Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Review of Queen Latifah's Trav'lin Light

With Trav'lin Light, Queen Latifah offers up some delicious renditions of some classic ballads, starting out with an awesome rendition of Roberta Flack's "Poetry Man." In this song, the Queen not only matches the magnificence of Flack's classic rendition, but in some respects, surpasses it in terms of the sultriness and soft beauty she expresses in the song. With the mellow strings and Queen Latifah's sultry voice, this is a powerful recording and will become, in it's own right, a classic. Her interpretation of Georgia Rose summons up the best of Ella, Dinah, Sarah, and Nancy. The combination of her light, airy phrasing,an alluring base, and Stevie Wonder's magnetic harmonica(that man and his harmonica!) really carries this number off into the stratosphere. She gives the song a powerful punch with the line," don't be blue cause you're Black." what a beautiful message.

Look out Astrud Gilberto, because Queen Latifah tackles "Quiet Night of Quiet Stars," with the effect of linebacker and with all of the finesse of the original, with the help of Antonio Jobim himself. Swinging into Country/Western mode, Latifah takes on "Don't Cry Baby," and delivers with all of the heat and seductiveness of 1950s and 60s wailers and moaners: look out Tina Turner and look out Ruth Brown. Turning to Big Band jazz, " I Love Being Here," is sensational. They should revive the supper clubs and the other great rooms like the Savoy Ballroom or the Coconut Grove for the sole purpose of having Queen Latifah perform in them. With this album, Latifah is making her case to be the next Ella Fitzgerald-and is effective in the effort. Nothing shows this better than her "I'm Gonna Live til I Die." This song belongs in a place like to Copa.

The title piece, "Trav'lin Light," is so hot, it's electric. Queen Latifah takes Billie Holiday's number, packs it up in her valise, and moves with an elegance and ease that places her into the realm of the greats like Billie and Ella. The piano on this number is haunting. She does a swell job with Nina Simone's "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl." Sweet, sultry, and very kittenish, this number works. What a great tribute to Nina. The best line: "I ain't talkin' about Special K."

"I'm Not in Love" really does powerfully ressurect this R&B number of long ago. In much of this album, Latifah truly does steal the thunder out from under previous recordings of the songs she sings. Her handling of Mary Wells' "What Love Has Joined Together" I think would really make Mary Wells proud. Modern, upbeat, this is a good song.

I'm sorry, but I just can't hear "How Log(Betcha Gotta Chick On the Side) and not thing of Millie Jackson. However, what a nice tribute to the Pointer Sisters Latifah does with this song. She sounds eerily like Aretha Franklin on this number, and recalls both Aretha and Patti to make the skin-tingling R&B number that is ""How Long."

"Gone Away" is a powerful melody. The opening of the song just pulls at you and throughout the song Latifah takes this number to a higher level, tugging at your heartstrings and delivering a soulful ballad that is absolutely worthy of Donnie Hathaway and Roberta Flack. The electric chords are a nice touch and Latifah's voice is guttural and full of power. Kudos to Latifah for this one.

"I Know Where I've Been," is a magnificent end to this album. This song is a call to Black people, people of color everywhere, and anyone suffering in oppression to continue with determination, to not give up. Latifah brilliantly carries this one over with her incredible voice and the backup choir. That last note, where she holds the "O" in know in the phrase "I know where I've been" is raw power. Thank you Queen for this number. With this album, Queen Latifah gives definition to the modern classic sound. In "Trav'lin Light," Queen Latifah makes a powerful offering and proves that sometimes reinvention is the best there is. Everyone should buy this album.

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