[.ca] Cassandra Wilson:Traveling Miles (DVD Audio)

From Amazon.com:
Cassandra Wilson's tribute to Miles Davis, Traveling Miles, is nothing if not ambitious--easily on par with the other slew of Davis tribs. Covering the great trumpeter's long career is alone quite a challenge, but Wilson sets her goals even higher by writing new lyrics and arrangements that make these tunes her own. The result is a pleasure that ends up capturing Wilson's spirit as well as Davis's. Never one to hew to traditional jazz's formats, Wilson adds acoustic and slide guitars, percussion, harmonica, and other instruments that give the album an enormously varied feel. "Right Here, Right Now," with its strummed and slide guitars, wouldn't sound out of place on a Joni Mitchell album, and her intriguing cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" (covered by Davis in 1985 on You're Under Arrest), is delicately mournful. Not that Wilson has left jazz behind: the swinging version of "Seven Steps to Heaven," with guest solos by violinist Regina Carter and vibraphonist Stefon Harris, whose 1998 debut was one of the year's promising releases, is a highlight. And Wilson's version of the Davis classic "Blue in Green" (here titled "Sky and Sea"), is just plainly beautiful. Her deep and soulful voice remains as compelling as ever through the many moods and colors, deepening the uniqueness of her take on the Miles songbook. Exactly the way Miles would have wanted it. --Ezra Gale

Un Essentiel amazon.fr:
Le premier choc, si on ne connaît pas Cassandra Wilson, c'est la voix. Une voix grave, profonde, émouvante, pétrie des inflexions du blues de son Mississipi natal. Une voix qui a décidé de rendre hommage à une autre "voix" de la musique noire américaine, celle de Miles Davis, dont la trompette fut parmi les plus vocales qui soient. Aucune velléité imitative ici, mais un climat ondoyant, multiforme, comme Miles savait en créer, dans un tout autre esprit. Rester elle-même en voyageant dans le répertoire de Miles (ses thèmes et ceux qu'il reprit), toutes époques confondues, et en en donnant une lecture à la fois totalement personnelle et totalement pertinente, voilà ce qu'a réussi cette grande dame du chant qu'est Cassandra Wilson. C'est magnifique, et elle est merveilleusement entourée pour ce voyage musical qu'on ne se lasse pas de faire et de refaire avec elle. --Thierry Quénum

Traveling Miles is mmm, mmm Good!:
Everyone has been there. You're minding your business, relaxing to some music, and it feels so good, sounds so incredible that you have to knit your brows, close your eyes, shake your head and say, "Mmm, mmm, mmm!" That is the Traveling Miles experience. I would never attempt a tribute to Miles Davis. Before I listened to this album, I thought it couldn't be done. But Cassandra Wilson is the quintessential Jazz singer, and Traveling Miles is an undeniable triumph. On Traveling Miles, Ms. Wilson goes from soft and sultry, to stanky and funky, to beautiful and bluesy. (I am a huge fan, does it show?) Having never heard of Cassandra Wilson before, I bought Traveling Miles and New Moon Daughter at the same time because of how impressed I was in the record store with a track from New Moon Daughter. The next week I went back and bought every album I could find with Ms. Wilson's name on it. Cassandra Wilson's albums vary in style and mood, but all showcase her deep, rich voice, and the outstanding musicianship of her accompanists. Traveling Miles is no exception. You will LOVE this CD, and you should give her other stuff a listen too. Her sound is always evolving, and she has something for everyone.

Come on home...:
This album is pure genius (never mind the NY Times review), from a truly underrated musical genius. Pure jazz fans will love this album and for those who are searching, Wilson's voice has a down-home feel to it, like she's welcoming you to Sunday dinner. The experience for me, a native of the south, is sometimes ethereal. It's pure, not filled up with repetitious gospel chorus in the background, but with music that fills the soul. She also is sometimes thought of as an "alternative jazz" artist because she uses acoustic guitars, which can make her music sound "folksy". I don't think Wilson is too concerned about labels, yet it's clear she is deeply rooted in the music of the Mississippi Delta, as any listener can attest to. I've had this album since its release in '99 and I never tire of it! There are some notable songs: "Sky and Sea (Blue in Green)", "Time after Time" (Lauper's old tune), and "Piper". All her music is a wonder to listen to, but this album is definitely one of her greats. She does Miles justice and then some!

Boring...:
This is not the best effort from Cassandra Wilson. Her earlier recordings were much better. Cassandra Wilson tried to travel miles, but she traveled to far and the miles look alike - boring scenery, same sand around, and the band seems to know only one tune. The American roots are heard here and there, but they do not fit to the cactuses of the spirit you want to get from Cassandra. Try to travel in some other direction.

Beautiful and soothing to the ear:
Beautiful and soothing to the ear.

A great album:
I was quite worried about the idea of Cassandra Wilson doing a Miles tribute - oftentimes singers doing tributes to instrumentalists produce truly horrid albums (Miles often gets the brunt of these "tribute" albums). However, here Wilson has created an incredible album. She does some Miles tunes (and those associated with him), some originals, and some surprising numbers, like "Time After Time" (the best version of this song you can buy). Where she succeeds is in adapting all of these tunes to fit her own style, much as Miles did with jazz itself in the 40s, 50s, 60s, etc... Run the VooDoo Down gets a facelift and becomes a smoky, sexy tune, while Someday My Prince Will Come is transformed into an almost dark, aching ballad. All of this brings out the best in her voice. Wilson's success then is in her desire to not adhere slavishly to Miles - instead simply using him as a springboard. It's great stuff

• Run the Voodoo Down
• Traveling Miles
• Right Here, Right Now
• Time After Time
• When the Sun Goes Down
• Climb That Road
• Someday My Prince Will Come
• Never Broken (ESP)
• Resurrection Blues (Tutu)
• Sky and Sea (Blue in Green)
• Piper
• Voodoo Reprise