Cassandra Wilson
has steadfastly refused to be pigeonholed or confined to any stylistic formula. Her highly anticipated
Blue Note
debut may stir renewed controversy, as she is once again all over the place. She begins the set with her intriguing version of
"You Don't Know What Love Is."
Then she moves from two
Robert Johnson
covers (
"Come on in My Kitchen"
and
"Hellhound on My Trail"
) through
rock
compositions from
Van Morrison
Joni Mitchell
, her own title track,
blues
cut
"Redbone,"
and a piercing version of
"I Can't Stand the Rain"
that can hold up to comparisons with
Ann Peebles
' classic. She doesn't have
Johnson
's menacing quality (who does?), but does invoke an equally compelling air.
Wilson
has great timing, pacing, and delivery, and certainly has
sensibility in her sound. ~ Ron Wynn