Gary Walker for NPR –
Catherine Russell is a rarity. She can sing a story like no one else. Her song explorations on her sixth album capture the history and excitement of Harlem’s Apollo Theater, from her full-throated take on “Swing! Brother, Swing!” to the hushed affection of “The Very Thought Of You.” There’s a gin joint joy in Clarence Williams’ “You’ve Got the Right Key, but the Wrong Keyhole,” missing none of the spirit of Louis Armstrong or Virginia Liston. Alongside saxophonist Fred Staton, Russell makes the plaintive “Don’t Take Your Love From Me” her own.
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