Singer
Nnenna Freelon's debut recording was a bit of a misstep that gave her a bad reputation among some in the jazz world. Although her voice is appealing throughout the set, she sounds too close to
Sarah Vaughan for comfort and made some listeners wonder if she was going to spend her career as an imitator. As it turned out,
Freelon's follow-up record (
Heritage) would be a much more creative and highly original effort. The singer's debut (which finds her backed by a string orchestra arranged by
Bob Freedman) is really not bad, and her interpretations of three originals and a variety of veteran standards (including "Close Your Eyes," "Skylark," "Yesterdays" and "The Island") have their moments;
Grady Tate joins her for a vocal duet on "I Fall In Love Too Easily." But the overall results pale next to
Nnenna Freelon's second recording.