FELLOWSHIP - CD

Personnel: Lizz Wright (vocals). Audio Mixer: Kevin Killen. Recording information: Sear Sound, New York, NY; Stratosphere Sound Recording Studios, New York, NY. Photographer: Caroline Kapf. Singer Lizz Wright delivers more of the organic, cross-genre-pollinating pop she perfected on 2008's Orchard with 2010's Fellowship. A soulful presence on record, Wright has a warm, passionate voice that fits well with her bent toward the contemporary gospel, neo-soul, and atmospheric folk-inflected jazz tracks presented here. Joining Wright once again are bandmembers pianist Glenn Patscha and guitarist Oren Bloedow as well as bassist Nick D'Amato and others. Also featured are African vocalist Ang?lique Kidjo, who appears on two brief but affecting numbers including the dreamy "All the Seeds," and bassist/vocalist Me'Shell Ndeg?ocello, who provides the funky and bluesy title track. Elsewhere, Wright brings to mind the spiritual and expansive style of Nina Simone on the uplifting "I Remember, I Believe" and gives fellow iconoclast k.d. lang a run for her crossover pop money on the torchy ballad "Feed the Light." ~ Matt Collar