The celebrated musician, writer and vocalist Morley now has an ethereally-beautiful seventh album out and it is entitled Follow The Sound. It is a major undertaking involving her co-writer, multi-talented and multi instrumentalist, and partner Chris Bruce and a constellation of stars that includes musician Meshell Ndegeocello, bassist Rashaan Carter, pianist Jon Cowherd, violinists Arun and Trina Ramamurthy and vocalist Shara Nova a.k.a. My Brightest Diamond. The results are absolutely sensational.
Morley’s most recent recording shows her heading into the sound world of her most heartfelt passions. She lays bear her most vulnerable side of her humanity and features music featuring beautifully crafted arrangements of beguiling variety and sensuousness in every lovingly caressed phrase of Follow The Sound, Morley’s tenderness, towards everyone – including connected by six degrees of separation – shines brightly.
The eloquent articulation of feelings, for which she is renowned, becomes a natural part of her musical soundscape that mixed beauty and danger with the sounds of the guitar, the kora and the bass, the violin and the Fender Rhodes. Her material feels like it is made of notes entwined by strands of gossamer. As a result, the fabric of reach song echoes in the rustle of sheer silken overtones.
Listening to the manner in which Morley seductively bends the notes of Follow The Sound and Who’s The One To Love, and how she sculpts the long inventions of Star Seeds and Gather, or the near-whispered melodic lines of Come Catch Your Breath it is clear that there’s not a single semiquaver that has not been fastidiously considered.
Featuring the other half of her heart, Chris Bruce, the incomparable musical figure of Meshell Ndegeocello, and celebrated musicians Toumani Diabate, Jon Cowherd, Rashaan Carter and others, Morley has gathered musicians around her who are fully attuned to her vision and artistry. Shara Nova [My Brightest Diamond] beguiles in the choral-rich Jealous of God.
Everywhere else there is an unhurried quality to the musicians’ approach, and a lived-in character to Morley’s vocals that is engaging – steeped in the fire and brimstone of youth and in the well-honed values of experience. Make no mistake, Morley is an incredibly special artist in every aspect of the lived-in echoes of her music-making.
Deo Gratis…
Music – 1. Follow The Sound; 2. Star Seeds; 3. Where Are We; 4. Come Catch Your Breath; 5. Who Is The One To Love; 6. Les Fleurs; 7. Here In Love; 8. It’s Hard To Stop; 9. Gave You; 10. Gather; 11. Jealous Of God; 12. Lucky.
Musicians – Morley: music, lyrics, arrangements [1, 8, – 11], acoustic guitar [5], vocal sounds [4] and vocals, ; Chris Bruce: music, guitars, keyboards [4], contrabass [5], bass [6, 7, 11], kalimba [7], drum programming [6, 10], Dulcitone loop [10] and percussion [6]; Jon Cowherd: piano [1, 5, 11], Hammond B3 [3, 9], Fender Rhodes [6, 7, 12] and vocals [11]; Meshell Ndegeocello: bass [1, 3, 11], percussion [1, 3, 11] and vocals [11]; Rashaan Carter: contrabass [10, 12]; Jack Deboe: drums [1, 3, 11] and percussion [3, 11]; Abe Rounds: drums [6] and percussion [10]; Jay Bellerose: drums [9, 12] and percussion [9, 12]; Earl Harvin: percussion [11]; Toumani Diabate: kora [2]; Trina Ramamurthy: violin [6]; Arun Ramamurthy: Carnatic violin; Cole Kamen: trumpet and EVI [10]; Jasan Charles Walker: backing vocals [3, 11]; Alex Koi: backing vocals [11]; Justin Hicks: backing vocals [11], Kenita Miller: backing vocals [11]; Shara Nova a.k.a. My Brightest Diamond: lyrics, vocals and backing vocals [11].
Released: 2025
Label: Independent
[morleymusic.org]
Runtime: 1:01:31
what a beautiful artist, thank for this review, dear Raul.