Sunday Songs: Abbey Lincoln

Recorded in New York, New York in February 1990. (Thank You, Singers and Saints Blog)

Personnel: Abbey Lincoln (vocals); Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Clark Terry (trumpet); Alain Jean-Marie (piano); Charlie Haden (bass); Billy Higgins (drums).



"Have we been waiting for something like this since Billie, then Dinah passed on--i.e. groovy, in-the-tradition jazz singing that actually means something? Heir apparent Betty Carter is on an ego trip, Cassandra Wilson is too arty... and so on. Abbey Lincoln's trip is something else again (perhaps Parisian) as she poignantly introduces "How High The Moon" in broken French and triumphantly ends the set with Francis Lai's "Live For Life." In between, Lincoln contributes good original lyrics from the point of view of a still-feminine quasi-bag lady--"social secretary" she calls it--an adept witness to hard times past and present. Lincoln gets excellent arrangements from Ron Carter and accompaniment from ubiqitous bassist Charlie Haden and legendary altoist Jackie McLean." (Joe Sarno) @320