Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Barbara Adamson: Now Is The Time

Barbara Adamson: Now Is The Time

By Joel Roberts
February 1, 2000
View read count

San Francisco-area vocalist Barbara Adamson's approach to jazz is straightforward and straight-ahead. Her debut recording, Now Is the Time , is a relaxed, confident effort that demonstrates the (too-often overlooked) value of restraint and moderation in jazz singing.

Relying on a clear, expressive voice and dramatic reading of lyrics, Adamson, backed by a fine trio (plus occasional sax, trumpet and flute), puts her personal stamp on a dozen nicely arranged standards. She's equally at ease on ballads and up-tempo numbers, and proves herself a capable scatter on a worldless romp through Miles Davis' "Boplicity." And while we've all heard the likes of "April in Paris," "Bye Bye Blackbird," "You Go to My Head," and "Softly in a Morning Sunrise," many times before, Adamson, makes this familiar journey a worthwhile one. A promising debut from a singer who knows that, more often than not, less is more.

www.barbaraadamson.com

Personnel

Barbara Adamson

Barbara Adamson, vocals; Marshall Otwell, piano; Stan Poplin, bass; Steve Robertson; drums; Fred Berry, trumpet; Paul Contos, flute; Donny McCaslin, tenor sax.

Album information

Title: Now Is The Time | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Stet Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Ron Carter: Brazilian Charm
< Previous

Ipsis Quest
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.