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Dianne
Reeves
The Palo Alto Sessions 1981-1985
By Steven Fullwood
In
light of the current state of the music business, rare is the artist
who gets the opportunity to hone her craft in a way that Dianne Reeves
has been blessed to do. Her first two albums, "Welcome to My
Love" and "For Every Heart," re-released as The Palo
Alto Sessions 1981-1985, stands as the recorded beginnings of one of
the more enduring voices on the scene today. The album provides a
fitting and illuminating start to contextualize Reeves' rich-yet often
misunderstood-artistic sojourn.
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Here listeners are privy to Reeves'
eclecticism in its bare infancy. Germane to her catalog are longtime
elements, Africanisms ("Ancient Source"), jazz standards
("My Funny Valentine") and songs written by longtime
collaborator and friend, jazz pianist and composer, Billy Childs
("Hesistations," "Siren Serenade," and
"Lullaby"). However, what makes The Palo Alto Sessions
interesting is that it contains the first recorded version of Reeves's
most intriguing work, "Better Days," her signature song.
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"Better Days"
captures the then young developing singer/songwriter at an captivating
place. A soulful tune with a hint of jazz, this version of the song
consumes Reeves at every turn. The singer appears to be so swept up in
emotion that at times the power of her immense voice drowns the
song's intended simplicity. Still, Reeves on a not-so-good day is
better then anything you'll hear on the radio today. The best of them
here is the lush "My Funny Valentine" and the expansive
"Lullaby." M
June 2002 |
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