Laura Ann Singh: Mean Reds

Vocalist Laura Ann Singh has an adventurous spirit and a unique style.  Whether interpreting Brazilian music, standards, or modern classical compositions, Singh puts her indelible mark on everything she tackles.  Her ambitious debut, Mean Reds,  draws inspiration from vocalist Asha Puthli and saxophonist Ornette Coleman's 1970s collaboration.  The eight elegant originals eloquently express a range of sentiments from anger to tenderness, from grief to whimsy.  Thus, they showcase Singh's prowess as a versatile songwriter and performer.

For instance, the intimate "River" is a love song with an unconventional ending.  The music reflects the mood and the emotions within the lyrics. Saxophonist John Lilley's pensive refrains open the tune.  The rest of the band, one by one, add different dimensions to the haunting ambience—the ensemble sound buoys and frames Singh's dramatic singing.  

Elsewhere, the whimsical "Numbers" is an explosive piece that features the entire quintet playing in unison and flirting delightfully with dissonance. Trumpeter Bob Miller's and Lilley's angular wails mirror Singh's passionate, rapid-fire delivery of the lyrics.  Drummer Scott Clark drives the collective performance with his thunderous rhythms, while bassist Adam Hopkins adds a dark undercurrent with his reverberating strings.

Similarly, the riotous "Highway Monster," an angst-ridden commentary on modern times, features Miller and Lilley taking turns with free-flowing, fiery solos. Clark and Hopkins contribute muscular, hard-hitting, polyrhythms to underscore Singh's incandescent voice.  The band therefore delivers Singh's righteous indignation as a cohesive and poignant message.

Throughout the recording, the quintet functions as a single unit. The side musicians are not simply supporting Singh, nor are her vocals just an interlude between improvised instrumental phrases.  A great example of this is the elegiac "Before You Are Gone," where Lilley's wistful lines set the stage for Singh's lyrical rendition of this gentle paean to grief. Miller enters with warm, melancholic phrases.  Hopkins and Clark weave a percolating, tense background with single notes and sparse rusting beats.

Mean Reds is an auspicious and accomplished first release.  It demonstrates the multiple aspects of Singh's creative potential.  Hopefully, it is the beginning of a brilliant body of work.