Personnel: Cassandra Wilson (vocals, acoustic guitar); Angelique Kidjo (vocals); Steve Coleman (alto saxophone); Olu Dara (cornet); Vincent Henry (harmonica); Regina Carter (violin); Stefon Harris (vibraphone); Cecilia Smith (marimba); Eric Lewis (piano); Kevin Breit (acoustic, electric, resophonic & e-bow guitars, electric mandolin, mandocello, bazouki); Marvin Sewell (acoustic, classical & electric guitars, bazouki); Doug Wamble (acoustic guitar); Pat Metheny (classical guitar); Dave Holland, Lonnie Plaxico (acoustic bass); Marcus Baylor (drums, percussion); Perry Wilson (drums); Jeffrey Haynes, Mino Cinelu (percussion).
Recorded at The Hit Factory, New York, New York in December 1997 and Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York in May and September 1998.
TRAVELING MILES was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.
Throughout the '90s the smoky-voiced contralto Cassandra Wilson has shunned piano accompaniment in favor of close-miked acoustic guitars, evoking a moodily sensual atmosphere in which pop, blues, country and straight jazz vocals all merge together. It helps that Wilson has a distinctly Southern blues cast to her singing, a quality immediately apparent on "Run The Voodoo Down," the funky opener to TRAVELING MILES, her impeccably self-produced homage to Miles Davis.
As is her wont, Wilson has chosen to mix it up on this tribute, setting lyrics to Davis compositions such as "Blue In Green," "Tutu" and "ESP" while reprising two favorite Miles covers, "Someday My Prince Will Come" and Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." The singer also contributes some of her own welcome originals such as the poppish "Right Here, Right Now," which itself sounds like a tribute to Joni Mitchell, another mentor-spirit hovering over the proceedings. The set closes with a playful reprise of "Voodoo," featuring a sisterly duet with African singer Angelique Kidjo, who sounds right at home.
What the critics say...
Entertainment Weekly (3/26/99, p.87) - "...Wilson emerges, again, as a bittersweet-toned visionary." Rating A-"
Q (1/00, p.86) - Included in Q Magazine's "50 Best Albums of 1999."
Q (7/99, p.125) - 3 stars (out of 5) - "...The arrangements are never less than interesting....the bravery of her concept is attractive, and her controlled, earthy voice is capable of rescuing most situations."
The Wire (6/99, p.65) - "...TRAVELING MILES is carefully designed to please....Wilson's lyrics sit well enough on this soft focus re-creation of BITCHES BREW-era churning funk..."
CMJ (1/10/00, p.24) - Included in CMJ's "Jazz '99 Top 5."
CMJ (3/29/99, p.3) - "...Wilson's long awaited studio follow-up to 1995's critically acclaimed NEW MOON DAUGHTER, is a stirring tribute to the wit, wisdom and kinetic spirit of Miles Davis..."
JazzTimes (6/99, p.96) - "...overall luxuriant muscularity of conception grabs you slowly, surely....[Wilson's] approach is refreshing, weird, and something that stepped out of a dream, which, in the main, describes this jewel."
Vibe (4/99, p.188) - "...TRAVELING is inspired by, and in homage to, the work of Miles Davis....The result is standard Wilson fare in its multi-textured eclecticism. She is as bluesy as she is folk and jazz..."
Mojo (Publisher) (1/00, p.31) - Included in Mojo Magazine's "Best Jazz Albums" of 1999.
Mojo (Publisher) (4/99, p.98) - "...will satisfy fans and go some way to swaying resisters. Overtly purposeful and rigorous, she combines treatments of Davis-associated material with original songs..."
