Rhiannon Giddens – Tomorrow Is My Turn

Rhiannon Giddens, co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops goes solo with an album that should bring her front and center into the spotlight of popularity.

First, she brings a god-given opera trained voice to the table that is capable of opening our hearts to so many different styles of songs. Songs from the churches and cotton fields of the South to Georgia chain gangs and R&B hits of the 50’s.

Many styles that she amazingly makes all her own. The voice of an angel with the many facets of a beautiful diamond.

This is an album that made me feel every song. Man, what a voice and talent.

Talking about different styles “Tomorrow Is My Turn” makes me think of a Broadway song or something Barbra Streisand might sing. And the Patsy Kline hit “She’s Got You” with a Ms. Giddens twist, is straight out of 50s R&B. Odetta’s “Waterboy” is all old timey music. I hear gospel, and folk roots in this song but most of all I hear Rhiannon.

Weird but i also hear the Boz Scaggs “Lowdown” drum intro going into “Black Is The Color”.

All throughout this album I get the old time music Ms. Giddens has been promoting with The Carolina Chocolate Drops. The old time instruments like spoons and fretless banjo are there but I also here all of those diamond facets. Did I mention Bessie Smith and Billie Holliday? But most of all I hear that magical voice of Rhiannon Giddens bringing it all together in one fantastic album.

Rhiannon Giddens-Tomorrow Is My Turn (Nonesuch)

Previously published in Elmore Magazine.

Mark J. Smith