Blue Light 'til Dawn
Encyclopedia
Blue Light 'til Dawn is a studio album by American jazz
singer Cassandra Wilson
. Her first album on the Blue Note
label, it was released in 1993. It contains Wilson's interpretations of songs by various blues
and rock
artists, as well as three original compositions.
reviewer John Milward gave the album three and a half star
s out of five. He praised Wilson's choice of blues
tracks by Robert Johnson and guitarist Brandon Ross' arrangements. He also liked Wilson's title track, but did not like her interpretations of Joni Mitchell
's "Black Crow" or Ann Peebles
' "I Can't Stand the Rain
". Ron Wynn of Allmusic gave the album a rating of five stars out of five. In contrast to Milward, he enjoyed Wilson's "piercing version" of "I Can't Stand the Rain".
A reviewer for Gramophone called it "more spacious and flexible" than her previous albums, praising the musical juxtapositions and describing Wilson's voice as strong and sensuous. They cited "Come on in My Kitchen" and "I Can't Stand the Rain" as highlights, but did not enjoy her versions of "Black Crow" or "Hellhound on My Trail".
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her...
. Her first album on the Blue Note
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
label, it was released in 1993. It contains Wilson's interpretations of songs by various blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
artists, as well as three original compositions.
Reception
Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
reviewer John Milward gave the album three and a half star
Star (classification)
Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes. They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies, TV shows, restaurants, and hotels. For example, one to five stars is commonly employed to categorize hotels.-Restaurant ratings:...
s out of five. He praised Wilson's choice of blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
tracks by Robert Johnson and guitarist Brandon Ross' arrangements. He also liked Wilson's title track, but did not like her interpretations of Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
's "Black Crow" or Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles is an African American singer-songwriter who gained celebrity for her Memphis soul albums of the 1970s on the Hi Records label...
' "I Can't Stand the Rain
I Can't Stand the Rain (song)
"I Can't Stand the Rain" is a song originally recorded by Ann Peebles, and written by Don Bryant, Bernard "Bernie" Miller & Ann Peebles. The song became Peebles' biggest hit when in 1973 it reached #38 on the US Pop Chart and #6 on the R&B/Black Chart. The single also reached #41 on the UK Pop...
". Ron Wynn of Allmusic gave the album a rating of five stars out of five. In contrast to Milward, he enjoyed Wilson's "piercing version" of "I Can't Stand the Rain".
A reviewer for Gramophone called it "more spacious and flexible" than her previous albums, praising the musical juxtapositions and describing Wilson's voice as strong and sensuous. They cited "Come on in My Kitchen" and "I Can't Stand the Rain" as highlights, but did not enjoy her versions of "Black Crow" or "Hellhound on My Trail".
Track listing
- "You Don't Know What Love IsYou Don't Know What Love Is"You Don't Know What Love Is," a popular song of the Great American Songbook, has one the craziest histories of any song. It was written by Don Raye and Gene de Paul for the Abbott and Costello 1941 Universal picture Keep 'Em Flying, in which it was sung by Carol Bruce...
" (Gene DePaul, Don RayeDon RayeDon Raye , born Donald MacRae Wilhoite, Jr., in Washington, D.C., was an American vaudevillian and songwriter, best known for his songs for the Andrews Sisters such as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", "The House of Blue Lights", "Just For A Thrill" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."While known for...
) — 6:05 - "Come on in My Kitchen" (Robert Johnson) — 4:53
- "Tell Me You'll Wait for Me" (Charles BrownCharles Brown (musician)Charles Brown , born in Texas City, Texas was an American blues singer and pianist whose soft-toned, slow-paced blues-club style influenced the development of blues performance during the 1940s and 1950s...
, Oscar MooreOscar MooreOscar Moore was an American swing jazz guitarist.Moore was an integral part of the Nat King Cole Trio during 1937–1947, appearing on virtually all of Cole's records during the period. A superb and influential guitarist, Moore was himself influenced by Charlie Christian...
