Dance to the Drums Again

by Scott YanowIt is obvious listening to this music in hindsight that vocalist Cassandra Wilson was at the crossroads of her career in 1992. She had spent several years often singing in a free funk M-Base setting, an idiom with little use for a vocalist. On this CD, not only does she sound bored to death on her own unimaginative material, but Wilson sings virtually everything in the same world-weary tone of voice. The rhythms are quite ponderous and annoying. Despite his best efforts, guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly is unable to do much to uplift this fiasco.