KANDACE SPRINGS - The Women Who Raised Me
Blue Note Records BLUNB003161902.2
Kandace Springs (pno, vcl) Steve Cardenas (gtr) Scott Colley (bs) Clarence Penn (drs)
Guest Artists: Norah Jones (vcl) Avishia Cohen (tpt) Christian McBride (bs) David Sanborn (sop) Chris Potter (tnr) Elena Pinderhughes (flt)
This album is the fifth Blue Note release from the thirty one year old, Nashville born vocalist, pianist and composer who first came to worldwide prominence with her 2016 recording "Soul Eyes". Influenced in her early days by Nina Simone among others, her albums to date confirm that she is equally at home in either the jazz or soul camps, although until this offering most of her recorded tracks fall into the later category. This is a pity from the jazz fans point of view as she has a perfect voice for the genre and is an excellent jazz pianist as all who have witnessed her sell-out concerts in London over the past few years would confirm. The theme of the album's twelve tracks is in the title, but it is a fair question to ask, "Is it a jazz album?". For fifty percent of the time it most defiantly is, as the vocalists that inspired her include the likes of Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Astrud Gilberto and Diana Krall plus her self confessed greatest inspiration Norah Jones. The balance of the output, while not lacking in quality at all can best be described as originating from the soul or R & B genres. The caliber of the supporting artists and most certainly the guests make this an album that is bound for success under any criteria.
As far as the jazz tracks are concerned things get underway with the Bob Dorough classic Devil May Care, a song that has featured on many a top liners set list including Miles Davis and Diana Krall. Here the guest is top bass man Christian McBride whose presence at the head of the mix dominates proceedings alongside the leaders piano and inventive scat interludes. Nora Jones takes the lead vocal on a slow burning version of Angel Eyes with more laid back piano from Kandace preceding a closing vocal duet. Luiz Bonfa's Gentle Rain written in 1965 during the halcyon days of the Bossa Nova has in the right hands, always been a showstopper and so it is here with the sultry and wonderfully paced vocal benefiting from a partnership with Chris Potter's tenor weaving the kind of magic that only he can. The vocalists approach to Duke Ellington's Solitude is lighter than most, but still full of reflection and pathos. Once again her piano accompaniment is of the highest order and her musical conversations with Chris Potter very worthy of further experiment. Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington created one of the most popular songs of all time with their 1938 hit The Nearness Of You, It has of course been covered by almost everyone from Ella and Frank to Della Reese and Sheena Easton! Here the vocal is drenched with emotion and perfect voice control at the very lowest of tempo's in a performance to stand alongside the very best. Strange Fruit is a very dangerous song for anyone to sing, simply because it is just about owned by the great Billie Holiday. A handful of alternative versions have been compared with Billie's but as yet been unable to draw a favorable comparison. This version does however run it close. With only the accompaniment of her own electric keyboards, its the sheer quality of the voice that although lacking the raw passion of Billie, still locks the listener into the drama and melancholy of Abel Meeropol's tragic lyric.
The balance of the track listing features songs inspired by and associated with artists such as Sade, Bonnie Raitt, Lauryn Hill and Dusty Springfield etc. Not within the broad church of jazz despite the presence trumpeter Avishia Cohen on some numbers but never the less, of the highest class making this recording a very worthwhile purchase for most.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Blue Note Records BLUNB003161902.2
Kandace Springs (pno, vcl) Steve Cardenas (gtr) Scott Colley (bs) Clarence Penn (drs)
Guest Artists: Norah Jones (vcl) Avishia Cohen (tpt) Christian McBride (bs) David Sanborn (sop) Chris Potter (tnr) Elena Pinderhughes (flt)
This album is the fifth Blue Note release from the thirty one year old, Nashville born vocalist, pianist and composer who first came to worldwide prominence with her 2016 recording "Soul Eyes". Influenced in her early days by Nina Simone among others, her albums to date confirm that she is equally at home in either the jazz or soul camps, although until this offering most of her recorded tracks fall into the later category. This is a pity from the jazz fans point of view as she has a perfect voice for the genre and is an excellent jazz pianist as all who have witnessed her sell-out concerts in London over the past few years would confirm. The theme of the album's twelve tracks is in the title, but it is a fair question to ask, "Is it a jazz album?". For fifty percent of the time it most defiantly is, as the vocalists that inspired her include the likes of Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Astrud Gilberto and Diana Krall plus her self confessed greatest inspiration Norah Jones. The balance of the output, while not lacking in quality at all can best be described as originating from the soul or R & B genres. The caliber of the supporting artists and most certainly the guests make this an album that is bound for success under any criteria.
As far as the jazz tracks are concerned things get underway with the Bob Dorough classic Devil May Care, a song that has featured on many a top liners set list including Miles Davis and Diana Krall. Here the guest is top bass man Christian McBride whose presence at the head of the mix dominates proceedings alongside the leaders piano and inventive scat interludes. Nora Jones takes the lead vocal on a slow burning version of Angel Eyes with more laid back piano from Kandace preceding a closing vocal duet. Luiz Bonfa's Gentle Rain written in 1965 during the halcyon days of the Bossa Nova has in the right hands, always been a showstopper and so it is here with the sultry and wonderfully paced vocal benefiting from a partnership with Chris Potter's tenor weaving the kind of magic that only he can. The vocalists approach to Duke Ellington's Solitude is lighter than most, but still full of reflection and pathos. Once again her piano accompaniment is of the highest order and her musical conversations with Chris Potter very worthy of further experiment. Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington created one of the most popular songs of all time with their 1938 hit The Nearness Of You, It has of course been covered by almost everyone from Ella and Frank to Della Reese and Sheena Easton! Here the vocal is drenched with emotion and perfect voice control at the very lowest of tempo's in a performance to stand alongside the very best. Strange Fruit is a very dangerous song for anyone to sing, simply because it is just about owned by the great Billie Holiday. A handful of alternative versions have been compared with Billie's but as yet been unable to draw a favorable comparison. This version does however run it close. With only the accompaniment of her own electric keyboards, its the sheer quality of the voice that although lacking the raw passion of Billie, still locks the listener into the drama and melancholy of Abel Meeropol's tragic lyric.
The balance of the track listing features songs inspired by and associated with artists such as Sade, Bonnie Raitt, Lauryn Hill and Dusty Springfield etc. Not within the broad church of jazz despite the presence trumpeter Avishia Cohen on some numbers but never the less, of the highest class making this recording a very worthwhile purchase for most.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
