JILL SCOTT
EXPERIECNE: JILL SCOTT 826+
US Hidden Beach 2-CD, 2001
The funny thing is that almost the same words I
said about N'Dambi's
new set (in my review of the album of the
month in January 2001) also apply to JILL
SCOTT's brand new release, Experience:
Jill Scott 826+ (US Hidden Beach
2-CD 86150). There are so many similarities that
it's almost unbelievable, especially considering
that these two CD's were released in the same
week!
As with N'Dambi's debut set, I enjoyed some
individual cuts on Jill's debut as well, yet the
overall flavour of the album was too hip hop
-oriented to my taste. Still, it was easy to
realise that Jill belongs to the same discipline
of neo-soul artists as Erykah
and N'Dambi. And, just like N'Dambi, Jill has now
released a new double set, part of which is
recorded live (in Washington D.C. and
Philadelphia), and part of the CD being new
studio material.
The best thing with Jill's album is that just
like Erykah and N'Dambi, Jill also utilises an
array of real musicians on her live recordings,
although her studio material also contains
several hip hop-oriented, programmed and sampled
tracks. To be honest, I'm not that excited about
the new material, either, but the live recordings
are phenomenal. I had rather high hopes that Jill
would show her real abilities on this set, and
she really shines on the live recording of my
favourite tune of the debut, A Long Walk,
which is set in a glorious, swinging Washington
go-go style arrangement.
Not only is the instrumentation incredibly solid
and funky, featuring a six-piece band (drums,
keyboards, bass, percussion, trumpet, trombone)
and a backing vocal trio, but also Jill herself
sounds much stronger and more convincing than I
could have dared to dream.
Compared to N'Dambi's new CD, Jill's music
focuses much more on funk than jazz, but there
are plenty of splendid jazzy solos on offer, as
well. Because of the more overt hip-hop
influences especially in the studio recordings, I
don't rate this album as high as N'Dambi's double
set, but anyway this is another milestone by
these sensational young neo-soul ladies. Now it's
exciting to see what Ledisi's
answer to Jill and N'Dambi will be - Ledisi has
two new albums just coming out: one soul set and
one live (jazz) CD! -IT
