Cassandra Wilson

Wouldn't it be? Wilson thinks so, as she inhales a Southern aire and blows a serious blues jones into the lungs of these somewhat shopworn mannequins, breathing heat back into their Broadway bones. "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" is a bittersweet treat. "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?" blithely skips over the crumbling concrete of disappointment. "Black Orpheus" is all haloed streetlamps in a midnight fog. Throughout, Wilson's warmth is palpable, heightened by the "liveness" of the recording. Wilson sings on, over, and around the beat; she clicks, claps, and finger snaps, exhorting her musicians to a communal "one." Let yourself get swept in. Everybody gets the blues; Wilson turns `em into jazzy rainbows.

Cassandra Wilson at her best.
Wonderful, interesting interpretations of well-known songs with a team of musician who really bring out the best of Cassandra.
My favorite: Caravan! Rarely presented with such cool.
Contrary to some of the other reviewers I judge Ms Wilson's detached and apparently uncommitted way of delivering the songs as a great asset of this CD.

This CD will go down as one of the best jazz CD's ever recorded!!! Please Buy It! Run don't walk!!!!

Ms. Wilson seems to be missing the energy to deliver much excitement in these songs. Maybe good bedtime music.

Cassandra's smoky alto remains one of the most beguiling voices in jazz and blues.
After it was wreathed in a high-tech production by the producer T. Bone Burnett on Thunderbird, she goes back to acoustic basics of traditional jazz vocals here, with a set almost entirely comprised of vintage tunes recorded with a small combo featuring the brilliant pianist du jour, Jason Moran and the guitar of Marvin Sewell.
"Loverly" was produced in a rented house in her Mississippi hometown, with assembled invited musician friends who got down to the business of recording then and there, making this recording so relaxed and personal that it feels like a live set in your own living room.
It's impressive to hear the class and character Cassandra has injected into these 20th century songs.
With the help of Yoruba percussionist Lekan Babalola she knits West African rhythms into stripped-down arrangements, featuring Lonnie Plaxico (bass), Jason Moran (piano) and Herlin Riley (drums).
The decisive player, however, is Nigerian percussionist Lekan Babalola, whose polyrhythmic flurries perk up Duke Ellington's "Caravan" and a version of "Gone With the Wind" whose elegant unison guitar and piano recalls Steely Dan.
He's at the heart of "Arere", inspired by the Yoruban god of willpower, on which Cassandra could be singing in a native dialect, or scatting.
"Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" is a true eye-opener. Cassandra's voice is so deep and resonant it's tangible, and she tells her story of loneliness backed only by Marvin Sewell's silvery acoustic guitar. He reappears playing ethereal slide guitar on "Black Orpheus", supported by Cuban-sounding percussion and piano, under Cassandra's whispered, desolate vocals.
"The Very Thought of You", a sublime duet with guest bassist Reginald Veal, features a rhythmic solo and sinuous vocals.
It is the up-tempo tracks that succeed in turning sparks to flame here. A traddish version of "Lover Come Back To Me" smears Cassandra's mellifluous vocals across Jason Moran's wild piano playing and "Arere", the only original on the album, is a frenetic fusion of unstoppable, cascading rhythms. On "Caravan" too, hectic percussion tumbles over jumbled piano and guitar, with Cassandra's voice at the other side of the room one moment and eerily close the next.
For many, it's Wilson's blues singing that stands out and she invests warhorses such as "St James Infirmary" and "Dust My Broom with a funky vitality.
All in all, not quite a classic, but many fine moments.
Highlights: "Caravan", "St James Infirmary", "Gone With the Wind", and "Arere".

Repeatedly unexpected. Spare, care-ful arrangements, each specifically formulated for each song, each matching her rich, dark alto. First and foremost, serious jazz, but also something entirely different, reflecting an eclectic song choice (e.g., Robert Johnson, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Ann Peebles, herself). Sometimes a primal awareness, but mainly a remarkable artistic sensibility. She DEMANDS attention, completely remaking even old favorites into something totally new. S: tr 2-Come on in my kitchen; tr 4-Children of the night, tr 5-Hellhound on my trail; tr 7-Sankofa; tr 10-Tupelo honey.

Hands down one of the best covers of Tupelo Honey I've heard. For some reason this stands out as one Cassandra's best recordings to me. Great range of voice and songs in this outing.

