Album Review: Stephanie Spruill - It's a Jazz Day (8/10)

This multi-faceted force of nature brings to her first veritable jazz album a long, lush history as a touring and sessions singer and a powerful rep as a voice and artist development coach. Spruill engages many different influences––including R&B, contemporary urban jazz, trad jazz and Brazilian––that tap into her full vocal range. Though she’s a knockout on high notes, Spruill’s lower register is the sweet soul-spot on most of these classics and originals. Most notably, the moody title track cleverly weaves decades of jazz legends into a celebration of the art form. – Jonathan Widran