Some day, Lauren Henderson is going to leave New York and come out to the West Coast to prove to me in person that she’s the best deliverer of soulful vocals. Until then, I have to be satisfied with albums like this one, that has her with a simpatico team of Sullivan Fortner-Damian Sim/p, Michael Thurber/b, Allan Mednard-Joe Saylor/dr, Gabe Schneider/g, Mark Dover/cl, Em Ferguson/fl, Jon Lampley/tp, Tessas Lark/vi and a rich string section to serve as various mood setters.
She does a seductive duet with Leo Sidran on a folksy “From The Inside Out” that saunters with a mix of passion and restraint, while Lampley’s lovely horn adds to Henderson’s earthy “ Something Bigger.” You can hear her lipstick as she’s delicate and vulnerable, dripping out the lyrics along with Ferguson’s flute on the title track, while she works up a sweat under the collar with Moses Patrou’s percussion on “El Arbol.” Swaying piano, brushes swerve and Dover’s clarinet sighs alongside Henderson on “ Ven Meurte” while Lark drives on a tango and Henderson removes the rose between her teeth to stomp out a luscious “Protocol.” This lady sets shadier moods than Fritz Lang!