Lizz Wright - The Orchard

Every once in awhile here at Acoustic Sounds, we identify an artist or record that may have previously flown under the radar but that we think has a real chance to become a big-time audiophile hit. Lizz Wright's The Orchard is exactly that kind of record. At first, we were struck by the beautiful quality of the gatefold jacket. We then noticed that production credits went to Craig Street, who has also produced Norah Jones, Holly Cole, Cassandra Wilson, John Legend and many others. But the real treat came when we gave it a spin. Very sparse arrangements, good, beefy bass and killer music. In short, it's great music, recorded very well.

Lizz Wright's first two Verve releases, Salt and Dreaming Wide Awake, established her as one of the jazz world's most celebrated rising stars, both an accomplished songwriter and a versatile, deeply expressive singer. On her third album, The Orchard, the Georgia-bred, New York-based artist takes a substantial leap forward, transcending genre distinctions to deliver a vibrant, intensely creative milestone. The largely self-penned The Orchard finds Wright mining her own experience to create an unmistakably personal musical statement. The warmth and resonance of Wright's gospel-trained contralto is matched by the intimacy and authority of such original compositions as "Coming Home," "My Heart," "Another Angel" and "When I Fall."