CASSANDRA WILSON - Coming Forth by Day
Sony Music Legacy CD 88875063622
Cassandra Wilson ( vocals ) Jon Cowherd ( pno ) Kevin Breit ( gtr ) Martin P. Casey ( bass ) Thomas Wydler ( drs ) plus guitarists T Bone Burnett & Nick Zinner, strings arranged by Van Dyke Parks
Recorded possibly 2014
Cassandra Wilson is blessed with a fine voice, her range is not wide but adequate for her style of singing but it really comes down to whether you are sympathetic to the way she a approaches a song.
She has had a great deal of success over the years with her recording career she must therefore have a following.
Billie Holiday would have been a 100 years old this year and this recording by Cassandra Wilson is intended as an homage to her. All the songs on the album have been recorded by Billie at some point in her career but ther is no evidence of any of the less than suitable songs she was given to record but which through her genius she was able to turn into gems. There is much of Cassandra Wilson on this album but little of the spirit of Billie Holiday.
There are some tracks which have some merit for their interpretation including “You Go To My Head” and “The Way You Tonight” but “All Of Me” is taken at a much to slow tempo to bring out the best in the song.
There is little relevance to Billie Holiday in the interpretation of songs like “Billie’s Blues” and “Crazy She Calls Me”.
When you compare the backing arrangements on some of these numbers to the likes of Lester Young and Teddy Wilson which gave Billie’s vocals such a firm foundation there is little to recommend them.
There are obviously Cassandra Wilson devotees out there who welcome this release with open arms but you pays your money and makes your choice.
Sony Music Legacy CD 88875063622
Cassandra Wilson ( vocals ) Jon Cowherd ( pno ) Kevin Breit ( gtr ) Martin P. Casey ( bass ) Thomas Wydler ( drs ) plus guitarists T Bone Burnett & Nick Zinner, strings arranged by Van Dyke Parks
Recorded possibly 2014
Cassandra Wilson is blessed with a fine voice, her range is not wide but adequate for her style of singing but it really comes down to whether you are sympathetic to the way she a approaches a song.
She has had a great deal of success over the years with her recording career she must therefore have a following.
Billie Holiday would have been a 100 years old this year and this recording by Cassandra Wilson is intended as an homage to her. All the songs on the album have been recorded by Billie at some point in her career but ther is no evidence of any of the less than suitable songs she was given to record but which through her genius she was able to turn into gems. There is much of Cassandra Wilson on this album but little of the spirit of Billie Holiday.
There are some tracks which have some merit for their interpretation including “You Go To My Head” and “The Way You Tonight” but “All Of Me” is taken at a much to slow tempo to bring out the best in the song.
There is little relevance to Billie Holiday in the interpretation of songs like “Billie’s Blues” and “Crazy She Calls Me”.
When you compare the backing arrangements on some of these numbers to the likes of Lester Young and Teddy Wilson which gave Billie’s vocals such a firm foundation there is little to recommend them.
There are obviously Cassandra Wilson devotees out there who welcome this release with open arms but you pays your money and makes your choice.
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Reviewed by Roy Booth
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