Nnenna Freelon - Nnenna Freelon

Singer Nnenna Freelon's debut recording...gave her a bad reputation among some in the jazz world. Although her voice is appealing throughout the set, she sounds very close to Sarah Vaughan...As it turned out, Freelon's follow-up record (Heritage) would be a much more creative and highly original effort.

The singer's debut (which finds her backed by a string orchestra arranged by Bob Freedman) is really not bad, and her interpretations of three originals and a variety of veteran standards (including "Close Your Eyes," "Skylark," "Yesterdays" and "The Island") have their moments; Grady Tate joins her for a vocal duet on "I Fall In Love Too Easily"... ~Scott Yanow

Personnel
Ron Carter
Charles McCracken - cello, bassoon
Phil Bodner - clarinet
Marvin Stamm - trumpet
John Clark - French horn
Jim Pugh - trombone
Charles Libove
Matthew Raimondi - violin
Peter Gordon - French horn
Gloria Agostini - harp