Daughter Of Abraham
Red Parlor, 2023
8/10
The vocalist, piano player, keyboardist and ukulele wizard Sandy Bailey welcomes plenty of excellent players to this diverse and eloquent songwriting.
The playful organ of “I Ain’t Your Honey” starts the listen with Bailey’s soulful voice amid Monte Arnstam’s fluid drumming, and “Already Down” follows with a stirring intimacy that uses the gorgeous singing alongside the powerful and poetic song craft.
Further on, “Bottles Of Emptiness” benefits much from Darby Wolf’s dreamy piano and Bailey’s pretty, expressive pipes, while “Time’s Gonna Come” is populated by Gray Maynard’s double bass and Nate Thorn’s electric guitar for the atmospheric album highlight.
Approaching the end, Jim Bailey’s gorgeous harmonica and Ryan Hommel’s aching pedal steel help cultivate a roosty landscape across “Dear John”, and “Got Nobody” exits with a hint of gospel flowing in the stunning and heartfelt closer.
A body of work from an artist whose creativity is rooted in being biracial, a single mother and an active rock and roller, you might be reminded of Norah Jones or Susan Tedeschi when listening to these 10 well thought out pieces, and I don’t think anyone is going to have a problem with that.
Travels well with: Alexander Wren- To Whom It May Concern; Alice Howe- Circumstance