Comments for Maysa, Maysa

Spectacular solo release from the lead singer of Incognito. Maysa took some time off from the group in `95 and this album is the glorious result. One of the nice surprises is that Maysa co-wrote most of the material for the album, something she never did with Incognito, so it`s nice to see another side of her. Rather, it`s nice to see the many sides of her. "J.F.S.," a delightful tune that finds Maysa trading scat singing phrases with her musicians` improvs, carries on the jazzy soul tradition of Incognito that we`re familiar hearing her shining vocals in, as does the breezy "Peace of Mind." "What About our Love" and "Black Heaven" show that Maysa has plenty of an all-out R&B diva in her, and "Sexy," "Goodbye," and "Alone at Last" prove that she can deliver a smoldering pop/soul ballad like no other singer. "Goodbye Manhattan" serves up a healthy portion of funk, and "Can We Change the World" is a smooth pop message song with just the slightest trace of folk. The album only suffers a couple of mediocre tracks: "Let it Go" is a lukewarm attempt at some Incognito-style jazz/funk, and "More Than You Know" is a tepid pop ballad totally lacking any musical surprise. But this minor missteps are more than redeemed in the pop/jazz/soul/adult contemporary gem "Rain Drops"...Maysa`s smooth-as-silk vocals drift sensually over a jazzy chord progression, and by the time the classy trumpet solo is ushered in, it`s clear you`re listening to one of the finest "quiet storm" classics of the nineties...no wonder this fine tune got airplay on jazz, soul, and adult radio stations. It`s nice to have Maysa currently back with Incognito; their "Beneath the Surface" is all the stronger with her one-of-a-kind voice fueling many of the tunes. But it`s nice to know that if Maysa ever decides to step out on her own again, she`s already proven she has enough writing and vocal talent and originality to carry one hell of a fine pop album. "Maysa" is a modern classic...with Annie Lennox`s "Medusa," one of the finest pop albums of 1995.