Amazon.com Customer Reviews
BEWARE: Neo Soul, Not Jazz - Review written on August 23, 2008
Rating: 5 out of 5
1 customer found this review helpful, 1 did not.
I first heard Ledisi on my local NPR station doing big band standards. I next caught her amazing scat turn on the We Love Ella CD, and then she popped up on the new Sergio Mendes work. In every case, where she brought a soulful R&B sensibility to familiar pieces, I was led to believe that Ledisi was the new Sarah/Ella. This image is also supported in the information on the Verve website, where they wax rapturously about her live renditions of "Yesterday," "Blues in the Night," and "Unchained Melody" at various events.
So, I was happy to find her CDs (I had to do some serious Googling to find how to spell Ledisi), and snapped up this one, in spite of not recognizing the tunes on the play lists. I was very disappointed to find that she does NOT sing any standards on the albums. That's certainly her perogative, but I do hope that someone on her management team deals with this blatant schizophrenia.
There's nothing that says that a singer has to be buttonholed. However, it's frustrating for a fan to feel like they've been hornswaggled--you hear "apples" on the radio, but when you dig into your pockets and buy the CD, the music is "oranges." A further example: Her next gig in New York, where I live, is at the Blue Note jazz club, with the Count Basie Orchestra, so the dual personality syndorome continues. Let her try to sing some of her own neo soul tunes to that audience and see what happens!
If your tastes run to Eryka Badu, and you haven't discovered Ledisi yet, you'll love the latter. If your exposure to her runs along the same venues I described, pass her current CDs up and hold out for a jazz classics project, which is surely on its way. (Inexplicably, her next CD, coming in Sept 2008, is Christmas music!) I don't expect my review "to be helpful" to fans of contemporary urban music, but I hope I can stop other old school jazz lovers from making the same assumptions/mistakes that I did. I am giving her 5 stars for her boundless talent, as I don't think it would be fair for me to downgrade her just because I don't like her music.
I'm glad I got this after getting the free Amazon sample!! - Review written on July 14, 2008
Rating: 5 out of 5
My title says it all. I had never heard of her before I got the free Amazon song, and after hearing it, I was so impressed, I decided to purchase the whole album by digital download. Now I'm so glad, because at my job, everyone's asking who's the sultry sounding songbird that I have blaring off of my iPod docking station?? When I tell them, they then say, 'I've got to go purchase that from Amazon as well!!' So thanks, Amazon, you've just made about 25 other people at work fans of Ledisi. (By the way, I ended up getting her other two albums!!)
This is beautiful - Review written on July 04, 2008
Rating: 4 out of 5
1 customer found this review helpful, 3 did not.
I was in a store the other day and overheard two women saying that they were going to purchase the new album by Ledisi. I had heard her name a few times and knew she was a R&B singer, but I certainly was not at all familiar with her musical works. Since the two women were raving about her, I decided to take a chance on her, being the music enthusiast that I am. I am pleased with her album as a whole.
What immediately enthralled me was Ledisi's voice. This woman has some pure vocals and she delivers a song nicely. "Lost and Found" is an interpolation of R&B and neo-soul, but it is a wonderful combination. Much of the production is experimental and innovative, but it still contains the simplicity of a typical R&B beat. The production on "Today" is so creative that it helps to bring out the entire album. The song has a very positive message; an excerpt of the hook is "I got a feeling that today will go my way, I got a feeling about today, its my day." For those of you who need reassurance, this is the song for you. "Joy" also has a positive tone. This mid-tempo track is great in every sense of the word. Ledisi is letting her man know that she will make him very happy, and, based on the sincerity in her voice, I believe her. The title track immediately got my attention because of the best thing a singer can do is perform a song with just a piano, and that's what Ledisi did in this song. This song is emotional because of its profound words. She keeps reiterating "please someone find me."
If you do purchase this album, I can assure that you will listen to it more than once. Once you have played it all the way through, you will find yourself thinking of the songs again and going back to your CD player. I am amazed. Join me in my reveling and pick up this wondrous work. Support Ledisi!
Mikeisha's Top 5
1. "Joy"
2. "Best Friend"
3. "Think of You"
4. "Get to Know You"
5. "Lost and Found"
More people don't own this album because...? - Review written on June 14, 2008
Rating: 4 out of 5
2 customers found this review helpful, 4 did not.
Back in 2002, my brother said that soul songstress Ledisi was one of the most underrated singers in the game. Since I never got around to listening to her work, I couldn't really form an opinion, but now that I've gotten my hands on her latest album Lost & Found, I have to say that he's right.
Honestly, it's hard to pick a favorite song from this album, but right now I think I'll have to go with "Today". There are plenty of other highlights, like "Upside Down" and "You & Me". "Get to Know You" is a cool jam that you could easily chill to at your local Starbucks, and "Alright" is an understatement.
Guest stars are few, but when they arrive, they also excel. I'm not sure who Karen Briggs is, but she helps Ledisi deliver an already wonderful title track. And even though the Rahsaan Patterson duet "We Are One" isn't even two minutes long, it also shines. "In the Morning" is also a good song, although I'm not sure how many people can relate to it.
Speaking of that song, the reason why I only give the album four stars is because Ledisi tends to oversing sometimes, especially on "Best Friend" (kinda reminds me of another song called "Best Friend" by Bilal (and Tweet), who has that same problem). Oh, well; Lost & Found is still a beautiful album, so pick it up.
Anthony Rupert