I usually make only one release the Ringer of the Week, but these two albums came across my desk at the same time, have similar themes and leaders, and to prefer one over the other via a coin flip would have been a disservice to the other artist. A photo finish!
Bay Area vocalist Tiffany Austin hits one into McClovey cove here,as she takes a wide swath of material and purees it through the 40s-50s R&B swagger a la Louis Jordan and Ruth Brown. The rhythm team of Glen Person/p, Ron Belcer/b and Sly Randolph/dr is augmented by Howard Wiley’s growling tenor, and the team shows a joyfull playfulness with standards as Randolph’s brushes and Wiley wails as Austin slinks on a back beaten take of “Srardust.” She’s clear in voice with a hint of sinus as she scissors along with staccato drums and howling sax on a “Baltimore Oriole” that is as big as Boog Powell. Teamed with Pearson on the intro, she sounds lonely yet not regretful on “I Get Along Without You Very Well” and takes a proud march with the drummer on a vocally dynamic “Georgia.” Even better is Austin doing a boogie shuffle that will leave you ragged on Johnny Cash’s “I Walk The Line” while bass fingers fly as Austin hummingbirds it on “Sing Me A Swing Song.” She closes with a churchified a capella duet with Wiley as the go for the proverbial “it” on an enriching “Tete-A Tete.” A vocal opus that makes you glad you have ears and feet.
Charnee Wade gives a testimony of her own, but on her album she delivers a heartfelt tribute famed poet/musician Gil Scott-Heron. Teamed with Brandon McCune/p, Dave Stryker/g, Lonnie Plaxico/b, Alvester Garnett/dr, Stefon Harris/vib and Lakecia Benjamin/as, Wade uses her silky voice to interpret Scott-Heron’s poems in various atmospheres,ranging from a spacious and luminous “Offering” to a percussie and kinetic “Home Is Where The Hatred Is” which includes vintage wacka-wooka guitar supplied by Stryker on the latter and gentle ruminations on the former. A Rubato opening on “A Toast to the People “ glides into Wade’s declaratory poignancy and some hefty soul by the rhythm team, while the band sways like it’s the Sunday Evening service on “I Think I’ll Call It Morning.” Marcus Miller brings his brooding bass clarinet in on a poetry/rap session with Malcom-Jamal Warner’s spoken word on “Essex/Martin,” while Christian McBride’s deep voice opens up the penetrating bold and blue “Peace Go With You.” This is a disc that grabe you by the neck and doesn’t let go. She was runner-up to Cecile McLorin Salvant on the Monk Vocal Competition,and that must have been a photo finish as well. Can’t wait to see her in concert.