Who is Jill Scott? Her Music tells us....

At first listen of Jill Scott’s debut CD, Who is Jill Scott? The soulful thumps of her music would send you into a sort of déjà vu trance wondering as to where exactly you must have this before, maybe not the same but sanitized and funk-ivied to reflect the millennium vibe.

And yes, you are right to feel this way because she brings into her music that serenading spoken verse poetry served up on a jazz Neo funk hip hop beat that can only be ascribed to artists like Sade—for containing words of love over pure undiluted jazz instruments; Anita Baker—for that deep throated drawl that enhances the love lyrics, sifting them to a soft mellow tune; Erykah Badu---for speaking of the strength of a woman’s inner beauty, her inner thoughts, and immense love and satisfaction of one’s lover.

Her music is real, and very fresh and watching her perform, which I have been privileged to on two occasions---at the Soul Train Music Awards and VH1 Divas Tribute to Aretha Franklin both 2001---seats you into gear at viewing the passion displayed on her face, hence reflected in her voice which can only mean that the words she speaks are hers, and not the words of an anonymous songwriter or penned by a manipulative studio producer but words of personal in-depth satisfaction of love and self.

Then, you begin to heave a sigh of relief that for once an artist from this generation has decided to use real instruments and spoken verse in conveying the simple message of LOVE. Her First CD: Who is Jill Scott…words and music Vol. 1 contains 17 tracks with a couple of intros, scoring two top ten hits, and selling over a million copies. In it, she speaks out the inner thoughts of every woman, thoughts that we seldom store up inside us.

Personal favorites include: Long Walk…which glorifies a casual day spent basking in the breeze with a loved one, enjoying the simple pleasures of diverse, thought provoking conversation and cherishing the wonderful comfort of their company.

“Conversation, verbal elation, stimulation, share our situations, temptations, educations…maybe we can just be silent”

In another one of her poetic themed vibes, she is not afraid to get dirty when she tells a story of a woman who is lost in the afterglow of an exclusive love affair.

“This morning my man exclusively introduced me to some good extra lovin/he was lickin and suckin on every thang just the way he should.

A do-right woman who feels done right by her man can only express these intimate words. While in songs like, “Getting in the Way” she insists on being granted the exclusivity of her man, demanding that the other woman leave her to enjoy the splendors of her new rewarding relationship.

She diverts from the love theme a little as she branches off to topics of self, self-confidence, assurance and beauty, and privacy. In tracks like: One is the magic #, Watching me, and Brotha.

After a listen through, you would be left feeling assured of an entrance into your mind through her sensual harmonies, and the jazzy funk beat, by a kindred spirit and mostly you would truly have known whom Jill Scott really is, and I am sure you won’t forget her in a hurry.

Who is Jill Scott? buy it at Amazon.com