reminds one of the perfect quality of certain late spring or early autumn days, days when one’s appreciation for the beauty and generosity of the universe is colored by the knowledge that such perfection must come to an inevitable end. Indeed, the title and song selection of Allen’s latest recording point toward the melancholy aspect of love. This collection will definitely have listeners contemplating their own lives, even as they marvel at the rare beauty of Allen’s voice and her ability to render these songs in particularly flattering ways.” Marshall Bowden, Pop Matters
“Chicago-based vocalist Jackie Allen and classically trained bass player and composer Hans Sturm have put together a daring, serious, sensuous, and often intense musical experience over the course of 72 minutes. The flexibility of both these musicians is striking, especially Allen. Her voice takes on more shapes and forms than one has the right to expect from human vocal chords. It can be husky, sexy, gracefully pure, and most of all, passionate. Sturm shows throughout this session that he is a master of the double bass. He makes it sound like a guitar, a violin, and a horn as he strums, plucks, slides, and bows. He does more than accompany Allen; he is an equal partner. This album ups the ante for voice/bass combination. It demands serious and committed listening. Landscapes: Bass Meets Voice will leave most breathless.” Dave Nathan, Rovi