Artist: Lindsey Webster
Album: Reasons
Genre: Soul, R&B
Label: Shanachie
Released: 2022
Quality: FLAC (tracks+.cue)
Traclist:
- I Didn't Mean It (feat. Brian Culbertson) (5:52)
- Love of Your Life (feat. Nathan East) (5:50)
- Just the Night (4:34)
- Stay with Me (feat. Randy Brecker & Kev Choice) (5:43)
- Wish You Well (5:47)
- The Way (4:52)
- 4 A.M. (1:47)
- Twin Flame (5:39)
- You Take Me (5:29)
- Reasons (5:18)
- I'm OK (feat. Nicholas Payton) (6:06)
- Stay with Me (Soul Jazz Mix) (4:25)
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Chart-topping vocalist and songstress Lindsey Webster emerges from lockdown and the end of marriage stronger than ever. Reasons, her fourth album since her 2016 breakout, shows both artistic growth and resiliency.
Now a consistent hit maker in the crossover jazz realm, Webster has the luxury of getting the very best sessionists available to take her songs a bit higher still. Indeed, she enlisted help in guest spots from the likes of Brian Culbertson, Nathan East, Randy Brecker and Nicholas Payton. But as it’s always been, the Lindsey Webster Sound starts with Webster and long-time songwriting partner & keyboardist Keith Slattery, a musical partnership that is going strong as ever even after the marital partnership ended.
We got an early exposure to the advance single “I Didn’t Mean It” that gets the album off on the good foot, putting all of Webster’s strong suits as a vocalist and composer up front.
As you go through Reasons, it becomes clearer that this is as much of an RnB record as it is a smooth jazz record, and Webster has fluency in both camps and knows how to put it together into her own personal genre. For instance, “Love of Your Life” goes deep into Quiet Storm territory, but with lush jazz chords helped along by tasteful synth backing and a vocal bass scat from East. “Twin Flame” is more of that Quiet Storm, reaching its apogee when Webster hits those really high notes. That lushness carries over in the intro “The Way” and settles into a satisfying Philly soul sway. This “Reasons” isn’t the one made into hit by Earth, Wind & Fire but is nevertheless a similarly sweetened slice of soul.
Webster’s slow tunes are equally effectively at setting the right mood: “Just The Night” is a ballad that gets the job done solely off of Webster’s aching vocal delivery. But that segues right into another a snappy mid-tempo funk number “Stay With Me” that nods to the current scene with a guest rap turn from Kev Choice and an historical horn presence via Brecker’s flugelhorn (another mix of the song takes out the rapping).
“Wish You Well” has Webster singing a low, sultry and sassy voice, and Steely Dan-smooth horn backing. More horns add a suave touch to the lightly funky “I’m OK,” and Payton is on hand to deliver a flawless trumpet solo.
Lindsey Webster has been going through a change as she adjusts back into the ups and downs of the single life, providing a lot of fodder for her latest set of songs. But thankfully nothing has changed fundamentally in her craftsmanship and style; it’s still quality soul-satisfying music for grown-ups.
by S. Victor Aaron