Lizz Wright: Salt
By Keith Boykin, in music
Wednesday, May 28 2003, 9:18AM
She may be the hottest new jazz artist since Norah Jones, and she's the hottest new black jazz artist in the media. With her new CD, Lizz Wright wants you to open your eyes and fly with her on this delightful musical journey called Salt.
Evoking the inspirational jazz sound of Dianne Reeves, the lead song Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly by Chick Corea and Neville Potter catches your attention. In Wright's steady control, the song puts you on notice that she's hear to stay.
The title track, Salt, is hot. The song makes you want to cry with the very first notes of her voice. Written by Lizz Wright, the song is the only one with lyrics printed on the CD. "How can you lose your song/When you've sung it so long." Behind a brassy horn section, Wright's voice still shines as the premier instrument in the arrangement. I found myself playing this song over and over and over again.
Wright lowers her voice for the mellow tune Afro Blue, but her voice resonates on this song with the sound of an accomplished jazz artist instead of a first-time recording artist. Brian Blade's soothing arrangement doesn't hurt either.
Aside from the title track, Wright's version of The Wiz tune Soon As I Get Home is the most memorable song on the album. Demonstrating rare control and range for a new artist, Wright uses her voice to transport us away from the album into the mystical land of Oz itself.
Not content to settle for secular songs, Wright's version of Walk With Me, Lord sprinkles R&B/jazz/blues flavor over the familiar gospel words. The infectious tune could very well have you clapping your hands to the church beat while you're bobbing your head to the R&B groove.
Lizz Wright wrote Eternity, the story of a quest for answers to love. She doesn't know why she feels the way she does, but she knows she does and she is ready to relish the moment for eternity.
Under the skillful arrangement of Brian Blade and Jon Cowherd, Goodbye slowly builds from Chris Potter's melodic soprano saxophone into Wright's comfortable voice. When she sings, "I'll never forget you," you believe her. And when Wright holds the note for "goodbye," you can hear Cassandra Wilson inhabiting her body.
The next song begins with Wright's rendition of Rachmaninov's classical Vocalise, which flows into her singing of The End Of The Line. Sure to comfort, console, and confuse those at the end of a relationship, the words simply trail off into the reality of the inevitable breakup.
Wright wrote three of the last four songs on the album. In Fire, she asks if a lover is frightened by the fire in her eyes, then she selflessly offers it with a reminder that "you don't have to give it back to me."
I love the gender neutrality of her music, giving male, female, straight and gay listeners the same sense of possibility to relate. When she does introduce pronouns, she does so in the third person voice as in Blue Rose. "Maybe she's just a morning glory lost in a tangle of vine," Wright sings.
Brian Blade's Lead The Way is another inspirational piece that provides hope and encouragement for those looking for answers. As we wander through the world looking for direction, Wright's voice reminds us that love will lead the way.
The final song, Silence, written by Lizz Wright, celebrates the song of silence with a peaceful, acoustic sound that gently concludes the album.
Although some songs are better than others, there are no bad songs on this CD. Each tells a story, creates a mood and celebrates the sound of music. Most importantly, each song welcomes Lizz Wright's glorious new voice into the pantheon of successful recording artists. Don't miss out on this CD.