CD Review: Suzy Bogguss "Swing" (Compadre)

Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 19:58:23 +0000 (UTC)
Newsgroups: rec.music.reviews
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Suzy Bogguss "Swing" (Compadre)
Despite having scored a string of country chart hits in the late 80s and
early 90s, Bogguss never really fit the Nashville orthodoxy, having to
forsake early covers of Patsy Montana and Merle Haggard for crossover
material that made her a star. By the mid-90s she'd moved on to
idiosyncratic (but highly charming) releases such as her duet album with
Chet Atkins, "Simpatico," before taking a couple of years off to start a
family.
Upon her return to recording, she filled out her contract with Capitol, and
began an indie recording career. This third indie release reveals, in
startling clarity, just how brilliant a singer Bogguss really is. Not that
her country recordings secreted the quality of her voice, but this all-Swing
affair highlights how beautifully she can caress a melody, and how well she
can draw out a lyric. Producer Ray Benson (of Asleep at the Wheel fame)
smartly supports her with a tight, acoustic combo that's able to lay back or
swing, as needed. Jason Roberts' violin is especially fine in its evocation
of Stephane Grappelli, Spencer Starnes adds wonderfully lyrical stand-up
bass, and Dave Biller's guest spot on "It's All About You" once again proves
him an ace among aces.
Bogguss constructs her songbook on a foundation of classics, including a
playful reading of Nat King Cole's "Straighten Up and Fly Right" and a
songbird's stroll through Duke Ellington's "Do Nothing Till You Hear From
Me." Smartly, though, she draws heavily on sophisticated new songs from
April Barrows, Paul Kramer, and even her own pen. The resulting mood
balances vintage timbre with modern emotion, swinging free and easy with the
confidence (though not the swagger!) of Sinatra's early Capitol sides.
Bogguss is much more than a former pop crooner (e.g., Linda Ronstadt,
Natalie Cole) looking for fresh commercial ground, she's a jazz singer set
loose. This set is the deepest and most artistically complete album of
Bogguss' career.
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