New Moon Daughter: Cassandra Wilson: Amazon.ca: Music

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Product Description

Amazon.com essential recording

Her luscious alto has the depth and texture of a great tenor saxophonist, but Cassandra Wilson's defining asset is a postmodern song sense that enables her to surf through Son House, Neil Young, Johnny Mercer, Billie Holiday, and (gasp!) the Monkees in pursuit of strong songs that can provide that instrument with a canvas. Her second Blue Note album extends Wilson's seductive pilgrimage beyond the conventions of jazz repertoire and accompaniment, yet it's her instincts as a jazz singer that inform these brilliant readings. The settings again step away from traditional small group jazz (for starters, there's no piano) to evoke the emotional core of these songs. Anyone who can turn the Monkees' "Last Train to Clarksville" into a slow-burning erotic vignette deserves your attention. --Sam Sutherland

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Customer Reviews

42 Reviews

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (42 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Quiet, yet fiery inspiration from one of today's greats, May 13 2004

By

Bruce Hodges (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: New Moon Daughter (Audio CD)

This recording would probably be worth it for nothing more than Wilson's reimagining of "Last Train to Clarksville," the 1966 hit written for the Monkees by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. The sassy Monkees version was a huge success, but Wilson, with the help of a superb arrangement and musicians, mines the song's anxiety and doubt in a completely different way, but just as mesmerizing.

Other high points on this enormously well-conceived disc are a gorgeous version of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," a summery, engaging "Skylark" (yes, Hoagy Charmichael) and U2's "Love is Blindness," an aching ballad that Wilson imbues with overwhelming regret. And just the right choice to end is Neil Young's glowing "Harvest Moon," gently fading out in a haze of shimmering guitar work. Wilson's outstanding musicians -- creative, enthusiastic, yet never overpowering -- must share some of the credit for the success here.

If you go for Wilson's ethereal yet husky voice, not to mention her marvelous taste in choosing and reworking material, this recording shows her at her most luminous. Arguably her best to date, and one of the great jazz vocal recordings of the 1990's.

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5.0 out of 5 stars ONE INCREDIBLE JAZZ SINGER, April 22 2003

By

Scott T Mc Nally (ORLANDO, Fl USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Moon Daughter (Audio CD)

Wilson is truly amazing, but not so much for her voice by itself, but the way she transforms non Jazz material no one ever would have dreamed of doing. She doesn't just pull it off. She makes seem as natural as breathing. I can't think of anyone else who could have taken a piece of mid 60's cheese like The Monkees "Last Train To Clarksville" and transform it into a really swinging Jazz number. Her reading of U2's "Love Is Blindness" is beautiful as well as making songs by Hank Williams and Neil Young all her own. There are also a a couple of standard
Jazz numbers here and she's no slouch as a writer. Case in point: "Solomon Sang". There's also her arrrangements which feature a Joni Mithchell style of "Whack Tuning" as it's refered to in the liner notes, as well as some very diverse instrumentation. It might take you a few listens to really get into, but most great music does and this is without a doubt, great!!!!

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4.0 out of 5 stars Solomon Sang Is A Perfectly Realized Piece, Feb 6 2003

By

bluejim (Castro Valley, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Moon Daughter (Audio CD)

One of the most achingly beautiful songs you'll ever hear.

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