Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Lisa Haley: Talking to the Sun

131

Lisa Haley: Talking to the Sun

By

Sign in to view read count
Lisa Haley: Talking to the Sun
Lisa Haley is best known as the leader of the Zydekats, a hot Southern California Cajun/zydeco band, and as Queen Ida’s erstwhile fiddler. This is her first recording apart from the Zydekats, and it is a simply marvelous outing that marries the blues, country, zydeco, contemporary gospel and other styles. Haley’s low, rough-edged, highly expressive vocals and head-spinning fiddle chops paint each track a different, appealing color. Keb Mo’s production skills and guest spot on “Rock River” spread icing on the cake.

Haley is a powerful, up-front alto in the spirit of Rosanne Cash or the Indigo Girls. That style suits the music on this disc perfectly, kicking the spice level up a notch. Vocal tracks are overdubbed on several selections, permitting her to craft dense waves of harmony that pull the listener in blissfully. “No $” is a very catchy tune driven by a cheerfully doinging jaw harp; the uilleann pipes give a Celtic cast to “Always Be Your Guide”; and “Zydecosis” threatens to infect everyone with an urge to get on the good foot.

This album is categorized under “Blues” as a matter of convenience, but there is so much more to Haley than a blues shouter or Louisiana fiddle queen. There are some unusual elements on the disc, such as the odd guitar loop on “A Lot To Learn” and the macabre vibe of “Angel in the Backseat.” “Shenandoah,” the only non-original tune here, begins a cappella with long tones, out from which the instruments slowly peek.

Lisa Haley is poised to break out on the roots-music market in a big way, with an assured sense of place and history that wisely informs her artistic decisions. This is an exceptionally well-made album that will appeal to a wide range of listeners. Recommended without reservation.

Visit www.bluefiddle.com

Track Listing

Dangerous Happy; Have A Little Faith; Rock River; No $; Goodbye Sun; Always Be Your Guide; Zydecosis; A Lot To Learn; I Want the World; Angel in the Backseat; Let Jesus Be Your Blanket; Shenandoah.

Personnel

(Collective:) Lisa Haley, vocals, fiddle, mandolin, jaw harp, keyboards, percussion; Keb Mo

Album information

Title: Talking to the Sun | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Music Force

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.