Of all of the vocal jazz albums released in the 1990's, this remains one of the best. Ms. Wilson shows tremendous range and diversity here: from a cover of "Tupelo Honey" that outdoes Van Morrison (if that's even possible), to a wonderfully evocative "Hellhound on My Trail", to "You Don't Know What Love Is". to the African-based trio in the middle of the set, it doesn't get much more eclectic than this. Yet, it's all interesting, with always interesting instrumentation. I think Cassandra Wilson falls in the mold of Billie Holiday--one with a relatively limited voice who just brings it all to the table--but with wider diversity. Very highly recommended.

Ms. Wilson has a wonderful voice that reminds me somewhat of that of Cleo Laine. The problem for great voices--now I'm also thinking of Whitney Houston--is that they don't always make great albums.

This one is what I would describe as late night music, the kind of thing that you put on when you have arrived home having drunk rather too much, and want to hear something clear and pure to clear your head.

My favorite track on this is the Robert Johnson number Hellhound On My Trail, which is beautifully done with solo guitar accompaniment. I would like to have heard more of Ms. Wilson in this mode, but this album is a bit of a sampler--eclectic if you like--mixing blues, jazz and country, with violins creeping in every now and again.

Not a bad album at all, but I suspect that Ms. Wilson is capable of an even better one, so I reserve judgement a bit. I also have a feeling, and this is just a hunch, that this album may appeal more to female listeners than to the guys.

My star rating system goes like this:

5 stars--an absolute classic
4 stars--the artist is on top form here, a good buy
3 stars--fans of this artist should enjoy this album
2 stars--some good stuff, but inconsistent
1 star--just not good enough

So Cassandra's "New Moon Daughter" is a gem too, but this album is less known and, while it didn't make an immediate impression on me, I now listen to it a lot more. There's basically more variety in song style and arrangement and, if you like Cassandra, then just the sound of her voice is heaven. (If you haven't heard her, her voice is about as distinct as Nina Simone's.) The key point with Cassandra is: nobody sounds like her so if she isn't in your collection then nothing like her is in your collection. Her voice is deep and sultry, her music spacious, unrushed -- there's something distinctly southern about it. She is one of Nora Jones' inspirations, but where Nora's voice is a gentle breeze, Cassandra's is a gathering cloud, and there is no lounge sound to Cassandra's music -- the instruments bleed raw notes.

"New Moon Daughter" was released on Blue Note Records in 1996. It is in my opinion her best effort. She never sounded so dark and silky smooth. Most of the songs are very subtle and haunting. She has really done it on this album.

For those who don't know who Cassandra Wilson, she is a jazz vocalist who has performed in a number groups over the years, her most experimental being M-Base Collective led by saxophonist Steve Coleman. I think this is where she got much of her experience dealing with different kinds of music besides jazz.

"New Moon Daughter" finds her in very good company. Her band is remarkable and they are:

Graham Haynes, Lawrence "Butch" Morris (coronet); Tony Cedras (accordion); Dougie Bowne (vibraphone, drums, percussion); Charlie Burnham (violin); Gary Breit (Hammond B-3 organ); Brandon Ross (acoustic, electric & octave guitars); Kevin Breit (acoustic, resophonic & electric guitars, tenor banjo, Irish bozouki); Chris Whitley (resophonic guitar); Gib Wharton (pedal steel); Lonnie Plaxico, Marc Anthony Peterson (bass); Jeff Haynes (percussion); Cyro Baptista (percussion, jews harp); The Peepers (background vocals)

Wilson, like Diana Krall, surrounds herself with real jazz musicians that know the music. I can't talk about the music too much other than it's beautiful and will really take you a minute to soak in what just happened. There are many layers to discover each time you listen.

If you like Shirley Horn and Diana Krall, then I wouldn't see any reason why you wouldn't like Cassandra Wilson. She is a lot different than Horn and Krall musically, but her voice is just as silky smooth. I think with Wilson you really have to be just sit back and wrap your ears around all the beautiful sounds. Listen to this recording with headphones on so you can hear everything and it's more intimate.

Highly recommended to fans of jazz vocals. I don't really listen to jazz vocals that much, because I'm a bebopper, but I was able to really dig this. "New Moon Daughter" is by far one of her finest.

I just wish cd now (or Amazon, if we must tell the truth) would give real details about the recordings instead of flowery descriptions. Who ARE the musicians on this recording? A singer is only as good as the band who backs her up.

I own this and Glamoured, and love them both. Her covers of familiar songs always bring something new. What an eerie, moody, individual stylist.

"Love Is Blindness", I love that moody song! I love the lyrics. I love the musicianship. Most of all I love Cassandra's haunting voice. This is my favorite song on "New Moon Daughter".

"Blue Light Til Dawn" is Cassandra's most acclaimed CD but "New Moon Daugher" is equally as good. I love them both dearly but "New Moon Daughter" is still my favorite. The material on this CD is just so damn strong. Plus it's got "Love Is Blindness" on it. Like I said before, I LOVE that song!

