Lynne Fiddmont | Lady

Lynne Fiddmont | Lady By Jerry “The Mouse” Clark

I could start and end my review of Lynne Fiddmont’s Lady CD with one word – “angelic” – but that will not be the case. The inspiration from Billie Holiday, Lynne’s songbird persona and an accompanying cast of gifted musicians is the recipe for this outstanding album. You may be familiar with Lynne Fiddmont and not know it. The lady has recorded and/or performed as a singer with Stevie Wonder (as a member of his band Wonderlove), Bill Withers, Patti Austin, Whitney Houston, Babyface and countless more.

Now it is time to get down to business and share my experience of listening to Lady for the past three days. I love that “from-the-very-first-track-high” you get after hitting the play button and a CD’s opening song meets your expectations. After that experience, you feel that there is only more greatness to come. On Lady, this first selection happens to be the standard “All the Way,” marvelously arranged by Andrew Ford and featuring Gerald Albright on sax. Most refreshing is the combination of two songs into one – “Fine and Mellow/He’s So Fine” – beautifully blending classic Billie Holiday with contemporary Lynne Fiddmont in one mix.

The sweetest tune on the album is “I Cover the Waterfront.” The song tells an incredible story of finding a lost love with a hint of “(Sittin’ on the) Dock of The Bay” towards the end. When I’m in a Billie Holiday mood, “Good Morning Heartache” and “God Bless the Child” always get my juices flowing. Lynne brings a samba groove to both tracks that travels like a gentle breeze from your speakers to your ears.

Lynne painted a personal musical portrait of Billie Holiday by writing and performing the CD’s one original piece, “Lady.” This song was written “to bridge the gap between the past and the future by ushering Miss Billie Holiday into the 21st century,” as quoted by Lynne Fiddmont in her liner notes within the booklet. This is one of the finest cuts on the CD by far! A spiced up “Night and Day/I Think of You” has an African/Calypso beat that shows off Lynne’s World Music side.

The jazziest track is “Lover Man” and the girl shows out on this one! She gets assistance from Billy Childs (piano) and Christian McBride (bass), laying down an intoxicating vibe. “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” is also a gem. Wrapping up Lady in fitting fashion is “Do Nothing `Til You Hear Me/Wayman’s Groove,” a dedication to the late athlete-turned-musician Wayman Tisdale. Lynne and saxophonist Kirk Whalum masterfully pay tribute to their good friend.

Lynne Fiddmont’s Lady is a must for your music library. It is amazing how modern all of these songs sound on the project. Lynne Fiddmont truly waved her magic wand on every track of Lady.

Log on to http://www.lynnefiddmont.com/Home.html to purchase:

Lynne Fiddmont – vocals
Gerald Albright – sax
Kirk Whalum – sax
George Duke – keys
Victor Bailey – bass
Keith Fiddmont – sax
Christian McBride – bass
Billy Childs – piano
Brian Simpson – piano
Billy Killson – drums

Jerry “The Mouse” Clark
Mellow Madness Music
www.mellowmadness.net
The Urban Music Scene