Artist: Wilson, Cassandra
Label: Blue Note Records
Released: 2008
Cassandra Wilson is a well-known American vocalist who has been active on the world music scene for almost three decades, and it’s no surprise that she’s become one of the most established singers in the US in that time, since her distinctive soul voice is a real balm for the ears. Over her career she has worked with Steve Coleman and other major names in jazz (including some members of Charlie Parker’s backing band).
Early in her career, Ms. Wilson was known mainly as an outstanding interpreter of other musicians’ work, but on Steve Coleman’s advice she started writing her own songs too. With her own material, just like when she was performing other people’s songs, she earned plenty of glowing reviews and built herself a fine career.
I don’t know Cassandra Wilson’s music all that well, but what you hear on Loverly isn’t exactly anything special. It’s your typical Blue Note/EMI-style jazz that sticks to every standard and never strays beyond the borders of “normal”. Apparently a lot of jazz musicians (especially the ones on Blue Note) are afraid to take risks and try a more modern take on jazz, and would rather look nostalgically fifty years back. Thank God the constant stretches of wearying jazz get broken up by the occasional bit of blues, which at least spices things up a little. I’m not exactly a huge blues fan, but here it shows up as a real salvation from the monotonous jazz plodding.
Cassandra supposedly took part in some more avant-garde-leaning jazz projects in the past, but you can’t catch even a whiff of that here. She leans purely on traditional, chanson-style jazz “by the book”. Not for a second does she take a risk or wander into more exciting waters. Good thing she has such a great, expressive soul voice, which often saves her from letting the whole thing turn out even worse.
As is typical for jazz, the album is played top-notch. I have no complaints on that front. The trouble starts when we get to the songs themselves, which are, sadly, anything but original. Instead of a fresh breeze blowing through, we have to swallow stale soup we’ve already had to eat ten times this week. This music is chewed over, digested and heard a hundred times already. Enjoy.
Lineup
Cassandra Wilson – vocals
Jason Moran – piano (1-6, 8-10, 12)
Marvin Sewell – guitar (1-10, 12)
Lonnie Plaxico – double bass (1-6, 8-10, 12)
Reginald Veal – double bass (11)
Herlin Riley – drums (1-6, 8-10, 12)
Lekan Babalola – percussion (1, 2, 4-6, 8-10)
Rhonda Richmond – backing vocals (8)
Nicholas Payton – trumpet (1)
Production
Cassandra Wilson
Track list
1. Lover Come Back To Me
2. Black Orpheus
3. Wouldn’t It Be Loverly
4. Gone With The Wind
5. Caravan
6. ‘Til There Was You
7. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
8. Arere
9. St. James Infirmary
10. Dust My Broom
11. The Very Thought Of You
12. A Sleepin’ Bee
