Dianne Reeves I Remember CD

When she wants to sing jazz, Dianne Reeves has always had the ability to reach the top of her field, but she has long seemed unable to make up her mind between jazz, R&B, world music, and pop. This Blue Note disc fortunately finds her mostly sticking to jazz and in consistently superb form. Reeves' treatments of such numbers as "Afro Blue" (which is particularly memorable), "Love for Sale," "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise," "How High the Moon," and McCoy Tyner's "You Taught My Heart to Sing" all border on the classic. Joined by such illustrious sidemen as pianists Billy Childs, Mulgrew Miller, and Donald Brown; bassists Charnett Moffett and Chris Severin; and drummers Billy Kilson and Marvin "Smitty" Smith, plus guest appearances by vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, altoist Greg Osby, and guitarist Kevin Eubanks, Reeves sounds inspired by the company. If only she would stick to this direction. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow

Recorded at Madhatter Studios, Los Angeles, California on September 10-11, 1990 and The Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on April 27-28 and May 9, 1988.

Personnel: Dianne Reeves (vocals); Greg Osby (alto saxophone); Justo Almario (saxophone); Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone); Charles Mims, Billy Childs, Donald Brown, Mulgrew Miller (piano); Kevin Eubanks (acoustic guitar); Chris Severin, Charnett Moffett (bass); Billy Kilson, Marvin Smitty Smith, Terri Lyne Carrington (drums); Ron Powell (percussion, wind chimes); Bill Summers, Luis Conte (percussion).

Producers: Charles Mims, Dianne Reeves, Michael Cuscuna.