Black Is Brown and Brown Is Beautiful

by Scott YanowVeteran R&B/jazz singer Ruth Brown is in strong voice for this audiophile CD reissue but she occasionally goes over the top. The Gary McFarland arrangements for an expanded rhythm section (with guitarist Eric Gale) and the Howard Roberts Chorale are quite predictable and the material has few surprises except for a soulful version of "Yesterday." Closer to soul than to jazz, the set is enjoyable enough but nothing happens to raise it above the average album of the period. Ruth Brown has recorded more significant music elsewhere.