For her debut recording as a leader, post-
Straight Ahead
violinist
Regina Carter
plays marvelously, improvises well, and has a tone that is typically soaring, clear, and at times mournful.
Victor Bailey
's production values and songs (he wrote three) have a profound effect on the result of this music, which mostly ranges from
pop
-
funk
to smooth instrumentals.
Carter
wrote or co-wrote six of the ten tracks, but this is not to say it's all samey and predictable. The highlight is the
Mark Helias
piece
"Beau Regard"
in a 6/8 rhythm, where trombonist
Steve Turre
and
play wonderfully rich unison lines while pianist
Rachel Z
embellishes with her own gossamer-like, forward-moving runs. Exuding true, pure soul,
and bassist
Lonnie Plaxico
interpret the
Billie Holiday
epic
"Don't Explain"
with no help. It's a tour de force of restrained response and a deeply felt, imaginative interpretation. Though barely two minutes each, the two
"Sticks & Stones"
tracks (the "Sticks" version and the "Stones" version) join
and djembe player
Abdulai Epizo Bangoura
for a violin vamp and percussion workout. The rest of the material lies in the
R&B
/
vein, and holds little interest on a
jazz
,
smooth jazz
, or commercial level. The lyrics are one-liners, the instrumental passages are not exciting or vital, and though
's
improvisations
are intriguing, they are not enough to lift tunes like
"I Wanna Talk to You,"
"When I Hear Your Name,"
"Ain't Nobody,"
"The Last Time..."
past a vapid vanishing point. However, artistry wins out in the end, and
's got more than enough of that. Pass on this one but watch for future volumes where she will shine on the strength of her musicianship, not a produced notion. ~ Michael G. Nastos