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tenderly plangent vocal and the tune's T pitch -perfect, tumbleweeds- tumbling- ALBUMS in- the -breeze arrangement by Tin Hat guitarist Mark Orton would resonate Edited by Michael Paoletta TORI AMOS from radios across the country. Yet the Scarlet's Walk entire disc brims with bewitching PRODUCER: Tori Amos sounds; with rare élan, Orton, violinist POP Epic 86412 Carla Kihlstedt, and multi- keyboard Tori Amos engages in a physical, spiri- ace Rob Burger (along with guests THE WALLFLOWERS tual, and emotional quest on Scarlet's from Medeski, Martin & Wood and Red Letter Days Walk, a sonic novel of songs that Phish) manage an evergreen rap- PRODUCER: Tobias Miller, Bill Appleberry weave one intricate story and stand on prochement between old instruments Interscope 069493491 their own as individual tales. Touch- (strings, accordion, pump organ, The beauty of the Wallflowers is that ing on elements of Native American banjo) and fresh, refreshing ideas. BB they function far beyond time. They history and Amos' own Eastern don't bend or yield to trends. Rather, Cherokee heritage, lead character * TONY FURTADO they strive to be a classic band, craft- Scarlet meets ex- lovers, relatives, and American Gypsy ing timeless songs that will still be acquaintances while exploring her PRODUCER: Cookie Marenco fresh and relevant long after the own beliefs about her country and her What Are Records? 60062 competition sounds dated and SANTANA psyche as the nation does the same in JAHEIM Tony Furtado first gained notice as a quaint. The band's sterling fourth Shaman Still Ghetto banjo -picking bluegrasser, but it's been effort continues along these lines, PRODUCERS: various PRODUCERS: various a while since he was that easy to cate- offering the listener a dozen pop - Arista 14737 Divine Mill /Warner Bros. 4.8214 gorize as a musician/songwriter. Nowa- inflected rockers that stimulate the For most artists, following up a It's a more introspective Jaheim who days, it's his virtuoso slide guitar play- brain while also comforting the sens- multi- Grammy Award-winning al- greets listeners on this sophomore ing that captures the imagination, es with familiarity. Frontman/tune- bum like 1999's Supernatural would follow -up to his 2001 platinum debut while his stylistic repertoire seems to smith Jakob Dylan strides through have been a creative nightmare. But Ghetto Love. Reaching back to his be growing in several directions at contagious jams like "When You're 1996 Billboard Century Award hon- ghetto roots, the singer /songwriter once. Furtado displays his agile slide on Top" and "Everybody Out of the oree Carlos Santana is not "most discourses about everything from self- touch from track to track, but do make Water" with a firm, yet vivid story- artists." With Shaman, Santana esteem and survival to romance and note of his work on "Bottle of Hope" telling style that will maintain long- delivers an album that will, no mother love. While listening to Ja- and "The Angry Monk." He revisits his time comparisons to Bruce Spring - doubt, please fans of its globally suc- heim's rich baritone is like stepping banjo on the delightful Irish jig "Tin- steen and Tom Petty (not to cessful predecessor, while at the into a Teddy Pendergrass/Luther Van - ker's Fancy." One of the major high- mention his father). The flaw in not same time reel in new ones. Over the dross '70s/80s time warp, his street - lights of the album, "Oh Berta, Berta," being a trend- conscious band, course of 16 tracks (a couple tracks edged viewpoint brings a hip, contem- is a Furtado arrangement of a tradi- though, is that they can be over- too long), Santana paints a musically porary spin to the proceedings. With tional tune, driven by a deep, swamp shadowed by temporary grand- rich and vibrant landscape, with Still Ghetto, Jaheim follows through blues, rhythm, and Furtado's razor - standers. As a result, a little extra spicy (primarily) instrumental jams a post-Sept. 11 world. Similar to the on the promise hinted at on Ghetto sharp slide guitar. He sings convinc- marketing muscle will be needed in like "Foo Foo" sharing time with artist's Under the Pink in tone and Love; in the process, he also comes ingly on this number and also handles order to bring Red Letter Days to a such vocal offerings as "You Are My continuity, Scarlet demands repeated into his own. Whether providing an the vocal on a great version of "Stag - properly large audience. -LF Kind" and "America" featuring, spins to fully appreciate its chapters' uplifting message (the self- esteem gerlee." American Gypsy is Furtado's respectively, Seal and P.O.D. On the musical and lyrical complexities as it anthem "Fabulous," which interpo- finest album to date. Racked by At- * LAURA PAUSINI electronic -laced "Feels Like Fire," recounts such adventures as the dis- lates the McFadden & Whitehead - Source Distribution. -PW From the Inside Santana teams with Dido for some covery of a betrayal during the Shawn penned classic "Wake Up Everybody "), PRODUCERS: various chilled -out bliss. As good as "Fire" is, Colvin -esque "Taxi Ride" and meeting paying a loving, defy -you- not -to -cry JEFF BUCKLEY & GARY LUCAS Atlantic 48655 though, the set's crowning glory is a blowhard messiah in "Pancake." On tribute to his mom ( "Everywhere I Songs to No One: 1991 -1992 Italian superstar Laura Pausini has its lead single: the Michelle Branch - this collection, Amos' artistry-espe - Am "), or pairing with female counter- PRODUCERS: Hal Willner, Sascha van Oertzen flirted with American audiences via a fronted "The Game of Love," which cially on the title cut, "Gold Dust," part Mary J. Blige ( "Beauty and the Evolver /KnitMedia EVL -2006 few soundtrack appearances but ap- is as buoyant as they come. Color and "Your Cloud" -makes one of its Thug "), Jaheim is a study in contrasts Since Jeff Buckley's tragic death at age proaches a full -blown love affair on Shaman a smash. MP most profound expressions. -CLT who has nowhere to go but up. -GM 30 in 1997, Columbia has offered balm From the Inside, her glittering Eng- to his still- devoted fans via the two -disc lish- language debut on Atlantic. In studio work -in- progress Sketches (For addition to the delightfully life - Good -bye" (which she co- wrote). * TIN HAT TRIO title, the Americana strains of The My Sweetheart the Drunk) and the affirming first single, "Surrender," Throughout, the songbird is part- The Rodeo Eroded Rodeo Eroded have been filtered and excellent live compilation Mystery the set is packed with melodious nered with a who's who of pop writ- PRODUCERS: Tin HatTrio, Hans Wendl refracted with ironic affection, not to White Boy. Both were astutely, sensi- jewels, covering all tempos and ers and producers, iron -coating the Ropeadope Records 0- 7567 -93134 mention virtuosic invention. Following tively produced. Before Christmas, moods with maturity and ease. The album with the polish of the big Following two critically lauded albums the precedent of Tom Waits on Tin Columbia/Legacy will issue a boxed set set capitalizes on Pausini's splendid leagues. Pausini is a singer with for Angel/EMI, the Tin Hat Trio shifts Flat's 2000 Helium set, the new album of rare EPs associated with Buckley's gift of painting downer songs with unusual depth and warmth, and a to the Atlantic- distributed Ropedope boasts an iconic vocal guest -Willie sublime first album, Grace; the set flecks of pain and sadness, particu- welcome presence in the U.S.'s pop - imprint for the venturesome instru- Nelson, who sings a particularly affect- boasts singles, studio outtakes, great larly on likely second single "I Need starved music landscape. With From mental group's most engaging, impres- ing, cliché -free version of "Willow Love" and the aching "It's Not the Inside, a star is born. -CT sive album yet. As intimated in the Weep for Me." In a just world, Nelson's (Continued on next page)

