Dianne Reeves: In The Know
by David Nathan (c) 2008, Soul Music.com
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Los Angeles, March 31, 2008: I’ve been appreciating the music of Dianne Reeves for many years, back to when I saw her ‘wow’ an audience at a Los Angeles music convention with her now- perennial “Better Days” in 1987. Her 1993 album “Art & Survival” was a particular favorite and I was privileged to attend the live recording of “In The Moment” in 2000. Watching her at The Hollywood Bowl and other venues has always been a real treat but none as rare as celebrating the beginning of my birthday this year by seeing her turn in an exquisite performance at New York’s Apollo Theater on February 14 (Valentine’s Day). She was simply superb, magnificent, in complete command, vibing with the audience and turning in a brilliant show, a woman clearly in her prime. The added bonus was hearing Dianne preview some of the songs from her brand new album, “When You Know,” produced by her cousin, the legendary George Duke. That was the focus of the last interview I conducted in Los Angeles after two decades of residence there and I truly felt I left on an ‘up’ note as a result…
DN: Your Apollo show was amazing…
DR: I was really looking forward to it and all that being at The Apollo means. I’d never performed there with my own band so I thought of it as a sign of something new, it was appropriate to start the year this way. It’s the biggest ‘intimate’ room because it was built like an opera house. It was the perfect setting for a Valentine’s Day concert. When artists come there, you know you got to put it down! We connected [with the audience] and it was an excellent night.
DN: One of the highlights of the night was your rendition of The Temptations’ ”Just My Imagination” …
DR: I loved that song and The Temptations were my favorite group growing up. I knew all their names! When they came to Denver, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams made sure me and my friends got to their concert. We were in eighth grade and we used to sing all their songs, do all their steps. They sent a car for six of us…and that meant a lot for us kids, riding in a big car to watch their show. I remember they had green-and-white suits! When I do that song, I think about that time…
DN: You also sang “Loving You” at The Apollo and it’s on the new album…
DR: I first heard Minnie Riperton on the “Come To My Garden” LP which was produced by (EW&F producer/arranger) Charles Stepney and I said, ‘who is this?’ She was put out there as a pop/R&B singer but she was an explorer of all kinds of musical forms and nobody had a voice like that. (Guitarist) Russell Malone, who is on the album, said ‘let’s do this song’ and it is a great song. When I perform, everyone wants to hear the high note at the end!
DN: “Windmills Of Your Mind” is a complex song with so many lyrics…
DR: Every jazz musician loves that song. It’s one that takes you on a journey. Billy Childs did a wonderful arrangement of it and it has an intensity that worked for me at this time in my life. I felt that this was right for me to sing now…
DN: What was the inspiration for this new album?
DR: I was on tour with two guitarists, Russell (Malone) and Romero Lubambo and we were doing a show with just the three of us. One night, we did The Moments’ “Love On A Two Way Street” and it reminded me of the songs I listened to growing up. We actually recorded a live album together which will come out in the future…working with them was the inspiration for selecting the material we did for “When You Know.” They are amazing musicians who can do everything…Russell comes out of the church so he took me back…
DN: Watching you onstage at The Apollo, you seem like you’re in your prime as an artist…
DR: I’m in a place where I’m feeling really peaceful and that’s not based on ‘things’. I see how your thoughts, how you think affects how you live your life and the outcome. I’m feeling joyous and optimistic and just open to new things. When I got the opportunity to appear in the (George Clooney) film “Goodnight And Good Luck,” I asked myself, ‘where did that come from?’ I find that as I put things out there, very interesting opportunities have happened and things are coming my way. My mother says, ‘stay ready so you don’t have to get ready!’
DN: She’s also the inspiration for one of the songs on the new album…
DR: Yes, “Today Will Be A Good Day.”
DN: You’ve been with Blue Note….
DR: Since 1987! I’m still there because it works!
DN: What’s next for you?
DR: I’m excited about performing and working. I’ve been doing songs from the new album in my show and people really love these songs. It’s been really, really nice…
Personally, I’d say a whole lot more than nice: “When You Know” is definitely one of Dianne’s best albums, soulful, mellow, musical, masterful, a breath of fresh air for those of us who like to hear expressive singing and realness. As I told folks after seeing Dianne on February 14, she’s in her element and simply put, she’s jazz-quisite!
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