Save Your Love For Me: Nancy Wilson Sings The Great Blues Ballads

Heaps of gratitude should go to Capitol Jazz for putting together their line of 2005 Nancy Wilson compilations. SAVE YOUR LOVE FOR ME: NANCY WILSON SINGS GREAT BLUES BALLADS may be the finest of the lot, as Wilson's silky timbre and highly nuanced delivery are perfectly suited to the blues form. The selections presented here date from the late-'50s to the late-'60s, and find Wilson at the very height of her vocal prowess. The title track, one of the singer's finest moments, features the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, with Cannonball and Nat Adderley in dialogue--on saxophone and cornet, respectively--and with Wilson's sultry phrasing throughout. There are a handful of other small combo dates (including one with George Shearing) interspersed with more orchestral settings, but even in the largest ensembles Wilson's subtlety and sense of intimacy never waver (the string-sweetened "Don't Go To Strangers" is a case in point). In short, this is quintessential Nancy Wilson, and a sure-fire winner for even the most casual fan.