V T A L R E I S S U E S

CHARLIE CHRISTIAN Miles Davis series, but its worth BENNY GOODMAN cordings, along with many high -profile The Genius of the Electric Guitar extends far beyond historic value. This The Legendary Small Groups concerts, were also historic for the fact REISSUE PRODUCERS: Michael Brooks, is great, life- affirming music that REISSUE PRODUCER: Barry Feldman that Wilson was the first black musician Michael Cuscuna holds broad appeal. True, Christian ORIGINAL PRODUCER: not listed to feature in a prominent white jazz ORIGINAL PRODUCER: John Hammond was a remarkably prescient virtuoso Bluebird/RCA Victor/BMG 09026 -63994 group.) The sound quality is remark- Columbia /Legacy C4K 6554 on an instrument that would come to Chadic efttwtia,e These tremendously popular and influ- able, a testament not only to the reissue As with Legacy's epochal Robert John- dominate popular music; moreover, :rh.- i7..u:,:.ul`nw rr:. y...r,., ential trio and quartet sides of 1935 -39 production but also to the original son boxed set-the surprise -smash his precious few recordings with vari- pioneered cool-toned chamber jazz. record- makers. It's too bad that the 1990 release that not only sparked ous 1939 -41 Benny Goodman bands Clarinetist/bandleader Benny Good- Bluebird's Best series in which this re- new interest in vintage roots -music brim over with the sheer joy of com- man, pianist Teddy Wilson, vibraphon- lease figures consistently gives short styles but also virtually kicked off the munal creativity. "Six Appeal (My ist Lionel Hampton, and drummer shrift to the initial producers and engi- CD era of boxed-set reissues -the gen- Daddy Rocks Me)," "Shivers," "Solo Gene Krupa (replaced later by Dave neers, eschewing proper credits. More esis of this four-disc collection devoted Flight," and "Memories of You" are Tough) played a casually elegant brand historically aware is the fine new reissue to short-lived electric -guitar pioneer just a few of the timeless tracks in this of swing, with intimate, bell -like tex- in the Bluebird First Edition line of the Charlie Christian lies in a labor of collection, which has been produced tures and an emphasis on melody. In re-formed Goodman Quintet's Together love. This deluxe set may not be reel- with Legacy's usual curatorial care terms of disc storage, this set's vin- particular, "After You've Gone" and Again! album from 1963; the disc shows ing in the record -buyers like the John- and state -of-the -art sonic restoration. tage- amplifier packaging makes for a "Body and Soul" are classic perform- clarinetist and company older, maybe son collection or Legacy's subsequent While not necessarily convenient in highly alluring profile at retail.-BB ances in the annals of jazz. (These re- wiser, but utterly in sync. -B8

Bradley Bambarger, Leila Cobo, Larry Flick, Steve Graybow, Rashaun Hall, Jill Kipnis, Gail Mitchell, Michael Paoletta, Chuck Taylor, Christa L. Titus, Philip van Vleck, Ray Waddell, Christopher Walsh. SPOTLIGHT: of works by one or more artists. CONTRIBUTORS- Releases deemed by the review editors to deserve special attention on the basis of musical merit and/or Billboard chart potential.VITAL REISSUES: Rereleased albums of special artistic, archival, and commercial interest, and outstanding collections potential, highly recommended because of their musical merit. MUSIC TO MY EARS (J7): New releases deemed Picks that were featured in the Music to My Ears PICKS *): New releases predicted to hit the top half of the chart in the corresponding format. CRITICS' CHOICES ( *): New releases, regardless of chart copies to Michael Paoletta (Billboard, 770 Broadway, 6th floor, NewYork, N.Y. 10003) or to the writers in the appropriate bureaus. column as being among the most significant records of the year. All albums commercially available in the U.S. are eligible. Send review

NOVEMBER 9, 2002 22 www.billboard.com BILLBOARD www.americanradiohistory.com