US Bank Weekender Pops: Dianne Reeves

At times sultry, silky, even crystalline, but always soulful, Dianne Reeves's sparkling voice could well serve as the standard for contemporary female jazz singers. She has a great range, deftly works the nuances without showing off, offers sly colorations, and puts her own mark on even the most worn tunes. Her new collection of love songs, When You Know (Blue Note), includes such hoary fare as Minnie Ripperton's "Lovin' You" and "Windmills of My Mind," but she refocuses them so adeptly that they're anything but stale. It's a tasteful package that gently pushes the straight-ahead jazz material she's concentrated on for the last decade or so, ranging into pop and soul territory. There's a stylish version of the Temptations' "Just My Imagination," and sophisticated readings of Cy Coleman and Peggy Lee's "I'm in Love Again" and Jobim's "Once I Loved," all caressingly produced by George Duke. But the standout track is "Today Will Be a Good Day," a rousing gospel/blues Reeves original that unleashes her inner blues shouter in glorious full bloom. Reeves will be backed by her longtime trio: pianist Peter Martin, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Greg Hutchinson.
Fri., May 2, 8 p.m., 2008