Things Are Looking Up

JAZZ: FEMALE VOCALS

In a departure from her previous country & blues albums, Queen Esther shows off her vocal power & versatility with a tribute to Billie Holiday. Tracks 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 12 are songs Lady Day herself recorded, while tracks 1, 4, 5, 7, and 11 are new compositions. Accompaniment is piano, upright bass, and drums (called “trio” in the track descriptions), plus an electric hollowbody guitar on some tracks.
RIYL Billie Holiday, Cassandra Wilson, Cecile McLorin Salvant

FCC clean

1 ** mid-fast, peppy, fun & quite “jazzy”; about leaving town. trio + gtr. drum solo (3:20)
2 * mid-tempo but still swinging. having a good time. just the trio (2:55)
3 very slow. melancholy ballad about troubles ahead. just the trio, subdued (6:19)
4 very slow. bluesy crawl. anticipating the coming end of an affair. just the trio (4:22)
5 mid-slow. night-clubby put down of a no-good man. trio plus guitar solo (3:28)
6 ** very slow. moody Rodgers & Hart tune from a 1930s musical; a love has ended but she’s ok. lovely singing; trio accompaniment incl nice bass & piano solos (5:11)
7 * slow. she finally found a high-quality man; sultry singing with the trio (6:14)
8 very slow. brokenhearted, looking for someone new. just the trio, nice piano solo (3:19)
9 *** mid-tempo but bouncy. an expressive reading of a Gershwin brothers song with especially nice piano accompaniment. my favorite track. (2:41)
10 slow. a piece from Leonard Bernstein’s ballet, Fancy Free. it drags a bit. trio (2:47)
11 ** mid-fast. a happy, soulful number about living the high life. very good trio (4:28)
12 slow & sultry. happy to be in a new love. just trio, piano solo. very mellow (3:16)