Nyee Moses - Nyee Moses (Nyee Moses Music)



If smooth jazz radio programmers ever get on the stick and realize that genre fans still want to hear unique new vocalists with soul and vision—rather than more Anita Baker and Phil Collins oldies--newcomer Nyee Moses’ self-titled debut will be the place to start the new trend. She’s already getting a lot of buzz behind the scenes. Radio promotion guru Cliff Gorov, who is getting behind the high-spirited, breezy and exotic opening track “Between Us,” calls her “a fresh, unique voice for the format.” (Are you programming directors listening?) DJ Aja from the U.K.’s Jazz Syndicate adds that she’s “an incredible nu-talent. A lady strictly on the cool side of soul!” And DJ Rafe Gomez of The Groove Boutique syndicated radio show says, “this sensuous chanteuse has discovered the perfect balance between groove and smooth and the result is a refreshing audio journey.”

Praise like that wouldn’t mean much if Moses wasn’t so effortlessly successful at getting your toes tappin’ at the same time she tugs on your heart and makes you think of the rhythm of romance. To paraphrase the lone cover song on her remarkably fresh, soulful and seductive self-titled debut, “Summertime” and the listening is easy…and sensuous. Although her powerful contemporary twist on the Gershwin classic—complete with an irresistible, socially incisive rap interlude by Krayzie Bone from Bone Thugs-N- Harmony--is tucked at the end of the collection, the track says it all about the ethereal-voiced singer’s dynamic swirl of old school and modern sensibilities. Credited as The Revolution Mix, it features Moses’ dreamy, calming voice and occasional flute harmony (by the legendary Hubert Laws!) floating over a cool, hip-hop shuffle groove and a caressing retro-soul atmosphere; the juxtaposition of her calming ambience and Krayzie Bone’s hypnotic talk of revolution and the struggle to survive takes the legendary song to a level The Gershwins could never have fathomed.

Beyond that, the core of Nyee Moses is less sociopolitical commentary than sweet, late night sexy romance, incorporating exotic elements (Spanish guitars on the aforementioned opening declaration of love “Between Us,” subtle African chanting intertwining with her vocals on “Acacia Tree”), jazz textures and a unique mix of modern grooves and world beat percussion. The result is a sound that is best described as ambient soul for the post-Sade generation, which would be as at home in the smooth jazz format as it would on Urban AC radio. Rather than overwhelm with vocal histrionics, Moses smartly realizes that the way to the listener’s heart is subtlety and slow burning magic; her whisper of “sexy talk” at the beginning of the Bass Over Babylon Mix of “Love Is A Lion” makes a definitive statement about her gentle but insistent emotional takeover.

Tracks like this one, the boundary busting “No Limits” and “Call Me” can be enjoyed purely for the candlelight of the music, but her words are an invitation to a deeper passionate experience as well. On a few cuts, Moses ventures from the straightforward sensuality into more thoughtful spiritual territory, most notably on “The Journey” and the inspirational and encouraging “Under The Sun,” which features some of the disc’s most exciting percussive voice textures behind her lead vocal. When Moses sings, “Tell her it will be okay…you will find your way,” she captures the overriding hopeful feeling of the whole album. As you listen, you’ll find yourself swaying and dreaming along with her.

When an artist is first breaking out, a good way to gauge potential for longevity is how well he or she hangs with the best musicians in the business. There’s no doubt that during these sessions, Moses completely charmed every one of these top players: Otmaro Ruiz, Rene Toledo, Kevin Ricard, Lenny Castro, Pedro Eustache, Ramon Stagnaro, Reggie Hamilton, Hubert Laws, Hami Dair, Gregg Reeves and Peggy Baldwin. As they play on this wonderful disc, you can almost feel them shouting and singing: Go Down Moses! (There’s a lot of jazz and R&B fans hungry for great stuff like this!)



Another review:


Nyee Moses - Nyee Moses
Check out Nyee Moses' MySpace page and her list of influences will clue you that this is not just a run of the mill singer. Among them are Zap Mama, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Everything But The Girl, Nina Simone, Jamiroquai, Bob Marley, and Ofra Haza. The international flair is evident throughout throughout her self-titled CD, which also recalls the days when progressive A/C vocalists like Tracy Thorn (ETBTG), Sade, and Julia Fordham reigned. The feature track, "Between Us," is of the freshest and most original genre songs out there. It has actually climbed the corporate smooth jazz chart, a real accomplishment for a vocalist on an independent label who doesn't have oldie credentials. It took a while but this song was too irresistible to pass over, once listeners heard it they had to hear it again. The rest of the CD lives up to that standard.

Her voice is clear, flexible and melodic, a refreshing shift away from the trend toward breathy, waifish female vocalists. She can spin a Sade influenced groove without the dark moodiness that pervaded her recent work and chill without sleep-talking. Even more impressive is the way she can sing about lust and seduction with confidence and authority. Outside of Maysa Leak I can't think of another female singer who doesn't veer into apology and neediness when they venture into this terrain. In "No Limits" she knows she's hooked and not being treated too well she just acknowledges and sings it, her voice gliding over a chilled percussion driven groove. "Vanilla" continues the theme with disappointment meeting attitude over an infectious hook that shifts and layers over spoken lines "I met a friend of a friend..she knows your story." "Call Me" has a sensual perspective you rarely hear from a female viewpoint.

Don't write Moses off as a background soundtrack for wine and candlelight though. There is a lot more here than that. This project develops a strong spiritual and political thread toward the later tracks. "Acacia Tree" has a tribal feel and a Deep Forest type vocal layered in the background. "The Journey" is a haunting spiritual evocation. The liner notes for "The Journey" say it is "calling on The Ancestors to show the way" but this could be said for most of this part of the CD on some level. "Under The Sun" with its percussive background and irresistible dance groove is about the importance of giving support and inspiration to the younger ones. "Summertime (The Revolution Mix)," the final track, is a stunning and inventive piece of work. Her languishing delivery of the Gershwin classic is deceptive. She sings with restraint but the emotional intensity builds as the song moves into a deeper context. It is interspersed with the title line from Gil Scott-Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and a spoken word passage by Krazy Bone (Bone Thugs-N-Harmony) at the end. Hubert Laws' flute work adds a cool retro jazz flavor pulled straight from the era she captures the mood of those long hot summers in the activist sixties. This is a perfect thumbnail for the times we live in, where these feelings still simmer but we keep them covered with pleasant and prettier things.

This multifaceted artist lures you in with the romance, takes you deep, and makes you think. In the process Moses, producer/co-writers Susan Youngblood and Marquis "Hami" Dair, and a group of fine musicians that includes none of the usual "on call" heavyhitters, have spiced up the arrangements with a lot of intriguing touches and given us lyrics with depth and substance. They've wrapped it all up in a completely listenable and accessible package. It's quite an accomplishment and quite an experience. With this as our introduction to Nyee Moses it is obvious that she has a long career ahead of her and we are going to enjoy and benefit from her continuing growth as an artist.

Love this single:

Just Between Us

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENRyfhYok7A