NEEDS to be in any decent collection anymore.
'Last Train...."? OUTRAGOUS!! boom da boomboom dee BOOM!
Upstate New York,to boot,ey?Bearsville.Man- what a beautiful GIFT this woman posseses.WANT MORE PLEASE!!Her newest one is REALLY her best so far,imo.Gettum all! Check out the Jamie Cullum "TwentyFour Something" jams too!! WOW!! A La HOT!!
Karyn Allison...and Ben w/ The Medicine Wheel.Jean-Luc Ponty?YES!!

This album has got the X-factor. Great arrangements, nice acoustic sound. I think it is the best Cassandra Wilson has ever come up with! Wow! What more can one say about this CD?!?!

"Belly of the Sun" is an excellent set from this powerful vocalist. Cassandra's smoky alto has a rich luster that brings great expressiveness to the material she writes & selects. Of the tracks by other songwriters, three stand out for me. The opener "The Weight" that was the signature song for The Band & memorably covered by Joan Baez is remade into a delightful rolling classic with the percussion of Cyro Baptista & Jeffrey Haynes giving little tabla sounds that makes the whole track sparkle. Bob Dylan's "Shelter from the Storm" that first came out in 1975 on his classic "Blood on the Tracks" album is a delightful song with memorable melody and unique lyrics. Wilson nails the nuances and explores new possibilities with her powerful vocals. "Waters of March" by Antonio Carlos Jobim is also a stunning delight with Cassandra swaying with the lovely Brazilian samba melody with the lovely carefree lyric reflected perfectly in the melody with Cyro Baptista's lighthearted percussive touches. Of Wilson's original songs, I particularly enjoy "Show Me A Love" with its pulsing rhythm & Cassandra's voice caressing the melody, "Far away from all the glitter & the gloom, who are we inside the four walls of this tiny room, is it love we have or just a grown-up fairy tale?" "Drunk As Cooter Brown" is also a lot of fun. "Belly of the Sun" is an excellent set by this sultry singer. Enjoy!

Wonderful music and a beautiful, transparent, open recording. As good or better than Blue Light Till Dawn.

I bought this album along with Norah Jones, and definately prefer Cassandra. I was unfamiliar with her work, but heard her on a Sunday morning TV program and was interested in hearing more. I played it one day while working and my husband came in and was so taken by her beautiful renditions of familiar songs that he asked if he could take it to his carpentry workshop. I was amazed. He is pretty much in to a very different type of music. So, now we share it. Worth buying and worth listening to.

From the promise of her excellent contributions on Terence Blanchard's*Let's Get Lost*,the scene was set...what could we expect from Ms Wilson.She had already *Travelled Miles*,where could she go from there...a long and rewarding way,is the answer!
Regardless of what genre this CD falls under,and lets be realistic,Ms Wilson slices through a number of them in expressing herself musically here,this is a standout collection in 2002..or any other year for that matter.She can't be pigeoned -holed,she just entertains and continues to grow as a top notch vocalist.

Conceived in the tradition of the Mississippi blues and supplemented with jazz and R&B influences,then executed in the heat of August in a disused railway station and boxcar,punctuated with that percussive beat and maverick style,relying on that midnight and beyond voice..and given wings by a choice of self penned or covered classics of all styles....Ms Wilson has excelled in producing her most accessible collection to date.
Noted for her experimental and sparse percussive sounds,she has crafted,lovingly, with the help of friends,interpretations of classic songs from classic songwriters,that benefit from some deft production that has made a truely memorable CD.the result is personal and infectious!!
The songs chosen,Dylan,Robertson,Webb,Taylor, were not easy,but an artist of her growing maturity delivered,with warts and all,that turned this catalogue into something memorable.*The Weight*,a classic Robertson song interpreted in the Wilson style..which cannot be catagorized save to say that it is unique and bluesy.Personal favourites,such as Mississippi Fred McDowell's *You Got To Move*,from the delta roots,have you joyfully clapping your hands and singing like its Sunday morning at church..a faithful and substantial rendition.Dylan never sounded like this,as *Shelter From The Storm*,a classic fragment song from the monumental*Blood On The Tracks*,is brought to life and a narrative is brought to life, as delivered by Ms Wilson..a personal favourite of mine,worth the purchase price alone.

