Nashville born Kandace Springs is a rising star on the vocal firmament. Believe me. I never heard her before but what I can hear on her début Blue Note recording brings enough to me to indicate it clearly. This young lady has both remarkable talent and an incredible voice. Soon She will win herself a lot of love from an audience worldwide.
I can tell that much. Arrangements on that LP are on the pop side, mostly light kept in R&B manner, like opening in Talk To Me. It doesn’t surprise when you know who produced it. But when it comes to Jazz repertoire, like Waldron’s classic Soul Eyes the whole world turns upside down. Hardly I can hear such an emotionally mature interpretation of this lyrics. Not even mentioned yet the way it had been half sung half whispered. Her dark and slightly harshly but melodic voice reminds me mostly Jeanne Lee interpretation , my all time favourite, with perfectly executed articulation.
This alone would win her my heart. Her piano self accompaniment is more bluesy and lacks Mal‘s emotional depth, what suits her very well and puts more focus on vocal itself. Terence Blanchard‘s trumpet on this tune is spot on and is counterpointing her voice tonally with irresistible sweetness.
On the contrary we have pieces like The World is A Ghetto or I Thought it Would Be Easier which are exploring more hip hop arrangements with rhythm and blues vocals. Such variety only shows her versatility and helps to present what she’s got more. Middle tempos like Novocaine Heart reminds me early Sade with its repetitive choruses. We also have here a melancholic ballad Fall Guy, something that reminds more of Roberta Flack or some of the Prince arrangements, with whom he also had a chance to work by the way. The same can be said about Leavin’ . There is no sign of coping anything but all shows lots of talent and points sources she learned from or gained her inspirations.
Another lovely slow burner with Terrence Blanchard’s trumpet guest appearance is Too Good To Last which she co-wrote. Again sung with wonderful feeling, this song belongs more to the soul repertoire in character but posses enough layers of charm to explore for Kandance.
Closings Rain Falling is Springs’ own and is just wonderful in its simplicity. Only a voice and piano but there is so much space to create and so much to say. This is where I can hear an inspiration in Billy Holiday as clear as it gets.
To sum it up this girl is a dynamite. Hardly one can come these days across the young singers as honest and talented like she is. She is not even a rough diamond – she is a well cut, pretty polished natural born vocal treasure. Like Esperanza Spalding, to find the best comparison. Multi tasked and multi talented, and like her with still her best to come. You really should wait for it – it shouldn’t be long.