Throughout her career,
Dianne Reeves has, perhaps more than any other vocalist, blurred the line that separates jazz from pop and contemporary R&B, extending the boundaries of each.
Beautiful Life is her first recording in five years and her debut for Concord. Carefully produced by
Terri Lynne Carrington, the musical cast includes
Robert Glasper,
Esperanza Spalding,
Reginald Veal,
Sheila E.,
Sean Jones, ,
Gregory Porter,
Gerald Clayton,
Richard Bona,
Lalah Hathaway, and her late cousin
George Duke. The opener is a thoroughly inventive
Carrington arrangement of
Marvin Gaye's "I Want You," which underscores the gossamer quality in
Reeves' voice and jazz phrasing, sacrificing none of the original's seductive soul -- it's as much of the spirit as it is of the flesh -- and features a fine trumpet solo by
Jones. A brilliant reading of
Stevie Nicks' "Dreams" is introduced by
Terreon Gully's tight, woody rimshots and
Glasper's gospel piano and ethereal keyboards.
Reeves subtly draws on her gospel roots in the lyric amid skittering breaks and beats. Nadia Washington's lithe backing vocal floats amid the atmospheric textures before
Reeves carries it out with Afro-Latin scatting.
Carrington's "Satiated (Been Waiting)" is a sensual, sultry duet with
Porter. Colored by horns, piano, electric guitar, and
Duke's subtle keyboard treatments, its singers wed the gospel of
Ray Charles and the blues of
Nina Simone to jazz.
Bob Marley's "Waiting in Vain" is introduced by a glistening synth before
Glasper's piano, and
Romero Lubambo's nylon-string frame the melody. Reggae, bossa, and even a languid mambo wind through as
Hathaway soars in the background, supporting the ache in
Reeves' delivery of longing and affirmation with Afro-Caribbean scatting in the bridge. It's followed by a groove-laden funk redo of
Ani DiFranco's "32 Flavors," with backing vocals by
Carrington and Washington;
Jones' layered trumpets pop amid wah-wah guitars and keyboards. It's sexy as hell.
Spalding's "Wild Rose" is airy, jazzy R&B highlighting
Reeves' trademark gift for syncopated phrasing. A thorough reconstruction of
Harold Arlen's "Stormy Weather" teams
Reeves' steamy contralto and effortless falsetto with
Tineke Postma's soprano saxophone and
Peter Martin's glistening piano arpeggios. Soul and contemporary pop and jazz are threaded through the original melody, underscoring its reputation as a "standard."
Reeves' own "Tango," with
Raul Midon, commences as one, but her wordless vocal improvisation and the simmering percussion are derived from Afro-Cuban sources. As a result, the tune mutates first into rhumba and then a furious salsa, with the singer soaring above the erupting rhythmic fury. Closer "Long Road Ahead" -- an original -- seamlessly combines neo-soul, jazz, and gospel. The unwavering conviction in
Reeves' voice is gracefully and elegantly complemented by
Gregoire Maret's harmonica.
Beautiful Life is
Reeves' finest record to date. It not only blurs genre lines but erases them. The end result is glorious, accessible R&B drenched contemporary jazz that is as sophisticated as it is honest. ~ Thom Jurek