Playful jazzy bluesy latin and bosa nova renditions that surely must please all who listen,set tracks such *Drunk As Cooter Brown*,*Hot Tamales*and Only A Dream In Rio*up as highlights.
Ms Wilson drifts from style to style,genre to genre,and yet the songs are tightly delivered.So much so that novices like Norah Jones,who have attempted to encompass *it all*, must blush with envy.Long time friend Rhonda Richmond (who pens *Road So Clear*,and,sings, plays piano and violin on this set)compliments her friend beautifully.The excellence from longtime association is very self-evident.
The inclusion of the India Arie duet,*Just Another Parade*,penned by Ms Wilson continues to highlight her abilities as the standout *Jazz,and yet not Jazz*performer status.
*Wichita Lineman*,although an honest interpretation,does not do the Webb classic justice,but continues to highlight the willingness of the artist to push the boundaries further.This is really a pedantic point,as the overall excellence of this CD cannot be escaped.
It would be amiss of any review not to acknowledge the engine room in any Wilson CD,the drums of Xavyon Jamison,the percusive brilliance of Cyro Bapista,Jeffery Haynes,and the guitar playing of anything stringed by Marvin Sewell.Mark Peterson and Kevin Breit,are all excellent and make that*Wilson sound*.Throw in Robert Johnston India Arie and Rhonda Richmond..and the mix is pure Delta gumbo.

In a year when the scene was swamped by jazz R&B rap and pop divas promising to be the *next big thing* and delivering more of the*same old thing*,in blows the unique and talented Ms Wilson like a Gulf breeze and just knocks them dead.Not jazz but music with feeling..adult and rewarding.5 stars because of the mixture of maverick delights,...will be continually played.So much talent on display,Buy it!!!

Another good collection of songs performed by Cassandra Wilson (vocals, acoustic guitar), including a couple of traditional songs. She should find another producer though. The electric bass is way too prominent for a Blue Note album.

I really appreciate customer reviews that assist me in making the right buying decisions. I don't write many reviews; but as a music fan and collector, I'm compelled to protect others from wasting their money on less than rewarding recordings. Here, I join the small minority of reviewers whom have tried to warn you about the lackluster substance of this product. I've been so impressed by other Wilson recordings, but just not this one. So if you're considering buying this or another Wilson recording, then I recommend you buy the other. I agree the mix here is extremely muddy, with the low frequencies pushed way outside the scope of what is normal. I mean, I like bass too, but this mix is just not smart. Additionally, I found very little SINCERELY soulful feelings in the vocals, which was the thing that turned me on so to Cassandra's work. Buyer beware.

Cassandra Wilson is the blues, soul singer extraordinaire....such a stylist. Get this album and thank your lucky stars you had the opportunity to listen to one of the finest singers alive.

It happened at work one day about 10 years ago. A colleague of mine was playing some Jazz music at the office and I heard what sounded like the Jazz/Blues original version of Cyndi Lauper's "Time after time". Only problem was I knew it was Cyndi that did the original so I asked who it was that was singing. "Oh, that's Cassandra Wilson" she said, "Haven't you heard of her before?"

Well, I never had, so I went out, got, and fell in love with the CD it came off, "Traveling miles", especially the African flourishes on the duet with Angelique Kidjo "Run the voodoo down". Next I heard from her was the brooding beauty, "You move me" from the excellent "Love Jones" soundtrack.

That's the Cassandra Wilson magic for you, with her dusky sensual voice and her eclectic flourishes. "Thunderbird" is no different, a Jazz/Blues/Folk take on songs done by others. Having never heard any of the originals, I just went with the flow.

At 10 tracks, she cuts right to the chase. Opening cut, "Go to Mexico" is a groovy song, rich in percussion, lovely harmonies, some skat singing, and almost falsetto vocals from Wilson. A real beauty and an excellent way to open the album. "Closer to you" (originally done by Yakob Dylan) is a dreamy affair, with lilting percussion and her soothing vocals, almost Trip hop-like. Stunning!

"Easy rider" is a more stripped horn sprinkled initially folky affair which progresses into a delicate Blues number, and "It would be so easy" is a more upbeat song with a groovy bassline. "Red river valley" is an almost acapella hymnal folky ballad with just electric slide guitar accompanying her vocals.

"Poet" is a brooding groovy song with a sketchy bassline initially, while "I want to be loved" is guitar Blues which finds Wilson singing in a slightly upper register in parts.

"Lost" is a beautiful guitar ballad (one of my favourites, but really, they are all my favourites) which sounds like it should be on some exotic movie soundtrack. "Strike a match" features skittery drums and a deep bassline, with lovely strummed guitars. Stunning! Closing is "Tarot", another song with a groovy bassline, some great harmonising, and interesting musical movements (there is a great sax solo).

