CD/DOWNLOAD/ALBUM: Diana Ross-Touch Me in the Morning

It's a mistake for jazz fans to compare Diana Ross to jazz vocalists. Ross' intonation, timbre and roots all come from a completely different place. Her Lady Sings the Blues (1972) drew praise from jazz circles, and it was a big seller. But to me, Ross as Billie Holiday always felt inconceivable and forced. Too much lady, not enough blues. Rather, I much prefer Ross in her zone, notably on her early solo albums--where she delivered a pleading, kittenish sound on medium-tempo soul-pop ballads. Sa...

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