Cassandra Wilson & Harriet Tubman in Paris

[Tom Storer]

I've been a fan of Cassandra Wilson since her 1983 album of standards, "Blue Skies." Haven't liked every record but in general admire her singing and career. I've seen a video of a concert she did a few years ago when she was touring with a band including Marvin Sewell, Jonathan Baptiste, Reginald Veal, Herlin Riley and an African percussionist whose name escapes me. And that concert was superb. So I was stoked to see her in concert, my first time, at the New Morning, a club that seats 300 when it's packed--which it was. She was performing with the band Harriet Tubman, a trio of Brandon Ross, guitar and banjo; Melvin Gibbs, bass guitar; and J.T. Lewis, drums.

Alas, it was very disappointing. It was a loud, electric concert; not my thing in general, but not in itself grounds for me to dismiss it. But not only was it loud, in addition the sound was terrible. There was a low hum throughout, and you couldn't hear Wilson's voice clearly. That was enough to ruin the experience. Unfortunately, the music was also, in my humble and subjective opinion, terrible. The band gave me a strong impression that they had not sufficiently rehearsed. They were rambling, not rhythmically together; I felt they were phoning it in. Ross played the banjo from time to time, but more or less like it was a funny-sounding guitar, without any traditional banjo technique. Wilson herself, who wore sunglasses on stage, was giggly and curiously casual and silly. I'm all for fun and spontaneity, but it seemed she was not taking her performance seriously. They did a Beatles song ("Tomorrow Never Knows"), some blues, "Strange Fruit," an original or two... none of it worked. We left after the first set.

Perhaps after a few nights on the road and with better sound people (the New Morning crew often disappoints), they'll get it together and perform up to the standards they're capable of. But last night... ouch.