March 7, 2014
Cassandra Wilson’s landmark album ‘Blue Light ‘Til Dawn‘ helped to define a new style of jazz when it was released two decades ago. It went on to garner both critical and commerical success and began a remarkable run of records for Blue Note that eventually earned Cassandra the title of “America’s Best Singer” from Time Magazine. On April 29, Blue Note/UMe will release an expanded 20th anniversary edition of ‘Blue Light ‘Til Dawn,’ adding three previously unreleased live recordings from Wilson’s 1994 European tour to the digitally remastered album.
‘Blue Light ‘Til Dawn,’ Wilson’s Blue Note Records debut, broke new ground by providing an alternate route to vocal jazz stardom, mining blues, folk and R&B. Along with three original compositions and innovative takes on blues and jazz standards, Wilson provided a radical treatment of popular music including Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey,” Joni Mitchell’s “Black Crow,” and Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand The Rain.”
Wilson’s unique approach to rhythm allowed her to blend unusual melodies and harmonies with a band that used inventive instrumentation and virtuosic performance to create a wholly original sound. Cassandra’s album also opened a new door for jazz vocalists, among them Norah Jones, who has stated that she studied the album while composing and arranging her own Blue Note debut.
The original producer of the album, Craig Street, oversaw the remastering of this edition with Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, who has mastered albums by Bob Dylan, The Beatles and Paul Simon.
The Expanded Edition plays a key role in a big year for Cassandra Wilson, which includes a ‘Blue Light To A New Dawn’ tour of Europe and the U.S., a song featured on HBO’s ‘True Detective,’ and a new album of Billie Holiday songs slated for release next year. She’ll also sing and play guitar with the trio Harriet Tubman on select dates in March including the BRIC House venue in Brooklyn on March 16.
Cassandra Wilson: ‘Blue Light ‘Til Dawn’ (20th Anniversary Edition)
1. You Don’t Know What Love Is
2. Come On In My Kitchen
3. Tell Me You’ll Wait For Me
4. Children Of The Night
5. Hellhound On My Trail
6. Black Crow
7. Sankofa
8. Estrellas
9. Redbone
10. Tupelo Honey
11. Blue Light ’Til Dawn
12. I Can’t Stand The Rain
Produced by Craig Street
Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks: Live In Europe, 1994
13. Black Crow (Live)
14. Skylark (Live)
15. Tupelo Honey (Live)