Hypnotic and beautiful, Cassandra Wilson is a real thunderbird.

Funky, sultry, bluesy, sexy, mellow, haunting, hypnotic, cool...this CD has it all and then some. From the opening beats of Go To Mexico to the final chords of Tarot, this is an incredibly hot disc. Wilson has certainly hooked me with her absolutely gorgeous vocals, but the music on this CD is so darn good, it doesn't make any sense. This is not your usual Cassandra and if you're looking for something different from her from a purely musical standpoint, then this is it.

I love Miles Davis and have barely listened to Cassandra Wilson so this was a risky venture; in the end it was worthwhile. I was curious what an artist could do by changing the original Miles songs into something new, replacing his horn with a voice, adding lyrics and creating a differnt song essentially. Beginning with Miles's excellent "Run The VooDoo Down" I was drawn in with a positive attitude. The following track, a Cassandra Wilson composition entitled "Travelling Miles" was very tasty with nice runs on sax by Steve Wilson and echoing Wilson's vocals as a chorus. It is a moody piece, part blues, part jazz, all good. From this point on the disc suddenly tries to capture the many colors of the musical world by adding a slew of instruments that seem to not fit together. Marimbas with slide guitar on one track, on others harmonicas, mandolins, vibraphone, violin and even classical guitar(more on that later). I wish she would have incorporated a trumpet since that was Miles's instrument. Does this musical stew work? Surprisingly, yes, for the most part. The mixture is tasteful and done in such a manner that it is suttle and never overpowering. She lets her voice and the power of Miles songs take control. Outstanding tracks are the aforementioned, "Run The VooDoo Down" from Miles's "Bitches Brew," as well as the "VooDoo Reprise," the eloquent phrasing on Cyndi Lauper's" Time After Time," the undertoned stylings and jazzy vocals on "Someday My Prince Will Come" complete with mandolin and violin interludes and " Sky and Sea" that features Pat Metheny on a classical guitar solo and Cassandra's smoky vocals. The disc overall is pretty good , it is a slow and bluesy musical tribute fit for a rainy day or late night reflexions. Recommended for jazz aficionados or some one that wants to hear what has been done with the music of Miles Davis.

Smooth and silky voice of Cassandra Wilson is not a bad instrument for various sorts of jazz and similar moods, although one might wonder whether a bit more sense of swing could help me enjoy it even more...
She is a great singer, just not such a great jazz singer. For those not familiar with Miles Davis' work (although he is a cross-over artist himself) this album could serve as an inspiration.
Miles is a far greater artist (and jazz perfomer) but this is still a nice tribute...

"Right Here, Right Now" is my favorite cut on this record, but there really isn't anything here that I didn't enjoy. Cassandra Wilson's best effort so far, this is a complex and interesting tribute to the music of Miles Davis.

If you are looking to get the DVD-Audio version of Traveling Miles (there are a lot of copies listed where I am posting this note) you should know that the DVD Audio tracks were screwed up in the disc mastering and/or manufacturing. Cassandra's vocals come out of the right surround (or rear) channel, and there is no sound at all in the left surround or center channels. You can switch to play it in DTS which has a very nice and full mix, but you lose the higher resolution, of course. Consquently, I am indicating one star for this problem in this version.

It is a particularly difficult thing to do, recreating the spirit of a musician with such a enormous persolity as Miles through a tribute album, without falling in mannerism or without simply copying the original. Cassandra didin't go wrong here, proving to be a true artist (like John McLaughlin in his tribute to Bill Evans). She tributed Miles here recreating his blackness, his sophisticated use of space and his sense of harmony but without coping him. The music here is both Davis and Wilson. It's not atribute in a sense, it is Miss Wilson who meets Miles Davis. I really feel Miles's spirit in these voodo, black arrangements when you have slide or acoustic guitars and percussions for example, and I feel his presence too in the way Cassandra use wide spaces in tunes such as Tutu or Blue in green. The totally absence of virtuosisms, the will to tell a story and to give each note weight .. this is truly what Miles was about essentially and you can find him here in these tunes. The ones I love the most are the opener, Someday my prince will come, Tutu and Blue in green. They are original versions of these songs, absolutly not common or already heard versions. I think that you have to be really courageous to realize an album such as this one, tributing Miles but injecting in this music your own vision. You have to be a true artist, such as Cassandra. My plause! Morevoer I think this album could be enjoyed by the jazz novices too because it is not a difficult album, it maintains a sense of natural easyness.. and it has a very contemporary, interesting atmosphere with nice sounds. Very good. I'd give four stars and a half it it was an option. I choose five against four because it's very rare to find an artist with enough personality to do things like this.

