Deep*Soul - Black Coffee
Alternative/Alt.Rock, Blues, Country
Tidewater, United States
Overall Impression: "Black Coffee" is the latest release from singer/songwriter Gabriela Dickson, better known to fans as Deep*Soul. Both elegant and timeless, this downtempo vocal jazz/blues number finds a sophisticated piano trio arrangement backing Dickson's dynamic and honeyed alto in a bittersweet homage to everyone's favorite warm, caffeinated beverage. Dickson gives a stirring vocal performance here, showing impressive range and command, smoothly conveying the complicated love/hate relationship that many of us have with our morning cup of joe. Deep*Soul's "Black Coffee" will undoubtably stimulate interest from jazz and blues audiences alike, thanks to both the exceptional musicianship on display here, and its slick production.
Strongest Point(s): Excellent production, solid mix. Terrific clarity. Outstanding arrangement and song structure. I particularly enjoyed the bridge; it does a nice job of breaking up the tune a bit, and it shows off your range in the upper register. Upright bass has amazing tone and motion, drum mix comes through nice and crisp. Very tasteful piano, some really nice little fills and licks thrown in there. Fantastic lyrical content here, the themes of desolation and anxiety really come through in the subtext of the lyrics, and are most certainly reflected in the music. Tremendous job overall, well crafted song and a strong finished track that was a pleasure to review.
Target Audience Appeal: Fans of Jazz, Blues, Vocal Jazz, Classic Female Blues
Artist target suggestions: Diana Krall, Cassandra Wilson, Melody Gardot, Norah Jones, Deborah Silver, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Dinah Washington
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About the Reviewer:
Steven Azami is a multi-instrumentalist with over 25 years of experience in the music industry. Both as a touring/session player and as a producer, his career has spanned nearly every genre, from bluegrass to jazz, from rock to reggae. In addition, his work as a music educator has allowed him to cultivate and foster talent among the next generation of musical explorers