For her third album, Dear Love, Jazzmeia Horn gathered herself a big band to back her up. Doesn't seem like that big of a deal in the jazz world, right? This album marks one of the first times since Blanche Calloway (in the 1920s/1930s), that a Black female vocalist has written and fronted a big band album in its entirety. A century later!
Horn's music is always connected to her own life, her community and this album in particular connects us to her lover and herself. And to be honest, when I first heard some of the love songs on the album, I cringed. Felt like it was a bit dated in the way she talks about her lover. Then I listened again, and heard the intimacy through the big band. Heard her fierce love through the lyrics.
One of the most exciting up and coming voices in the jazz world, Jazzmeia always has a way of connecting the tradition of jazz to our current times, while also keeping it just a little bit weird. My kinda artist.
