Young, beautiful, and now riding the waves of celebrityhood, Cassandra Wilson, is a chantreuse who has definitely come into her own.
Lauded as the Sarah Vaughan of her generation by music critics throughout, Wilson will bring her suave, unabashed blues-inspired jazz to the Hopkins Center of Performing Arts tonight at 8 p.m in Spaulding Auditorium.
Featuring an ecletic reportoire ranging from lush-tender love songs to scouring roadhouse jazz, Wilson is sure to satisfy any listerner's musical palette.
Wilson has a voice that wins even non-listener over. A blustery yet sensual explosion of sound, Wilson's honed singing talents and heartfelt interpretations to jazz standards have earned her diva status.
Wilson is a musician unashamed of showcasing her nightingalesque voice which spans several registers.
"Cassandra Wilson is a brilliant musician ... who's opposed to boundaries or barriers in music," Craig Street, producer, said.
"[She] is no longer on her way; she has arrived," Time magazine critic Christopher John Farley said.
Wilson's voice will be accompanied tonight by a rather small set which will include the piano, drums, bass and percussion. Wilson's voice is the gem of this performance -- the band is just the proverbial icing on the cake.
Wilson will highlight songs from her latest album entitled, "Blue Light 'Til Dawn, one of 1994's top selling jazz albums.
In addition to her success with her albums, Wilson has also enjoyed relationships with such Hollywood icons as Wynton Marsalis, Van Morrison and the artist formerly known as Prince.
Tickets are available from the Hopkins Center Box Office during regular business hours. Tickets cost $16.50 for reserved seats and $8.50 for Dartmouth students.
An informal Spotlight discussion led by jazz musician Jenny Adams will precede the concert at 7 p.m. in the Hopkins Center Faculty Lounge.
