Maybe the straightest jazz set we've heard to date from Kandace Springs – a record that's got a great old school vibe overall, and the sorts of moody, dark-tinged qualities that takes us back to vintage material by Abbey Lincoln or Nina Simone – something we might not have said about Kandace on previous albums! Springs plays piano, and mostly keeps things in a tight combo mode – with her vocals in the lead, but with occasional guest help from artists who include Chris Potter on tenor, Avishai Cohen on trumpet, David Sanborn on alto, Christian McBride on bass, and Norah Jones on piano and vocals – on tunes penned by artists as diverse as Bob Dorough, Hoagy Carmichael, Lauryn Hill, and Sade. Titles include "Devil May Care", "The Nearness Of You", "Strange Fruit", "Killing Me Softly", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "Ex-Factor", "Pearls", "I Put A Spell On You", and "Gentle Rain". (Neo Soul, Vocalists) CD

A nice batch of pop soul on Liberty from Timi Yuro – an underappreciated vocalist who walked that fine line between uptown soul and pop vocals! Like so many Liberty recordings of the era, the arrangements are big and polished, courtesty of Bert Keyes. The backing vocals are just as sparking, provided the Johnnny Mann singers and the Gospel Pearls. Includes the title cut, plus "For Your Love", "The Right Time", "That's Right, Walk On By", and "I Waited Too Long". Fragile little girl stuff, with more soul than you'd expect! (Soul, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album