The cover of Stevie Wonder's 'If It's Magic' right at the end is best here in an album studded with big guest names notably Meshell Ndegeocello on the reggae tilting 'Dust.' There's cheese with a hip hop back beat to 'Windmills of Your Mind' and given the stylistic sprawl of the record you get the sense that harpist Brandee Younger is casting the net even wider than in her work to date to escape the spiritual jazz clichés (which are everywhere!) of the jazz harp. DJ and rapper Pete Rock adds a very 90s hip hop vibe to an otherwise ponderous take on Dorothy Ashby's 'Livin and Lovin In My Own Way.' Younger is of course an amazing harpist and it's ironic given the efforts made to enhance the essential offer that solos as on 'Come Live With Me' speak volumes more. Mumu Fresh adds a breathy cosmic quality on 'Brand New Life,' one of the better songs here. But despite the cosmic trappings sprinkled about it doesn't really go that deep. Includes a version of a previously unrecorded Dorothy Ashby composition 'You’re A Girl For One Man Only.' Out today
Brandee Younger, photo: Erin Patrice O'Brien
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