Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Amy Lee: Use Me

220

Amy Lee: Use Me

By

Sign in to view read count
Amy Lee: Use Me
With Use Me, Decatur, Georgia-based multi instrumentalist Amy Lee presents a collection of ten tunes that further solidify a connection between contemporary "light" jazz and R&B/soul/funk. Her new recording has all of the hallmarks that identify her music with the popular jazz style—very precise production with multiple layers of electronically and acoustically generated sounds; tight, funky bass lines and other rhythm tracks that lock in a solid groove; and Lee's saxophone, full of soulful sounds inspired by the vocal inflections and styling of great blues and soul singers.

A further connection to her music as "instrumental soul," however, is perhaps best exemplified in that her repertoire draws directly upon two great sources of 1970s R&B/soul, Bill Withers and Stevie Wonder. The title cut is Lee's instrumental cover of the classic song "Use Me," recorded by Withers in 1972. She does a formidable job here covering the melody—so much so that you can almost hear her sax "singing" Withers' lyrics. Like a bookend, Lee chooses to close her recording with Stevie Wonder's "Too Shy to Stay." Her version is quite interesting and innovative, with the accompaniment of pedal steel guitar, which gives a haunting background to Lee's delicate yet throaty tenor saxophone.

Amy Lee is also a creative composer, having written six of the tunes on Use Me. Of the six, one tune that stands apart from the others is the bossa nova "Traz Da Lua." Sung in Portuguese by vocalist Alice Genereux, the piece has that romantic yet genteel, laid back, cool-as-an-evening-breeze approach that makes us fond of Brazilian music. Lee's flute solo, albeit brief, and her instrumental comments behind the vocals certainly continue the smooth, mellow vibe brought on by this tune. The Jamaican reggae rhythm-inspired piece "Brite Eyes" is also one that stands out to this listener. Lee also demonstrates her talents as a multi-instrumentalist, playing three different saxophones and trombone on the tune.

Amy Lee's Use Me is recommended for listeners who enjoy the funky yet smooth sounds of contemporary "light" jazz.

Track Listing

Use Me, Across The Water, Coming Home, In The Sun, Traz Da Lua, Why You Wanna, Mor To Love, One And One Makes Three, Brite Eyes, Too Shy To Say

Personnel

Amy Lee
saxophone

Amy Lee (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, flute, trombone), Sonny Emory (drums), Ronnie Garrett (bass), Darrell Smith (electric piano), Peter Meyer (guitar), Ralph MacDonald (percussion), Jim Mayer (fretless bass), John Raymond (guitar), Cooper Tisdale (guitar), Jack Ashford (tambourine), Alice Genereux (vocal), Geoff McBride (vocal), Nadirah Shakoor (background vocal), Roger Guth (drums), Tom Kennedy (upright bass), David Savage (organ), Doyle Grisham (pedal steel guitar)

Album information

Title: Use Me | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Publick Ptomaine Music

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

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

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.