In this final set, Cassandra Wilson sings the blues of Muddy Waters, J.B. Lenoir and Billie Holiday; sets to music the poetry of Maya Angelou ("Equality") and Ishmael Reed ("Sacred Ground"); and pays tribute to Duke Ellington and Stephen Sondheim. Musical collaborators include Don Byron, Courtney Pine, Steve Coleman, Dave Holland, and Mark O'Connor.
One of the things I admire most about Cassandra Wilson is the diversity of her work: she seems equally at home with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, avant jazz groups like M-Base or David Murray's Black Saint Quartet, and the alt-country of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings.
Here's a set of Cassandra Wilson collaborations with a more contemporary feel. Styles range from jazz and soul to hip hop. The oldest song is from 1981, and the most recent was released in 2015. A few covers (of the Beatles and Prince) are included.
Cassandra Wilson was born in Mississippi. I believe she started her recording career in New Orleans with a Latin jazz group called Jasmine. She moved to New York City in 1982, and soon became involved with the M-Base Collective.
After nine solo albums, Cassandra signed with Blue Note in 1993, and found immediate success with Blue Light Til Dawn. She has released another ten albums since then. Cassandra Wilson's next album will be titled Jupiter Rising. Hopefully it will be out soon, with some tour dates as well!
Today is the birthday of Cassandra Wilson, one of our greatest living singers. Several sets from her stellar musical career are on the way, but let's start with standards, shall we?
Ms. Wilson is an outstanding interpreter of jazz, rock, blues and country music. Her 1995 album New Moon Daughter opened with the tragic "Strange Fruit" and concluded with a breathtaking version of Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" -- and in between, Cassandra performed unique readings of Hank Williams, Son House, "Love Is Blindness" and "Last Train To Clarksville", as well as stellar originals such as "Solomon Sang".
Today we have a collection of songs that have been essayed by innumerable balladeers over numerous decades. As with other features in this blog's "Guest Spots" series, these songs are not drawn from the artist's own albums. Cassandra Wilson has collaborated with many musicians, and has contributed songs to soundtracks and tribute albums. Romantic jazz isn't the usual fare around here, but hopefully you will find as much pleasure as I do in the richness of this extraordinary voice.
I've bought several new releases recently. The Figgs' triple album Shady Grove is an outstanding achievement for a band that has been together over 30 years. They are one of the tightest bands I've ever had the pleasure to see.
Tropical Fuck Storm are barnstorming the US in support of their second album, Braindrops. You can buy it from Joyful Noise or at Bandcamp. The new songs are amazing, and the live show literally left me slackjawed. So fucking great.
I will be seeing Redd Kross again soon (touring in support of their excellent new album Beyond The Door) as they open for the Melvins. Melvins' drummer Dale Crover plays with Redd Kross on the new album and on tour, and Redd Kross bassist Jeff McDonald does the same for the Melvins. Is there a better rock rhythm section performing these days?
Hollie Cook has a lovely new single, "Dance In The Sunshine". Iggy Pop has a new album called Free. Both singers have been featured in this blog's Guest Spots series. Jazz and blues chanteuse Cassandra Wilson has announced a new album, Jupiter Rising, and you can hear two tracks from it on her website. Ms. Wilson will be the subject of a forthcoming Guest Spots set. (I got no kick against modern jazz.)
The Pernice Brothers unexpectedly released a new album called Spread The Feeling, which will be followed by a few live shows in October. In other news for fans of witty and meticulously crafted power pop, The New Pornographers have a new album with the unwieldy title In the Morse Code of Brake Lights out later this month, with East Coast tour dates to follow.
The accomplished Atlanta trio Omni has signed to Sub Pop and will release their third album, Networker, in November. I saw Omni open for Tav Falco a couple years ago, and as they stepped off stage, Mike Watt shook hands enthusiastically with Omni bassist Philip Frobos. Speaking of Watt, he has a new group with Wire bassist Graham Lewis called Fitted, and their album comes out in November.
Atlanta's beloved Magnapop will release their new album The Circle Is Round this month. They just completed a Benelux tour, and I can't wait for their hometown show with Five Eight this month. (Magnapop remains very popular in The Netherlands and Belgium, an example of the "big in Japan" phenomenon).
While we're on the subject of The Netherlands, one of my favorite recent discoveries was the 2018 self-titled album by Rotterdam quartet Lone Wolf. They have completed their second album, Together Alone, to be released in October. Peerless punk pop!
