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Devorah Day: Light of Day
ByThe music has a spare, soulful mood that intoxicates the listener. Its feeling is created in part by the unusual instrumentation: in addition to Day's vocals, there's Brown on alto sax, Booker T and Jorge Sylvester on both tenor and altos, and bassist David Colding. The lack of piano and drums combined with the horns' low tones creates a great deal of space, but although the music is slow and spacious it is never tentative. And it's a pleasure to hear Brown: after a long, illustrious career, his playing on this session taps the essence of his talent, his pure tones coming straight from the heart.
Light of Day draws from a variety of sources: Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Dindi," Jorge Sylvester's "Lila," three originals by Day and the highlight, the standard "Lover Man." The song starts with Day singing several verses a capella; the listener is captivated by her emotional authenticity, and curious what she'll do next. The horn playing is deep and immediate, and overall it's a lovely update on a classic. Also notable is her fresh take on "Dindi," and the original "Freejam"; she's joined on the latter by Kid Lucky, a human beat box who adds a modern element that never detracts from the emotional consistency.
Abaton Book Company is a unique label that has an ear for the unusual combined with a deep commitment to its artists. It has a particular appreciation for female vocalists who stretch boundaries, so Day is a natural addition to the roster. The material came to the label via Bernard Stollman, founder of the legendary label ESP-Disk; Abaton brought in Elliott Sharp to do the remastering, adding a further layer of excellence.
The CD satisfies in terms of musical ideas and musicianship, and in addition achieves a consistency of mood that allows the listener to connect emotionally. Day is a talent with many layers, and Light of Day is just the beginning of her fruition.
Track Listing
1. Lila 2. Come Closer 3. Our Bit of Piddling 4. Lover Man 5. dindi 6. Freejam
Personnel
Devorah Day: Vocals; Marion Brown: Alto Saxophone; David Colding: Bass; Kid Lucky: Vocal Insrumentalist; Jorge Sylvester: Alto & Tenor Saxophone; Booker T: Alto & Tenor Saxophone;
Album information
Title: Light Of Day | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Abaton Book Company
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