Dianne Reeves - Dianne Reeves

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Music reviews of Dianne Reeves

Music Review: Mature jazz from a sophisticated soul
Rating: 4 Stars

You'd be hard-pressed to find a smoother, classier reading of the jazz chestnut "Yesterdays," and the frantically-paced "That's All" features some of the best scatting this side of Ella Fitzgerald. Especially impressive is her reading of "I Got it Bad and That Ain't Good," as Reeves lets her voice caress the lyric with a light touch. A less instinctual vocalist might have attacked the entire post-solo second bridge, but Dianne builds to a belt only when the lyrics read "crying my heart out," accenting just the right moment.

This isn't to say traditionally-arranged standards is where Reeves begins and ends, however; a true master can take on a pop-flavored piece and twist, turn, and innovate until the end result is undeniably jazz, and Dianne proves her mettle on Herbie Hancock's "Harvest Time," Stevie Wonder's "Never Said (Chan's Song)," and the sweetly sentimental "Better Days." Additionally, "Sky Islands" (which Reeves co-wrote) has a multi-layered feel...part samba, part fusion, and all gorgeous.

But to get the entire picture of Reeves' vocal range, look no further than the intoxicating ballad "I'm OK"...as she opens the piece, singing "the winters of my life/they've been around so long..." it's clear that we are witnessing the arrival of an artist who knows her way around a lyric. Future albums would find her taking more risks both musically and vocally, but this stunning debut is a landmark in a genre that doesn't find enough artists as classy and sophisticiated as the work they attempt. Luckily for jazz, there is Dianne Reeves.

Description of Dianne Reeves

Broadway & Vocalists CDs

• Music > Styles
• Jazz
• Pop
• R&B