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Teraesa Vinson: Opportunity Please Knock
ByPerhaps those positives are enough to outweigh the one glaring negative on Vinson's resumé, namely her tendency to swallow consonants and distort vowels to such an extent that the lyrics are at times garbled if not downright unintelligible. This may sound hip but subverts the cardinal purpose of any singer (rockers excluded), which is to deliver as clearly as possible one's message and thus establish an emotional bond with the listener. If I'm busy straining to understand what is being sung, it's hard to elicit such a response. Perhaps I'm being too hard on Vinson, but I'm an old-fashioned purist who grew up listening to the masters (Frank, Bing, Mel, Sarah, Ella, Carmen) who poured heart and soul into every song but never at the expense of crystal-clear enunciation. It can be done but takes an abundance of hard work and commitment.
Almost every other facet of the album is commendable, including Vinson's supporting cast, which is first-class. The "almost" is necessary because pianist Carlton Holmes, an able accompanist and soloist, is too prominent in the mix and tends to overshadow everyone else including Vinson, especially on the faster numbers. Guitarist Tom Dempsey sits in for Holmes on "What a Difference a Day Made," "I've Got the World on a String" and "The Way You Look Tonight," and his mellow presence is most welcome.
On balance, a solid IPO on which the pluses handily surpass the minuses. As for the diction, that's not an insurmountable obstacle but one that Vinson (or any singer) can overcome simply by working harder to improve it. If she canand there's no reason to believe it is beyond her means Opporunity may indeed come knocking.
Track Listing
What a Difference a Day Made; The Night Has a Thousand Eyes; Moon Ray; I Can't Make You Love Me; While We're Young; I've Got the World On a String; The Song Is You; Young and Foolish; A Beautiful Friendship; The Way You Look Tonight; Oppurtunity Please Knock
Personnel
Teraesa Vinson
vocalsTeraesa Vinson, Vocals; Ron Blake, Saxophone; Tom Dempsey, Guitar; Carlton Holmes, Piano; Dion Parson, Drums; Nicki Parrot, Bass
Album information
Title: Opportunity Please Knock | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Amplified Records
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August-September 2004