Dakota Staton - Madame Foo-Foo (2016)

After close to a decade in self-imposed exile playing hotels and cruise ships in Britain, Dakota Staton returned to the U.S., signed to the Groove Merchant label, and cut her first new material in eight years. Recorded with soul-jazz icon Richard "Groove" Holmes on Hammond, Madame Foo Foo not only boasts a hip, contemporary sound unlike any of Staton's previous efforts, but it's an approach that fits the singer like a glove, accentuating the earthy, blues-inspired elements so vital to her craft. Additionally featuring the great Bernard Purdie on drums and Cornell Dupree on guitar, the session settles into a sinuous, late-night groove that complements the far-ranging material (everything from "Deep in a Dream" to "A House Is Not a Home") in full. Silent for so long, Staton clearly savors every nuance and turn of phrase, delivering one of her finest and most impassioned performances.