Track Listing

1. Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly
2. Salt
3. Afro Blue
4. Soon as I Get Home
5. Walk With Me, Lord
6. Eternity
7. Goodbye
8. Vocalise/End of the Line
9. Fire
10. Blue Rose
11. Lead the Way
12. Silence

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23264 in Music
• Brand: Verve
• Released on: 2003-05-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com
The release of the long-anticipated debut from this talented, 20-something, Georgia-bred chanteuse shows that Norah Jones isn't the only "it girl" out there. Wright's cool contralto, which was previously heard on Joe Sample's The Pecan Tree, is a southern stew cooked with ample helpings of soul, jazz, R&B, and gospel. This CD, equally produced by Tommy LiPuma, John Cowherd, and drummer Brian Blade, features mostly mid-tempo renditions of a jazz-fusion ditty, a spiritual, a Broadway tune, a Latin number, light classical, and original compositions. Wright's vocal weight and fluent delivery echoes the talents of Lalah Hathaway, whether she’s putting her own sepia spin on Flora Purim's '70s gem "Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly," Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue" (with pianist Danilo Perez), or "Soon As I Get Home" from The Wiz. Though this record is a promising debut from Wright, one gets the sense that she’s a soul singer at heart, as evidenced by the down-home title tune. One thing's for sure: the road to Lizz Wright's future is wide open with no barriers in sight. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Customer Reviews

Gets better with every listening...
I bought this CD based on the reviews and the sample listening from Amazon. It didn't capture me immediately until one day I was driving and playing it in the car. The longer and more I listen to the CD the more I became captivated by her singing voice and the material she chose. I recommended it to my co-worker and she fell in love with Ms Wright right away (unlike me...). This is a great start from a young singer. I am waiting for Ms Wright to shine bright for as long as she can sing.

Thaw out the ice princess
The only reason im doing this is because i am so grateful that in this world where music is lost, there is an artist like Ms Wright who has shared herself with us. I heard this album on amazon ad i was immediately taken. I got it and i am still in love with it 3 yrs after its release. I used to hate jazz and now thanks to Wright, i am a fanatic, her music is so inspiring and she speaks about ALL aspects of life. Her gift is not one in passing, it has remained with me since. The songs speak of life and love, both in its extremes and yet expressing its simplicity. I am all thawed out by Ms.Wright's music and if you too have ice bars around your ears and heart than you need TO THAW OUT TOO.

Eternity
This is a great debut by a very strong vocalist. Somewhere between r&b & jazz, Lizz Wright has a gorgeous voice with a clear pitch and resonance. The spiritual track is exceptional. The traditional "Walk With Me" has great percussion by Jeff Haynes on tablas and Lizz's strong vocals soaring over the jazz riffs John Hart's guitar & Doug Weiss's acoustic bass. On Wright's own "Eternity," she writes a track that builds exquisitely, "I will find the answer & the answer is you, my love, I have to have you for eternity." On "Fire" Kenny Banks' Hammond B3 sets the stage for Lizz's aching vocal and her self-penned lyric, "Are you frightened by the fire in my eyes? It burns for you; and I know you see it too, your heart was open looking for light." Lizz Wright's CD is a wonderful beginning from this obviously talented future star! Enjoy!