Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: “This one is an album-length vocal/piano duet. But “minimalist” isn’t a word that will come to mind: Accompanist Fortner easily fills the space of a band with his one piano. And the frontwoman is the very farthest thing from a musical shrinking violet. There are quiet moments on the disc, but they’re outweighed by the frantic ones, so if the stripped-down format suggests something polite, think again: McLorin Salvant and her accompanist are majestic and unhinged in equal measure. She’s happy to explore the highest highs and lowest lows of the torch song form, with nearly bipolar levels of elation to go with the pining.” - Variety
If You Like: Nina Simone, Billy Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, Betty Carter, Rachelle Ferrell
1/ Visions (5:11) -piano starts> slow song> piano solo> song> fade on piano
*2/ One Step Ahead (2:09) – vocal starts> midtempo song fade on vocal
*3/ By Myself (2:34) – heavy chords on piano starts> midtempo song> piano solo swings uptempo> uptempo song> fade
*4/ The Sweetest Sounds (4:55) – vocal starts> slow song> extended piano solo> quick fade
*5/ Ever Since The One I Love’s Been Gone (5:52) – piano starts slow> slow song with forceful vocals> piano solo> wailing vocals> fade on vocal
6/ A Clef (2:05) - Piano starts> low song in French> slow fade
*7/ Obsession (3:10) – piano starts> slow song with soaring vocals> piano solo> song> quick fade on vocal
8/ Wild Is Love (3:21) – piano starts hesitantly> midtempo song> quick fade on vocal
9/ J’ai L’ Cafard (3:00) - organ starts> midtempo song in French> quick stop on organ
10/ Somewhere (7:10) - piano starts slow> vocal soars> heavy piano solo> slow & soft song> crescendo end on vocal
*11/ The Gentleman Is A Dope (4:29) – piano starts> midtempo strutting song> heavy piano solo to fade
*12/ Trouble Is a Man (3:47) – piano starts> slow song with shifting melodies & crescendos> piano solo to end
13/ Were Thine That Special Face (3:19) – piano starts> slow song that rises & subsides> sprightly piano solo> quick stop on vocal
*14/ I’ve Got Your Number (5:00) – piano starts>midtempo song over uptempo jam> uptempo piano solo with ragtime vibe> song> crescendo end on piano & a note
15/ Tell Me Why (3:18) – piano starts> slow song> soars at end & fades
*16/ Everything I’ve Got Belongs To You (1:10) – piano starts> short uptempo song> quick stop on piano
*17/ The Peacocks (9:34) – piano starts slow> slow song slowly builds in volume & intensity, then mellows> pause> instrumental jam> piano solo> slow song swells in volume> pause> slow mellow song to fade