Blanchard on horn with Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, and Edward Wilson on piano performing eleven great tunes! What more do I need to say?

Terence Blanchard is undoubtedly one of the top jazz performers of our time, regardless of instrument. However (and this is just my opinion), I don't care much for his original material. I much prefer releases in which he interprets other writers' works (e.g., The Billie Holliday Songbook, The Heart Speaks). So you can only imagine how much I enjoy listening to Let's Get Lost. This CD is outstanding not just in the interpretations, arrangements and production (all are flawless), but Blanchard has surrounded himself with four wonderful vocalists to support his vision of McHugh's standards.

This is one of my favorite late-night CD's. Blanchard's tone, as always, is pure, clean and sweet. I was introduced to several McHugh songs that I hadn't heard before. With over 60 minutes of quality performances, it is simply too hard to pick out a favorite cut. Quality stuff - Daddy like. Also check out the other two Blanchard CD's mentioned above.

I bought this bec. of Jane Monheit, and it is well worth it.

the other artists are great in their own right.

The reason i bought this CD is because it features my favourate vocalist Diane Reeves but when hearing what a wonderful Trumpeter Mr Blanchad is I was speechless.The CD opens win with marvelous rendition 'lets get lost' with Diana Krall on vocals & as usually known she never fails to impress whether u like her voice or not She is gonna be here in this world of Jazz for a long time to come.The show stopper for me is "too young to get steady" with Jane Monheit on vocals how! what a sweet voice with Blanchad swaying & swerving his trumpet so soulfully. "You are a sweetheart" is the best instrumental song for me & "Lost in a fog a 9 min. plus track will take u from your living room to some other place u have never been.Now Diane Reeves adds a wonderful rendition on " I cant believe you are in love with me" she is also very convincing on "Cant get out of this mood" like as if she is acting u hear the voice of a person who is really into something she really cant believe why cant it stop.Ms Wilson has a surprisingly baritone & yet feminine voice i was very surprised on "dont blame me". The supporting cast is very good esp. the bass,tenor sax & drums.Overall this CD is a MUST HAVE as ALL songs are beautiful.Its very funny that I have never actualy been attracted to the trumpet as an instrument(with exception to Miles Davis) but after hearing this CD I have definately changed my mind. This CD appeals to R&B, jazz,Soul fans as it is delivered not really in the traditional jazz settings but relaxed mood jazz.one reviewer is concerned about this CD being "watered down jazz compared to Blanchad previous works" if I may say. My replication to that is, not everyone likes "traditional jazz" i.e hardcore renditions. As time goes by we need someone to bring new life to these "standards" songs & that person in this case is none other than Terence Blanchad if U wanna enjoy this CD thouroghly ,play it in the late evenings or early mornings when the noise from the streets is less. Go on & invest on this CD you won't be disappointed.

One of my first SACD purchase I made from Amazon, having no idea who Mr Blanchard is and his style of music...However, what a wonderful surprise this has been and still the SACD is one of my favourite album. The stellar cast of singers and musician and the quality sound made this an excellent album to spin, especially late at night. For those with 'audiophilic' persuasion, an excellent disc to spin for your system.

I've personally found Cassandra's CDs to be somewhat uneven. While her singing is always first-rate, the instrumental and vocal arrangements of the many cover versions on her albums are sometimes inspired but too often pedestrian (a common criticism of contemporary jazz). This CD's mix of jazz, blues, and pop songs however is one of her best efforts. There's a good version of Sting's "Fragile," a spirited reworking of Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay," and a killer rendition of Muddy Waters' "Honey Bee." When you cover songs this familiar, you need to be respectful of the original and yet take an innovative approach. Cassandra really delivers on this recording.

Applies her now distinctive fusion-Delta steel, jazz, deep funkiness, and the voice-to a wide range of songs, making them all her own. Many reveal the originals only with close attention. Most coherent collection of her settings that I can recall-all as quiet but insistent and vital as the sound of your blood passing in your veins. The jazz-funk-country blues captures the calm of night in a swamp, but also the vague foreboding of a primordial presence there. Lyrics of tr 1 by Sting capture the mood of the cd as a whole: "Like rain from the stars, how fragile we are." That said, I repeatedly hear her voice as another instrument in the mix before I hear any words. [53:29]

I have asked, as I'm sure many others, that amazon just tell us in the product write-up if a CD is "copy protected" - i.e. cannot be added to a legitimate digital music collection. In the case of this CD I was deeply dissapointed to not be able to play it anywhere I use my iPod. As for Cassandra, yes characterful and typical - maybe a bit predictable and "cookie cutter" by now? I don't know - but she has sooo many similar sounding albums out now that I'm wondering if there's a big machine where you feed in tunes & it then "Cassandrafies" it automatically....

