Sing to me!
Ada Bird Wolfe sings like she’s lived a few of these lyrics, possessing a rich and palpable tone, but flexible enough to swing it as she teams with the warm hands of pianist Jamieson Trotter on some rich reads. Trotter evokes reminiscence of Jaki Byard, possessing exciting chords as well as fragrant melodies as Wolfe puts lyrics to Miles Davis’ “ESP” on “Mind to Mind”. Likewise the two bop with delight on “Sweet Nardis” while Trotter pulls out some classical nocturne atmospheres on a clever “Night In Tunisia” while the two get elliptical on “Blue In Green/All Blues”. Wolfe snaps her fingers and the lyrics to a fun take of “Get It Straight (Straight, No Chaser)” w hile the two volley back and forth on a sensuous samba of “Logo Eu”. Dynamic duets.
Kristiana Roemer writes almost all of the tunes for this album, giving wide eyed moods reminiscent of mid period Joni Mitchell. Supported by Addison Frei/p, Alex Claffy/b, Adam Arruda/dr, Gilad Hekselman-Ben Monder/g, Dayna Stephens/ts and Rogerio Boccato/perc, Roemer sounds intimate and vulnerable on the frail title track, delicate on the dark “Beauty Is A Wound” and Teutonically dark on the misty “Deine Hande”. Stephens’ soulful tenor adds muscle to her read of Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar” and Monder’s strings add to the spaciousness of “Manchmal” while pastels prevail on “Duke Ellington’s Sound Of Love”. Minstrel moments.
Nora Jean Wallace shoots first and asks questions later on this wonderfully visceral digestion of the blues. Her team of Johnny Moeller-David Earl/g, Steve Gomes/b, Kevin Anker/org, Kim Wilson-Steve Guyger/harm, Stanley Banks/key and Robb Stupka/dr is tighter than Kim Kardashian’s leggings, as they sway on “I Don’t Have to Beg You To Love Me” and shuffle on the harp wailing “I’m A Blues Woman”. Wallace gets sassy over some Chuck Berry licks on “Martel” and swings out a gospel “Victim” that grabs you by the throat. She can lecture with the best as she finger points on “I’ve Been Watching You” and bares her gritty soul on “Evidence”. You don’t want to mess with this lady!!