Wild Is the Wind

Dee Alexander was a part of the Chicago jazz scene for some time prior to this outing, working with the late Malachi Thompson and recording a pair of CDs as a leader. Alexander has a fluid voice, good chops, and a flair for expression, especially in Thompson's Latin-flavored cooker "Surrender Your Love." She is backed by a potent rhythm section with bassist Harrison Bankhead, drummer Leon Joyce, Jr., and either Miguel de la Cerna or Mike Logan at the piano. Alexander's dramatic interpretation of Dimitri Tiomkin's "Wild Is the Wind" and emotional treatment of Nina Simone's "Four Women" show her flair for drama. But some of the original material doesn't hold up as well. The late Henry Huff penned several interesting melodies, though his weak lyrics handicap the singer. Alexander's lyrics are no better, as on the repetitious tribute to Huff "C U on the Other Side," though Logan's catchy vamp proves interesting. This is a good CD that would have been more memorable with a judicious selection of material.