A jazz singer with the heart of a folk singer and the soul of a blues singer, Wilson also has exceptional taste in song, along with original arranging skills. Wilson also seemingly has no musical prejudices. She is equally at home interpreting the music of the Beatle-mimic Monkees ("Last Train to Clarksville", New Moon Daughter) as that of blues pioneer Robert Johnson ("Come on in My Kitchen," Blue Light `Til Dawn). Likewise, she is equally comfortable recording a song by country icon Willie Nelson ("Crazy," Glamoured) as one by outspoken jazz purist Abby Lincoln ("Throw it Away," Glamoured). And she is as comfortable with folk rock songwriter Bob Dylan ("Lay Lady Lay," Glamoured) as jazz composer Miles Davis ("Seven Steps to Heaven," Traveling Miles). Moreover, she can make the most banal seeming material sound profound (as in her haunting, bluesy take on "Last Train to Clarksville"). Wilson can make you appreciate songs and songwriters that you might otherwise not give a second thought, such as when she recorded "Witchita Lineman " (Belly of the Sun) by the underrated `60s and `70s songwriter Jimmy Webb, composer, for better or worse, of the song "McArthur Park, " ("someone left the cake out in the rain . . . "). Part of Wilson's unprejudicial outlook on music can be explained by her southern upbringing, and on her latest CD, Glamoured, Wilson returned to her Mississippi roots both figuratively and literally, as she recorded many of the tracks in Jackson, including the Muddy Waters song "Honey Bee." After the completion of the Mississippi sessions, Wilson returned to New York, where she enlisted the help of Italian guitarist, composer, and producer Fabrizio Sotti for the remainder of the tracts, including the Sting song "Fragile."

Cassandra Wilson is an original. After years of swinging with a trio, she switched gears and turned to a less traditional sound: lots of guitar and percussion. The result is an earthy fusion of jazz, folk, pop, blues and R&B. When you hear the soul in this woman's husky voice and the way she wraps her style around a lyric, you'll understand why Time Magazine declared her "America's Best Singer." On this CD,
Wilson applies her golden touch to Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay," Sting's "Fragile" and even the untouchable "Crazy."

For War of the Worlds, John Williams reached for something not of this earth and composed a score that you feel on your skin, even before you become aware that you are actually hearing it. He has laid down a musical foundation of atmospherics and textural events, achieving a rhythmic propulsion that is so utterly primal it crawls up inside you and makes you wonder how one composer could make such a radical departure of style from such masterworks of melodic phrasing as the flying theme from E.T., to the enduring themes of the Star Wars series and come up with a new sound that gives War of the Worlds much of its ultra-realism. But that is the genuine genius of John Williams and the many characters he has played throughout a musical career that will never be equaled.

John Williams, like his contemporary, the late Jerry Goldsmith, is responsible for some of filmdom's more memorable scores ("Jaws," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Star Wars," "Superman-The Movie," the first three "Harry Potter" films, and so many others). Just the mention of the composer's name brings smiles to the movie fans worldwide and his album sales and critical acclaim attest to his popularity.

Williams's three-decade association with Steven Spielberg has produced some of the aforementioned as well as other scores that have been the best collaborations between director and composer since the days of Hitchcock and legendary Bernard Herrmann.

While John Williams has made beautiful and awe-inspiring music for Spielberg productions in the past, he's had a couple of subpar (for Williams) compositions; and, sadly, "War of the Worlds" falls into this category.

The measure of a movie score lies in its ability to stand alone apart from the film for which it was composed. This particular work needs the movie's images and action to support its lack of listenability. Like the earlier "Minority Report," the music to Spielberg's adaptation of the Wells' classic does not feature any distinct melodies, little drama, or even thrills that are necessary to tell a story about malevolent aliens attempting to wipe out mankind.

It's as if the composer took the term "incidental music" to heart and just provided little more than something in the background.

Maybe he was attempting to be subtle, but the story deserved something a bit more dynamic and frightening.

We, his fans, all know that he is more than capable to come up to the plate.

Perhaps, on his next pairing with Steven...

This score is like nothing else I have heard from Williams and that is an awesome thing! I am always impressed with the work that Williams does but this score really surprised me. The score uses many modern and avant garde classical methods to truly convey an expression of fear. Rather than focusing on charactar based themes, as Williams generally does, he instead uses musical textures to convey the emotion of the film. This textural technique of composing reminded me of the works of Gyorgy Ligeti. Though this is a great listen, this score may seem "unpleasent" to listen to if you aren't used to heavy/modern classical music, which is a contrast to the usual scores that Williams composes. Though I must say, the unpleasant feeling score was exactly what a film like War of the Worlds needed. Bravo John Williams!

