Belly Of The Sun

By Benjamin Nugent

How to listen to this new album by the acclaimed jazz singer: 1) Skip all slow songs more than five minutes long that have contemplative, New Age ambiance, acoustic guitar and solemn lyrics. This includes Wilson's spaced-out cover of the Band's The Weight, which drags like a lead trailer. 2) Dance contentedly to her shorter originals, like Show Me a Love. 3) Listen to the traditional jazz number Darkness on the Delta and the blues classic You Gotta Move, and find yourself transported by her low, earthy voice. Mourn that she so often wastes it on distractingly pretentious material (see Step 1). --By Benjamin Nugent