Oh so curious I was after hearing the news that Neneh Cherry was joining up with free jazz group, The Thing, and of course queries I had. What was it all going to sound like? How were they going to tackle all the covers on board? Well, questions have been answered as the first pick from the bushel of tracks, their cover of Suicide's "Dream Baby Dream," has been plucked and shared. If you're into the abstract/jam session-esque sound, then this cover is definitely for you, as a fat bari sax takes center stage while Neneh comes in with some vocal stylings that are quite on point. Although all she says over and over is "Dream baby dream...keep the fire burning," Cherry channels quite well the influences of jazz dames from yore like the stirring but lush tones of Nina Simone and Billie Holiday, which is fun in itself. For eight minutes, it climaxes into a percussion heavy jam session of sorts, and while it's not really my thing at the moment, I can definitely see myself becoming more engulfed with it after a few spins. Truly for the acquired taste-testing folk, and for those who like their jazz shaken and not stirred, The Cherry Thing is shaping up to be quite the intriguing release this year.
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