) — 4:48 - "Children of the Night" (Thom BellThom BellThomas Randolph "Thom" Bell is an American songwriter and producer, best known as one of the creators of the Philadelphia style of soul music in the 1970s. He moved to Philadelphia as a child.-Biography:...
, Linda CreedLinda CreedLinda Creed also known by her married name Linda Epstein, was an American singer-songwriter and lyricist who teamed up with songwriter-producer Thom Bell to produce some of the most successful Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s.-Career:Born in Philadelphia in 1949, Creed was raised in the...
) — 5:19 - "Hellhound on My TrailHellhound on My Trail"Hellhound on My Trail" is a blues song recorded by Mississippi Delta bluesman Robert Johnson in 1937. It was the first song recorded during Johnson's last recording session in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, June 20, 1937 and the first single released from that session...
" (Johnson) — 4:34 - "Black Crow" (Joni MitchellJoni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
) — 4:38 - "Sankofa" (Cassandra Wilson) — 2:02
- "Estrellas" (Cyro BaptistaCyro BaptistaCyro Baptista is a Brazilian musician, teacher, and recording artist specializing in percussion in the genres of jazz and world music....
) — 1:59 - "Redbone" (Wilson) — 5:35
- "Tupelo HoneyTupelo Honey (Van Morrison song)"Tupelo Honey" is a popular song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and the title song from his 1971 album, Tupelo Honey. The title derives from an expensive, mild-tasting tupelo honey produced in the southeastern United States. Released as a single in 1972, it reached number...
" (Van MorrisonVan MorrisonVan Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
) — 5:36 - "Blue Light 'til Dawn" (Wilson) — 5:09
- "I Can't Stand the RainI Can't Stand the Rain (song)"I Can't Stand the Rain" is a song originally recorded by Ann Peebles, and written by Don Bryant, Bernard "Bernie" Miller & Ann Peebles. The song became Peebles' biggest hit when in 1973 it reached #38 on the US Pop Chart and #6 on the R&B/Black Chart. The single also reached #41 on the UK Pop...
" (Don BryantDon BryantDon Bryant is an American singer and songwriter.Bryant was staff songwriter for Hi Records. He married soul singer Ann Peebles in 1974.-Discography:Doin' the Mustang...
, Bernard MillerBernard MillerSir Bernard Miller was a British businessman, who was chairman of the John Lewis Partnership from 1955 to 1972.-Life:...
, Ann PeeblesAnn PeeblesAnn Peebles is an African American singer-songwriter who gained celebrity for her Memphis soul albums of the 1970s on the Hi Records label...
) — 5:27
Personnel
- Cassandra WilsonCassandra WilsonCassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her...
– vocal - Olu DaraOlu DaraOlu Dara Jones is an American cornetist, guitarist and singer.-History:...
– cornet - Don ByronDon ByronDon Byron is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist. He primarily plays clarinet, but has also used bass clarinet and saxophones....
– clarinet - Charlie Burnham – violin, mandocello
- Tony Cedras – accordion
- Brandon Ross, Chris WhitleyChris WhitleyChristopher Becker Whitley was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Whitley changed his sound frequently, and achieved modest mainstream success while maintaining a small but devoted following...
– guitar - Gib Wharton – pedal steel guitar
- Kenny DavisKenny DavisKenny Davis is an American jazz bassist.Davis released two albums as leader for Soul Note.He was also member of the Blue Note Records group Out of the Blue and has appeared on albums by Gary Bartz, Art Farmer, Don Byron, Eric Person, Michele Rosewoman, Onaje Allan Gumbs and others.Kenny is...
, Lonnie PlaxicoLonnie PlaxicoLonnie Plaxico is an African American jazz bassist.Plaxico was born in Chicago, Illinois into a musical family, and started playing the bass at the age of twelve, turning professional at fourteen...
– bass - Lance Carter, Kevin Johnson, Bill McClellan, Jeff Haynes, Cyro BaptistaCyro BaptistaCyro Baptista is a Brazilian musician, teacher, and recording artist specializing in percussion in the genres of jazz and world music....
, Cyro – percussion