Melissa Walker: Moment of Truth

Robert Spencer

CD/DVD Reviewer since 1997

Recent articles (267 total)

Published: December 1, 1999

Melissa Walker has a smoky, soulful voice. She is no screamer or wailer, but has just as much of an emotional impact as any of they do by skillful choices of rhythm and emphasis. She can even invest slight material like Janis Ian's mawkish "Seventeen" with a certain sincerity and poise. And on an offbeat number like Abdullah Ibrahim's mournful ballad "For John [Coltrane]," her delivery is languid and yet full of tremulous emotion.

Her backup band here is first-rate: reed heavyweights Craig Handy (tenor) and Steve Wilson (alto and soprano, plus flute) are on hand, plus the suave pianist George Colligan. They keep attention focused on the singer but aren't too shy to add a few tremendous solos to these tunes.

Highlight of the disc might be the slightly up-tempo, Latin-flavored "Naima," on which Walker takes the horn line with a surpassing, dusky delicacy as she sings French lyrics by Mimi Perrin.

This disc is a keenly-felt offering from an excellent jazz singer.

Personnel:

Melissa Walker, vcl; Steve Wilson, as, ss, flt; Craig Handy, ts; George Colligan, p, Fender Rhodes; Paul Bollenback, g, Kiyoshi Kitagawa, b; Clarence Penn, d; Steve Kroon, perc.

Track listing: Seventeen / If I Should Lose You / Ev'ry Time / Come On Home / Invitation / For John / Portrait of Equinox / Naima / What Do I Know / Upside Down/ Yesterdays.

Record Label: Enja Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream