Who Is Jill Scott? Words & Sounds Vol. 1 CD

WHO IS JILL SCOTT? WORDS AND SOUNDS VOL. 1 was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, Jill Scott was nominated for Best New Artist and "Gettin' In The Way" was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

"A Long Walk" was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Jill Scott first turned a multitude of heads by penning the brilliant hip-hop love jam "You Got Me," which with the aid of Erykah Badu became a huge hit for fellow Philly-ites The Roots. On The Roots' subsequent live album COME ALIVE, Scott's onstage performance swiftly dispelled any notion that her vocation as a songwriter was due to a lack of vocal skills. Scott is easily Ms. Badu's equal in sultry sensuality and subtle vocal acrobatics, and her lush, luxurious lyrics are almost on par with the patriarch of sexy lyrics himself, Prince.

WHO IS JILL SCOTT? reveals a first glimpse of her talent; "Do You Remember" lives and breathes as practically a street-style homage to the Purple One. While there is a slow, physical groove flowing through this debut, particularly captivating on tracks such as "Slowly, Surely" and "Honey Molasses," Ms. Scott also shows herself capable of a certain force, evident on "One Is the Magic #" and "It's Love." Her most alluringly raw moment comes on the hidden track "Love Rain," a partial spoken word duet with Mos Def.

Words And Sound

Recorded at The Studio and A Touch Of Jazz Studios, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Includes liner notes by Steve McKeever.

Engineers: Vidal Davis, Keith Pelzer, Jeff Townes.

Personnel: Jill Scott (vocals); Larry Gold (conductor, cello); Scratch (vocals, turntables); Black Thought (vocals); Eric Seals (acoustic guitar); Chris Odum, Jeff Lee Johnson (guitar); Igor Szwec, Emma Kummrow, Gregory Teperman, Charles Parker (violin); Davis Barnett, Peter Nocello (viola); Jafar Barron (trumpet); Jeff Bradshaw (trombone); Ted Thomas Jr. (keyboards, bass, drums, percussion); Keith Pelzer (keyboards, synthesizer); Andre Harris (keyboards, drums); Patrick Sean McClain, James Poyser, Pete Kuzma, Kamal (keyboards); Hub, Don Stevens, Jeff "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes (bass); Quest Love, Vidal Davis (drums); Garth Trinidad, Eric Roberson, Gene Roberson, Stephanie Renee McNeil, Taalid Johnson (background vocals).

Producers: Darren Henson, Andre Harris, Jeff Townes, Vidal Davis, Keith Pelzer.

Rolling Stone (1/4/01, p.116) - Included in Rolling Stone's "Top 50 Albums of 2000".
Rolling Stone (8/3/00, p.56) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Jazzy, honey-dipped arrangements bypass samples in favor of strings, woodwinds, horns and drummers who swing....smells like classic soul spirit."
Entertainment Weekly (2/16/01, p.98) - "...Her honey molasses voice will coat all your senses..." - Rating: A
Q (1/01, p.93) - Included in Q's "50 Best Albums of 2000".
Q (9/00, pp.106-8) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...An irresistible blend of jazzy grooves and spare instrumentation, over which Scott moves easily from spiritual matters to everyday scenes in her quest for love....essential listening."
Muzik (10/00, p.76) - 5 out of 5 - "...The soul album of the year....The highlights are manifold....an album that oozes raw energy and empathy..."
The Source (7/00, p.216) - "...It's refreshing to hear R&B substance with skills....A delightfully peppered mix of spoken word, poetry and sultry vocals...providing an answer to the 27-year-old's identity search....this album definitely rides the right track."