On this album the singer, songwriter embraces the history of Jazz, Gospel, and R&B. Her collaborations with some of the most gifted artists already have this record tagged as one of the most original albums of the year.

Lizz Wright’s sophomore release, Dreaming Wide Awake is a gorgeous, floating atmospheric journey. Her deep, rich alto, matched by a similarly incredible depth of emotion, makes for a beautiful, timeless record. Highlights include a bluegrass-tinged cover of Neil Young’s "Old Man," a gorgeously sultry version of Joe Henry’s "Stop" (better known as "Don’t Tell Me," as covered by Madonna), and the Youngbloods' positivity-tipped "Get Together." But not all highlights are cover tunes. Wright, along with songwriter Jesse Harris and Toshi Reagon, created the achingly beautiful "Hit the Ground," while Chocolate Genius (a.k.a. Marc Anthony Thompson) scribed "Chasing Strange," and Wright penned the jazz-tinged title track on her own. --Denise Sheppard