I'm Still the Same
Long known for her country-blues, the female half ofDelaney and Bonnieis, underneath it all, a jazz singer. That's readily apparent on this collection of originals and covers ("Cry Me a River," "Hurt"), most of which carry the theme of strength through vulnerability. Whether performing R&B; or jazzier pieces, Bramlett, like the lateRosemary Clooney, has a way of living a lyric and making even the most familiar sound new, personal, and fraught with meaning. "Superstar," which she cowrote years ago with then-husband Delaney Bramlett andLeon Russell, finally gets the tragic female reading that's missing inKaren Carpenter's rendition. But she also uses her voice as one of the instruments in her big-band accompaniment. On "No Man's Land" and "Made a Believer Out of Me," especially, she can go from a small,Billie Holliday-like whimper to a wail so brassy you'd think she's playing a horn. With so many manufactured stars relying on Pro Tools audio technology for pitch and drum loops to stir the blood, this is real music from a real woman, brimming with pain, passion, and, yes, deep soul.--Alanna Nash