Standard is not typical of Cassandra Wilson. In fact, her only typical trait is that she is atypical. Yet her latest release, “Loverly,” is filled primarily with renditions of standard jazz classics. Because convention is not her strong point (it’s been twenty years since she did an album like this) it’s no wonder that Wilson puts her foot into every standard on the album and rechannels old wine into new skin. Cassandra who is often described as ‘willful’ and ‘barefoot’ stayed true to those adjectives when she decided to rent a house in her home state of Mississipi, turn it into a recording studio, and lay down the album in a five-day recording session. The result of her efforts is a fresh, barefoot, eclectic, intuitive, unorthodox, and masterful classic jazz album.
Wilson’s vocal delivery is excellent as she tailors her voice and intonation to fit the essence and energy of each song. Cassandra eases into the first track, “Lover Come Back to Me,” in smooth, honey tones as she rides the swing of the beat and devolves into an almost-scat. The pianist, Jason Moran, tinkles so fast you feel like ivory teardrops are falling on top of each other and Nicholas Payton’s trumpet solo is even more searing than Cassandra’s voice. Cassandra and the trumpet play off of each other as she uses her tongue and mouth and teeth more as percussion instruments.
When Wilson croons about “lots of chocolate to eat … warm hands, warm feet” on the song which is also the album’s namesake, “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” she manages to sound both Nat-King-Cole-ole- school and with the help of the electric guitar’s presence modern and revitalizing at the same time. The band never hesitates, never stutters and consistently delivers in every genre: swing, blues, afro-latin, and everything in between that comprises this album.
The surprising and refreshing treat of the album is Cassandra and her band’s take on a classic that has been performed by Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, “Gone With the Wind.” The use of the hand-drums, the electric guitar, the opening counter-rhythm, and the rolling piano come together to give this very, old song a brand new empowering feel. Cassandra’s humming transmits as strong a melodic message as her words. The irony of African drums on ‘Gone with the wind’ is also not lost on the listener.
Wilson introduces Mid-East influences to her Afro-Latin theme in her highly syncopated and jamming version of “Caravan.” Afro-Latin rhythms also permeate Cassandra’s rendition of “Til There Was You” giving this timeless song movement and heat which are counterbalanced by funky riffs from Marvin Sewell’s electric guitar. One of the few non-standard songs on the album, “Arere,” fully immerses itself in its Afro-Cuban tradition and provides a highly percussive, spiritual earthiness that grounds the album but maintains it’s jazz roots by way of the strong, forceful piano performance. Robert Wilson’s “Dust My Broom,” is wonderfully interpreted by Cassandra who channels all of her Jackson, Miss. roots to lay her blues on top of the original songwriter’s. “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most,” is an organic, futuristic vision of an old classic with it’s trembling acoustic guitar and Cassandra’s soft, raspy, billowy vocals pulling at your heartstrings.
This album is barefoot, in part, because the technical recording aspect is not formal, exact, or perfect. In Wilson’s intense and focused delivery of “The Very Thought of You,” there are some sounds of reverb and she drifts in and out of the mic clearly conveying the feel of a live recording. On other tracks improvised shouts and chatter can be heard. This album will make you feel as if Cassandra Wilson ran her standard jazz barefoot through deep southern grass and rolled its toes in the African blood soaked dirt.
i posted two of my favorite tracks for you to sample ...
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