Grace Darling

Grace Darling: Imaginary Lover

by Robert Spencer
August 1, 1998

Grace Darling is your standard tenor sax-playing vocalist, and Imaginary Lover is just another one of those discs where the leader plays tenor sax and sings in front of New Orleans funk-gospel backbeats. Seriously, that this accomplished singer plays sax at all (or should that be “that this accomplished saxophonist sings at all"?) is intriguing; the fact that she does both quite well makes this a superb funk-jazz recording.

Darling's vocals are stylistically more pop- than jazz-oriented, but check out ...

Grace Darling: Imaginary Lover

by Jim Santella
August 1, 1998

New Orleans supplies the rhythms, Al Kooper supplies the title track, and Grace Darling supplies the pop vocals. Loose and expressive, the singer works with a strong band and capable male backup vocalists. Darling adds her lucid tenor saxophone on seven tracks for color and variety. In her hands, the instrument sings out clear and strong, but it is used merely to reinforce and embellish the melodies. With its emphasis on backbeats and lyrics, this session employs the ensemble as ...