For this soundtrack, it is real awesome. It is so good to listen to it. All the sound effects in this album are so good and fill with a lot of tense moments. The composer of this album is John Williams. He is always the best for the movie music. He makes a lot of good music in his past movies. This one is no exception at all. When I listen, I feel the tense moments. So, this album is good overall and you should get it.

I will begin by telling you that this score is either for people with interesting taste, or a film score fanatic. I fit in both categories.

This soundtrack is extremely dark, atmospheric, and at times tragically beautiful.

Tracks 5 and 3 are sure to bring a tear to your eye. The others will have your heart racing, pumping your blood quickly as you EXPERIENCE the suspense of the film in a way only John Towner Williams can simulate.

A must have.

Cassandra Wilson singing jazz standards is kind of appealing on the surface, but a closer listen will reveal that this is actually not what she's good at doing. I wouldn't call her a "jazz" singer anyway, because for me, Shirley Horn was the best female jazz vocalist of all-time.

Wilson does show an impressive range with these selections, but again, I don't think this is her forte at all. The musicians are great: Mulgrew Miller, Lonnie Plexico, and Terri Lynne Carrington. They are all fantastic, but Wilson's voice simply does not fit into this kind of setting.

I think anyone interested in Cassandra Wilson should check out "New Moon Daughter," which as far as I'm concerned is her best recording.

It's easy to think of Cassandra Wilson as a "young" singer, although she's now on the north side of 50. Ms Wilson is always in transition - the fact that you liked her last album is no guarantee that you'll like her next. With "Blue Skies," Ms Wilson left M-Base funk, made a hard right turn, and produced an album of standards. If you like Ms Wilson's voice, but can't stand her durge-like pacing, afro-cuban instrumentation and eclectic song selection, "Blue Skies" is the album for you. Recorded in 1988, in front of an excellent trio, (Mulgrew Miller, piano; Lonnie Plaxico, base; and Terri Carrington, drums), "Blue Skies" showcases Ms Wilson's deep, burnished alto voice on cuts like "Shall We Dance," "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You," and, of course, "Blue Skies." If you have any doubt that Ms Wilson can sing "conventional" jazz, "Blue Skies" will put an end to it. And unfortunately, if this album gets your motor running, (as it does mine), you'll have to look hard to find her doing anything like it since. The "Sings Standards" album, released in 2002, includes four of the "Blue Skies" songs, along with standards culled from other later albums, but that's about it. Nobody doesn't have an opinion about Ms Wilson. She either intrigues you, or makes you crazy. If you like her voice and love the standards repertoire, "Blue Skies" is for you.

I once read an interview with Cassandra Wilson where she said that she didn't want to be a traditional jazz singer because she associated this with wearing gowns and being all ladylike and proper. I read that so long ago that I don't remember the exact words, but that's the gist of her objection. That interview took place years after she recorded Blue Skies, an album of jazz standards. As much as I appreciate the way Ms. Wilson draws upon a variety of influences such that her work now transcends categorization, I would love to hear her do more CDs like this one -- straight up jazz.

I stumbled across Blue Skies in the used Jazz section at Kemp Mill. I can't help but wonder who in the world parted with this gem and why? This early work, released in 1988, proves that Ms. Wilson can hold her own in traditional jazz vocals. She more than covers these standards, she claims them as her own. She even scats! Ms. Wilson's version of "My One and Only Love," is my favorite selection. I would recommend this CD to all the Cassandra Wilson fans, particularly those who have only recently discovered her work.

This is a Hidden Gem.You Don't Hear Cassandra Wilson Sing in a Straight-Up Jazz Style ANymore&that's A Shame.cuz Her VOice Here Showcases The Depth&Many talents this Lady Has.The Music is Great as is The playing.I Love Her 90's&Up Albums but this One Is Incredible.

Cassandra Wilson's recent Blue Note records have been justly praised for her ability to blend genres of popular music. This earlier album of jazz standards, however, is simply wonderful -- Wilson's stunning voice (you MUST hear it!) and intellegent singing backed by an equally intellegent trio. There isn't a wasted note anywhere.

Wilson has largely disowned this repetoire, and the straight-ahead jazz vocal style. This album might be the only extended example that we will ever have of what might have happened if she had chosen a more traditional musical path. While I enjoy her more recent albums, and would listen to her sing just about anything, this is the one I play over and over again.