The Lou Rawls Project

Victor Fields

 

(Regina Records)

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Victor Fields - Vocals

Gerald Albright - Sax

Eric Marienthal - Sax

Jeff Lorber - Keyboard

Tom Politzer - Sax

Richard Elliot - Sax

Chris Camozzi - Guitar

Rodney Franklin - Piano

Rick Braun - Trumpet

Nelson Braxton -  Bass

           

 

Victor Fields is one of the most dynamic and versatile voices in jazz today.  He  returns with his fifth album as a leader in The Lou Rawls Project. It’s been a little over a decade since the music world lost the soulful vocalist that is this album’s namesake.

 

Fields does not merely pay tribute to the late music legend; he expounds Rawls’ legacy with a modern R&B flare.

 

Throughout Project, Fields courageously takes on the most notable classics of Rawls such as “You’ll Never Find” and “See You When I Get There.” The latter is my favorite reinterpretation on the album.

 

Though Fields is assisted by a wide array of musicians throughout, one indispensable contributor is guitarist Chris Camozzi, who produced the album in addition to laying down guitar.

 

The triumph of this recording is in the way Fields captures the essence of the vocal style of Rawls without sacrificing his own unique artistic voice. The music presents a well-paced selection of songs, augmented with performances that fans of both Fields and Rawls are sure to enjoy.

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Reviewed by Quentin Coaxum