Abbey Lincoln - It's Me (2003)

Tracks

01. Skylark
02. Love Is Made
03. Chateau De Joux
04. It's Me
05. They Call It Jazz
06. Through The Years
07. Runnin' Wild
08. The Maestro
09. The Search
10. Yellow Bird
11. Can You Dig It

Personnel

Alto Saxophone – James Spaulding (tracks: 5)
Bass – Ray Drummond
Drums – Jaz Sawyer
Flute – James Spaulding (tracks: 6, 8 to 10)
Piano – Kenny Barron
Soprano Saxophone – Julien Lourau (tracks: 3)
Tenor Saxophone – Julien Lourau (tracks: 2, 6 to 8)
Vocals – Abbey Lincoln


One of the last true great jazz vocalists, 73-year old Abbey Lincoln continues to produce timeless recordings and live concert dates. It's Me is as strong as any entry in her half-century discography.

Lincoln shows us again that she excels in being both a most memorable interpreter and an original singer/songwriter. Her recent week-long residency at the Blue Note shed such a light: accentuating like no other, every word sung like her last and as much from the soul as diaphragm. Listen no further than her enunciation of the "crazy as a loon" lyric in "Skylark," or her singing abandon and still unbelievable range on "Runnin' Wild," or - if you were in the audience on one of her sold-out final nights in October - her most memorable rendition of "Mr. Tambourine Man."

With seven of the eleven tracks having orchestral arrangements, three by Alan Broadbent, It's Me features a characteristic batch of top-notch supporters. The underappreciated flautist and altoist James Spaulding is the album's prime soloist. His flute on the album’s coda, "Can You Dig It," matches the bouncy drumming of Jaz Sawyer and solid-as-can-be bass of Ray Drummond, while his alto is full of vibrato and energy on "They Call It Jazz."