Opportunity Please Knock

Album Review

On her debut recording, singer Teraesa Vinson takes a fresh look at time-tested standards while adding a twist or two for good measure. Her smooth sound makes her singing seem effortless at times. She's laid-back but swinging throughout the opener, "What a Difference a Day Made," propelled by her walking rhythm section. Pianist Carlton Holmes shines as Vinson's driving Latin-tinged approach to "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes." Artie Shaw's "Moon Ray," a great song not nearly performed often enough, kicks off with Vinson's spacious duet with bassist Nicki Parrott. The bittersweet ballad "I Can't Make You Love Me," forever associated with Bonnie Raitt's widely known recording, is turned by Venison into a powerful jazz vehicle, with Ron Blake's emotional tenor sax and Dion Parson's solid drumming, while Tom Dempsey's spacious guitar retains a bit of country flavor. "While We're Young" has long been one of Alec Wilder's most beloved compositions and Vinson soars in her joyful interpretation. She romps through Jerome Kern's "The Song Is You" and revives the overlooked gem "Young and Foolish" with a tender performance. She makes the most of singer Sheila Jordan's arrangement of "The Way You Look Tonight," a superb duet with Dempsey. Oscar Brown, Jr.'s "Opportunity Please Knock," a commentary on the civil rights struggle of the 1960s, opens with a gospel flavor, before switching gears into a soul-jazz strut. This is a delightful introduction to Teraesa Vinson, a promising jazz singer.