The latest album from Amber Weekes finds her paying tribute to Nancy Wilson, the singer discovered by Cannonball Adderley (with whom she made a classic album), who recorded a string of jazz-inspired albums for Capitol in the 1960s, had great success in the pop world, and was an influential household name during her final 50 years. For this release, Amber, along with producer/arranger/conductor Mark Cargill chose songs from Wilson’s repertoire to convey a wide variety of emotions and styles. To assist with this they then brought pianists Tony Campodonico and Andy Langham, bassists Jeff Littleton and John B. Williams, and drummers Fritz Wise and Oscar Seaton, several horns and (on “Suppertime”) a gospel choir, plus featured guests as guitarists Russell Malone and Paul Jackson Jr, and tenor-saxophonists Gerald Alright and Rickey Woodard.

I have reviewed a few of Amber’s albums in the past, but nothing has ever really grabbed me quite like this one. This is classic old school storytelling which could be coming at us straight from the Fifties or Sixties, easily fitting in with musicals, film or classic jazz, where the band (or big band) are there to provide support to a singer who is in total control of everything. Her vocals are velvet, taking us on a wonderful journey as we are truly taken back in time. It feels so strange to me to be listening to an album like this in 2024 which was not released sixty years earlier as it is so far removed from what passes for music in the pop charts as to be from a totally different planet. There is depth, there is care and a true feeling of love of both the songs and the audience listening to them. I have never felt a connection like this with any of Amber’s previous albums I have come across, and there is no doubt that for fans of this style of soft jazz/singer material this is quite some release. I rarely fully agree with what is said in a press release, but this time I have to say it has hit the nail on the head when it said, “one of today’s greats pays homage to a legend.” A wonderfully relaxing and enthralling album.

Rating: 9/10

Links:
https://amberweekes.com/