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Elly Roberts reviews
Expansion Records
- March 2007
- Rating: 8/10
How on earth Adriana Evans hasnt become a star is beyond me shes a class act, rare amongst her generation.
This album is gorgeous, just like the young lady herself. It might not be toeveryones taste, but it is quite yummy.
Also known as Adriana Madera, this silky singer from San Francisco is the daughterof recording artist Mary Stallings who sang with Count Basie, Dizzie Gillespieand Cal Tjader, has taken her work very seriously, bringing comparisons withNatalie Cole and Chaka Khan.
Should you be looking to bring even more sunshine than weve had recently,this will do the trick. A clever mix (and accessible at that) of MOR jazz,hip-hop and soul shes carved a niche all of her own. With slightly moreemphasis on soul/jazz this time, compared to previous offerings, theres stillplenty of subtle eclecticism to savour.
From the off, we get plenty of cultured sophistication, with no attempt tosell-out. A beaty Simply Red-styled Hey Now stamps her credentials.Little shades of RnB thrust All For One along at a neat and tightpace with Underneath The Stars in a similar mould.
Blue Bird In Bahia goes back to her love of all things Brazilian whenshe spent time there, which became a musical turning point. Spicing things upconsiderably, Same As I Ever Was turns out to be the best song here plenty of jazzy brass, wiry guitar licks and lazy-funky bass.
Finally, the beat goes up on the even funkier baselines of Undercover great driving or BBQ music. Brazilian influences surface once more on thethin and lightweight lyric-less closing title track.
Perhaps, despite the quality, this is too clever for the UK market, which isa shame. With no obvious single shouting out, El Camino might strugglecommercially, despite being loved by critics across the board.
A live album at Ronnie Scotts London (like Linda Lewis) might bring greaterattention.
Weblink:aheadpr.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Hey Now
2. All For Love
3. Calling Me
4. Underneath The Stars
5. Before You
6. Blue Bird
7. Never Knew
8. Blue Bird In Bahia
9. World On Fire
10. Same As I Ever Was
11. Undercover
12. El Camino
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.