Cassandra Wilson

Blue light 'til Dawn, from 93, is a belter. Great versions of 'Come on in my kitchen' and 'Can't stand the rain'

"Glamoured" and "Belly Of The Sun" both breathe the sweating, steamy athomsphere of the deltas. Fabolous !

"Blue Skies" is full of classical woman Jazz songs. My personal eye opener, years ago. "Sings Standars", same direction

Live is another interesting CD. Very well recorded, sizzling atomsphere.

For my taste, everything she does is magic.

cheers
Stefan

My favourite CW album is "Rendevous", with Jackie Terrasson. A find her albums a bit hit and miss but this one is consistently good.

My 2p

Thanks Guys,

I'll check it out. I found "sings standards" at the back of the collection and enjoyed that too.

I guess she has quite a style of her own but I find it is a refreshing change from the poppy commercial jazz we are bombarded with.

cheers
Gus

I don't know. Bought Belly of the Sun few years ago, but just don't get it, particularly things like The Weight and Wichita Lineman. Only time in my life I ever longed for Glen Campbell. Maybe I check out another one.

I've had a couple of Cassandra Wilson albums, and while I don't find her awful in the Snorah way, it just goes right by me. I can apreciate her talent intellectually, but I'm not moved an iota.

I wish I liked Cassandra Wilson, but it doesn't happen!

I know what you mean; her presentation is very unorthodox. I got "sings standards" years ago and didn't get it - I tried twice and just couldn't get into it, never even played the whole album.

Then after I watched the Ken Burns Jazz dvds rave on about her I thought I'd try again. Luckily I got Travelin Miles and found it much more accessible.

With the other albums I guess that if you compare the tracks to standard versions they are plain weird but if you just let the whole thing come over you without analysing it, it all makes sense. Perhaps it is a bit like hearing John Coltrane for the first time after growing up on a Jazz diet of Louis Armstrong.

Gus

Been a big fan for years

I've got almost all of her stuff (with the exception of the one with Jackie Terrasson for some reason) including all the early JMT albums on vinyl.

Generally speaking I avoid jazz with vocals but CW is the outstanding exception. By comparison, what the lemming legions of fans see in Snorah is completely beyond my comprehension.

Favourite albums would be Days Aweigh, Dance To The Drums Again, Blue Light Til Dawn and Travelling Miles - not so fond of her 'Standards' stuff. Gus & Malky - I agree with you both.

Several of the earlier outings feature Jean-Paul Bourelly on guitar, which for me is huge, though I daresay I'm in a minority of one on that score.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by gusi:
...I got Travelin Miles and found it much more accessible.

I had that but just found that it didn't work for me, I like jazz vocalistes and I admire Cassandra Wilson but find I get nothing from her music. A singer I do like is a canadian singer called Molly Johnson.

I think that is the problem; you go in expecting a jazz vocalist like a modern Ella FitzGerald but you get more of a blues/folk singer.

I listened to Belly of the Sun today and really liked it. Perhaps being in between jobs in the humid 36 degree autumn weather put me in a lazy Delta state of mind.

I'll check out Molly Johnson though.

cheers
Gus

This is the one I bought first and I like the most:

Thanks Peter, I'll keep an eye out for it.
Gus