History has often taught us that when an actor or actress decides to record an album, consumers had best be on their guard and proceed with caution. But in some cases, actors are also worthwhile singers. A case in point is
Tatyana Ali, who is best known for playing Ashley on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. After establishing herself as an actress,
Ali entered the urban contemporary field with
Kiss the Sky (for which Will "The Fresh Prince" Smith is an executive producer). Although not fantastic and not very risk-taking, the collection of hip-hop-ish R&B/pop demonstrated that
Ali was a decent singer along the lines of
Janet Jackson. This isn't to say that the CD is as interesting as a Jackson album -- in fact, most of the material is pretty routine. But
Kiss the Sky does contain a few memorable selections, including the sexy "He Loves Me," the remorseful "Through Life Alone" and the caressing title song.
Ali has the potential to make a consistently strong album, but she'll need the right input, guidance and direction. ~ Alex Henderson