I had to go back into my archives to confirm my suspicions, and it was true-The Baylor Project’s earlier release of The Journey also got my RINGER OF THE WEEK award. The husband and wife team of vocalist Jean Baylor with drummer Marcus mixes jazz, gospel, soul and traditional Americana in a way that simply makes you glad to be an American and person of faith. The photo on the inside fold tells it all: there is a family of multiple generations around a dinner table, bowing in prayer to give thanks to God for the meal. This album is a musical version of that photo, filled with 13 courses of song and celebration.
Musically, there is a surfeit of guests joining in on the buffet: Kenny Garrett/as, Jazzmeia Horn/voc, Dianne Reeves/voc, Jamison Ross/voc, and Sullivan Fortner/p are just a few that drop in for a quick bite. You also get a rotating food tray of Shedrick Mitchell/key, Terry Brewer/key, Dezron Douglas-Ben Williams/g, Rayfiled Holloman-Marvin Sewell/g , Freddie Hendrix/tp, Mark Williams/tb, Keith Loftis/ts, Pablo Batista/perc as well as other invitees on strings and assorted instruments.
As for the actual music, well, Ms. Jean sounds like a young Aretha Franklin as she teams up with Kenny Garrett on the upbeat Sunday Morning stomper “Strivin’”, while she testifies pianist Terry Brewer on the lovely “Happy To Be With You” and gets rich and romantic with strings on “Love Makes Me Sing”. A sincere and uplifting testimony with Jamison Ross brings light through the stained glass window on the luminescent “Only Believe” while Horn and Reeves dig in deep with Hendryx and Fortner on the thrilling “We Sing ‘The Cyper’”. Fortner supplies rich bop strides on the fun “Do You Remember” while Ms. Jean is delicate and vulnerable on “Becoming”. Hubby Marcus directs traffic like a NY cop, letting the traffic flow easy and knowing when to signal for a turn. This wonderful album puts the “soul” back into soul music. Are they ever going to come to So Cal?
1 comment for “****RINGER OF THE WEEK****The Baylor Project: Generations”