"New Moon Daughter" was released on Blue Note Records in 1996. It is in my opinion her best effort. She never sounded so dark and silky smooth. Most of the songs are very subtle and haunting. She has really done it on this album.

For those who don't know who Cassandra Wilson, she is a jazz vocalist who has performed in a number groups over the years, her most experimental being M-Base Collective led by saxophonist Steve Coleman. I think this is where she got much of her experience dealing with different kinds of music besides jazz.

"New Moon Daughter" finds her in very good company. Her band is remarkable and they are:

Graham Haynes, Lawrence "Butch" Morris (coronet); Tony Cedras (accordion); Dougie Bowne (vibraphone, drums, percussion); Charlie Burnham (violin); Gary Breit (Hammond B-3 organ); Brandon Ross (acoustic, electric & octave guitars); Kevin Breit (acoustic, resophonic & electric guitars, tenor banjo, Irish bozouki); Chris Whitley (resophonic guitar); Gib Wharton (pedal steel); Lonnie Plaxico, Marc Anthony Peterson (bass); Jeff Haynes (percussion); Cyro Baptista (percussion, jews harp); The Peepers (background vocals)

Wilson, like Diana Krall, surrounds herself with real jazz musicians that know the music. I can't talk about the music too much other than it's beautiful and will really take you a minute to soak in what just happened. There are many layers to discover each time you listen.

If you like Shirley Horn and Diana Krall, then I wouldn't see any reason why you wouldn't like Cassandra Wilson. She is a lot different than Horn and Krall musically, but her voice is just as silky smooth. I think with Wilson you really have to be just sit back and wrap your ears around all the beautiful sounds. Listen to this recording with headphones on so you can hear everything and it's more intimate.

Highly recommended to fans of jazz vocals. I don't really listen to jazz vocals that much, because I'm a bebopper, but I was able to really dig this. "New Moon Daughter" is by far one of her finest.

I just wish cd now (or Amazon, if we must tell the truth) would give real details about the recordings instead of flowery descriptions. Who ARE the musicians on this recording? A singer is only as good as the band who backs her up.

I own this and Glamoured, and love them both. Her covers of familiar songs always bring something new. What an eerie, moody, individual stylist.

"Love Is Blindness", I love that moody song! I love the lyrics. I love the musicianship. Most of all I love Cassandra's haunting voice. This is my favorite song on "New Moon Daughter".

"Blue Light Til Dawn" is Cassandra's most acclaimed CD but "New Moon Daugher" is equally as good. I love them both dearly but "New Moon Daughter" is still my favorite. The material on this CD is just so damn strong. Plus it's got "Love Is Blindness" on it. Like I said before, I LOVE that song!

NEEDS to be in any decent collection anymore.
'Last Train...."? OUTRAGOUS!! boom da boomboom dee BOOM!
Upstate New York,to boot,ey?Bearsville.Man- what a beautiful GIFT this woman posseses.WANT MORE PLEASE!!Her newest one is REALLY her best so far,imo.Gettum all! Check out the Jamie Cullum "TwentyFour Something" jams too!! WOW!! A La HOT!!
Karyn Allison...and Ben w/ The Medicine Wheel.Jean-Luc Ponty?YES!!