The Long Game
Ruby Star, 2021
8/10
The veteran songwriter and vocalist Jacqui Naylor returns with her 11th album, and she’s got Art Khu, Jon Evans and Josh Jones along with her to flesh out the diverse and richly textured listen where her fans actually decided which songs would appear here.
“Like Someone In Love” starts the listen with Naylor’s flowing, soulful pipes alongside warm piano and a frisky jazz climate, and “Give Me One More Chance” follows with spirited guitar lines in a romantic, poetic setting.
Entering the middle, the strong drumming of “Walkin’ Out The Door” matches well with the frisky bass work as Naylor’s inimitable pipes draw us in, while “Smile” trims the pace back into sublime balladry, where strategic keys add much to the Latin influenced landscape. “Don’t Give Up”, the album highlight, then resides in contemplative territory that possesses just as much beauty as Naylor has us hanging on every note of the Peter Gabriel original.
Close to the end, “It’s The Right Time” flirts with pop-rock in its dynamic execution where Khu, Evans and Jones all take their turn in the spotlight, and “All My Life” exits the listen with intricate guitar work in a breezy, melodic finish.
Known for her ability to make any song her own through her unique approach to song craft, Naylor and company interpret other’s work in ways you won’t hear elsewhere, as well as penning originals that are certainly cover worthy in their own right. Mostly laid down on one take, The Long Game continues Naylor’s eclectic version of jazz that embraces R&B, rock, pop and plenty of cultured moments that have defined her esteemed career.
Travels well with: The Rebecca Kilgore Trio- Vol. 1; Anais Reno- Lovesome Thing: Anaïs Reno Sings Ellington & Strayhorn