Known for her modern approach to classic vocal jazz, Koller’s Walk On By is more than a tribute album — it’s a creative reinvention. Blending jazz, soul, R&B, and rhythmic innovation, Koller and her band breathe new life into 11 Bacharach compositions, balancing reverence with adventurous flair.
“Bacharach’s music makes me feel very nostalgic,” says Koller, “but I wanted to approach these songs in a way that speaks to today’s listeners while keeping their emotional core intact.”
A Personal Connection, a Musical Legacy
Bacharach, who passed away in 2023, left behind a songwriting legacy spanning more than six decades. His melodies, often paired with Hal David’s lyrics, became cultural touchstones — yet many younger audiences know the songs without knowing the man behind them. That disconnect sparked Koller’s desire to revisit and reshape Bacharach’s work.
Koller’s introduction to Bacharach came early, thanks to her mother’s deep love of his music. “I grew up with this music playing in the background of my life,” she says. “After the success of my Cole Porter album, my mom kept saying, ‘Now do Burt!’”
Unlike her earlier albums, which leaned heavily on original compositions (Perception, 2018) and single-composer tributes (Get Out of Town, 2022, on Cole Porter), Walk On By is more collaborative and improvisational in its foundation. Longtime bandmates Fima Chupakhin (piano/Rhodes), James Robbins (bass), and Cory Cox (drums) provide the rhythmic and harmonic grounding for Koller’s fearless vocal interpretations. Robbins co-arranged the album alongside Koller.
Track Highlights: Where Classic Meets Contemporary
The album opens with a sultry, R&B-tinged “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” featuring an expressive solo from drummer Cox. Koller’s voice, equal parts smoky and precise, sets the tone for the album’s adventurous spirit.
A tender and rhythmically surprising take on “Close to You” follows, reshaped with a 5/4 time signature that adds depth and swing to one of Bacharach’s most romantic hits.
One of the emotional peaks of the album is “A House Is Not a Home,” where Koller fully inhabits the song’s sense of heartbreak with her emotive delivery. By contrast, she brings an infectious warmth to “That’s What Friends Are For,” sung as a joyful duet with pianist and longtime friend Rosemary Minkler.
Koller’s version of “Say a Little Prayer” draws on childhood memories — “This song is burned in my memory because my mom played it so often,” she says. Robbins’s arrangement gives the tune a fresh rhythmic pulse.
Other standouts include the hauntingly stripped-down “Don’t Make Me Over,” a rhythmically evocative reinvention of “Walk On By” (originally conceived as a samba), and an upbeat, hopeful “Reach Out for Me.”
Perhaps the most intriguing selection is “Loving Is a Way of Living,” a forgotten gem recorded only once before by Steve Lawrence in 1959. Koller discovered the song in a vintage songbook and recorded it with just piano accompaniment, giving it a raw intimacy that invites rediscovery.
The album closes with a poignant rendition of “What the World Needs Now,” a timely message delivered with grace and sincerity.
“There’s so much happening in the world that makes us feel disconnected. I thought this song would be the perfect way to end the album — something simple, beautiful, and true,” says Koller.
A Voice for Today’s Jazz and Beyond
Koller’s musical journey began in classical voice and musical theater, but it was in high school jazz band that she found her calling. She later studied jazz at The Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute and completed her degree at City College of New York. Since then, she’s become a fixture in the NYC jazz scene, performing at iconic venues like Smalls, Smoke, Minton’s, and Mezzrow.
While her technical versatility allows her to sing across genres, what truly sets Koller apart is her intentionality. She doesn’t bend styles just to showcase range — instead, she lets the story and emotional tone of each song guide her choices.
“Jazz gives you space to reimagine,” she says. “You can add R&B or funk without leaving the jazz idiom, as long as you’re being honest with the music.”
A Modern Tribute with Timeless Appeal
With Walk On By, Kristina Koller creates a dynamic conversation between past and present. It’s a record that honors Bacharach’s genius while asserting her own voice as an arranger and storyteller. For longtime Bacharach fans, it’s a bold reinterpretation of beloved songs. For new listeners, it’s a vibrant invitation to explore one of pop’s richest catalogs through a contemporary jazz lens.
Walk On By releases May 16, 2025.
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