Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 05/13/2003
Vocalist
Lizz Wright delivers
jazz that harks back to such luminaries as
Nina Simone and
Abbey Lincoln on her debut
Verve release,
Salt. Still in her early twenties,
Wright has a warm, dusky voice reminiscent of
Cassandra Wilson and similarly to
Wilson seems interested in tackling an eclectic mix of
jazz standards,
traditional folk, and
R&B. Early on, a folky afterglow-
Latin version of
"Afro Blue" takes center stage followed by the gorgeous
"Soon as I Get Home," which betters the version from
The Wiz.
Wright fairs equally well as a songwriter with about half the album filled with her soaring, bluesy
ballads. There is a melancholy yet positive '70s vibe that eminates from songs like
"Fire," which resonates lyrically as well as melodically much like the personal/sociopolitical writing of another of
Wright's obvious inspirations,
Terry Callier. Perhaps a little too low-key to register very high on the
pop radio scale, but invested with enough sanguine emotionality and chops to make
Salt easily recommended to fans of the
neo-soul movement.
~Matt Collar, All Music Guide
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