There have been occasional recorded tributes to Bessie Smith since the 1950s, but French singer Sarah Lenka’s I Don’t Dress Fine is one of the more unusual ones. While she performs 14 songs that the Empress of the Blues had recorded, and she is joined by a quartet of sympathetic sidemen (Fabien Mornet on banjo and dobro, guitarist Taofik Farah, bassist Manuel Marches, and occasionally trumpeter Malo Mazurie), at no time does her singing remind one of Smith.
That is actually not a bad thing for one can always listen to the original recordings. What Ms. Lenka does is sing in her own voice which ranges from sweet to bluesy. She is at her best on the more uptempo pieces such as “Cake Walking Babies” and “On Revival Day,” although she does put plenty of feeling into the more lowdown blues such as “Sing Sing Prison Blues” and “Sobbin’ Hearted Blues,” and sounds credible on “After You’ve Gone.” Some of the renditions sound closer to vintage folk music than blues but it all swings in its own way, being both a tribute and a modernization of the material.
This CD gives one a fresh slant on Bessie Smith’s repertoire and grows in interest with each listen, particularly once one puts away their preconceptions of how it should sound.
I Don’t Dress Fine
(Jazz & People JPCD 816006, 14 selections, TT = 41:05)
www.freshsoundrecords.com
You've read three articles this month! That makes you one of a rare breed, the true jazz fan!
The Syncopated Times is a monthly publication covering traditional jazz, ragtime and swing. We have the best historic content anywhere, and are the only American publication covering artists and bands currently playing Hot Jazz, Vintage Swing, or Ragtime. Our writers are legends themselves, paid to bring you the best coverage possible. Advertising will never be enough to keep these stories coming, we need your SUBSCRIPTION. Get unlimited access for $30 a year or $50 for two.
Not ready to pay for jazz yet? Register a Free Account for two weeks of unlimited access without nags or pop ups.
Already Registered? Log In
If you shouldn't be seeing this because you already logged in try refreshing the page.