Jenni Muldaur "Dearest Darlin' " (Dandelion Music, 2010)

Veteran backup singer takes the spotlight and impresses on every level

There’s a real classic Motown vibe moulded in the grooves of ‘Dearest Darlin’’ but I don’t think this is the music of any boorish soul pretender, emulating the classics and sterilising them in the process. Rather, Jenni seems a genuine article, and she’s got the credentials to back it up. Mom and Pop performed at Newport, plugged right in to the re-emerging folk scene. Jenni herself has toured with everyone from Todd Rundgen to Meatloaf. Lou Reed and John Cale have both enjoyed her backup vocals.

Solo, she sings facing away from her audience, not because she’s shy but because she’s loud. Ella loud. Jenni has a huge soulful voice that can holler and croon and she lends it to a track list of exquisitely chosen covers and one self penned lyric that holds its own with the heavy hitters. James Brown’s ‘Lost Someone’ gets a skilful update. Lee Dorsey’s ‘You’re Breakin’ Me Up’ gets an extraordinary jump-blues treatment. There’s even a haunting run through a Lomax-documented field holler.

‘Dearest Darlin’’ is a wonderful record and sees Jenni stepping from other artists’ shadows to deservedly take the spotlight. This is her first solo disc and while one may wonder why she waited this long to let us hear her, it’s thrilling to see an artist emerge so fully formed.

Date review added:  Saturday, February 06, 2010
Reviewer:  Alex Cleary
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  Artist's Official Site