Diane Schuur Running on Faith

Diane Schuur
Running on Faith
Jazzheads

Grammy-Award winning vocalist and Diane Schuur has her first album in six years. She co-produced this recording with saxophonist Ernie Watts. Besides Schurr and Watts, the backing band includes Key Palmer on trumpet and flugelhorn, Thom Rotella on guitar, Bruce Lett on bass and Kendall Kay on drums. In her album notes, Schuur observes that she elected the tunes, which "offered the opportunity to reflect on this place in time, my place in time." And the songs selected include some of her musical heroes from "Miles Davis to Carole King to Paul Simon to Percy Mayfield."

There is a sophisticated, understated approach to two Percy Mayfield songs that open this album, "Walking on a Tightrope" and "The Danger Zone." Guitarist Rotella provides an organ-like accompaniment on the former number while Palmer lays down a middle-range trumpet solo. On the latter song, Rotella lays down a stinging guitar solo, followed by Watts' robust tenor sax. There is charm into Schuur's mix of spoken and sung vocals. However, her performances don't reach the level of those by Mayfield or the late Johnny Adams, arguably the greatest Mayfield interpreter. Schuur's horn-like phrasing provides authority to her rendition of Miles Davis' "All Blues," which includes a stunning trumpet solo by Palmer.

There are deft interpretations of Paul Simon's "Something So Right" and the Beatles' ''Let It Be." Both receive light, sympathetic backing. With Watts' rousing tenor sax opening and some boisterous piano, Schuur sings with spirit on Paul Thorn's "Everybody Looks Good at the Starting Line." Her vocal brings to the fore the lyrics of the Doc Pomus-Kenny Hirsch song "There Is Always One More Time." Then she pays tribute to Jaco Pastorious with her horn-like scatting on Pee Wee Ellis' "Chicken." This tune also showcases Palmer's fiery trumpet, Watts gutbucket tenor sax, and drummer Kay.

The closing performance is the traditional spiritual, 'Swing Low, Swing Chariot," where Schuur is accompanied solely by her piano. "Running on Faith" may not overpower a listener as much as entice one with its intimate, charming performances.

I received my review copy from a publicist. here is a performance of Diane singing "Everyday I Have the Blues."