Today, Tomorrow, Forever

Chronique

On Today, Tomorrow, Forever, Nancy Wilson lights up a set of the usual mid-'60s pop standards: "One Note Samba," "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," "Wives and Lovers," "Our Day Will Come," and "On Broadway," among others. They're all good choices for her breathy voice and occasional improvisations, especially "One Note Samba" and "Wives and Lovers." On them, Wilson plays with the notes and rhythm, making a pair of lighthearted songs even more playful and irresistible than they had been previously. The arrangements (by her husband, Kenny Dennis) are less reliable, however. Most are sympathetic and unobtrusive (as they should be), but a few are reliant on goofy organ leads that don't quite mesh with Wilson's voice -- and were probably inserted merely for commercial reasons. On the songs where it's possible to focus just on Wilson's voice, she's simply enchanting. Considering the dozens of traditional jazz-based singers unfamiliar with their place in the middle of the turbulent '60s, Today, Tomorrow, Forever is an accomplished album that sounds almost effortless. [A 1999 two-fer reissue by Capitol/EMI paired Today, Tomorrow, Forever with Wilson's 1966 LP A Touch of Today.]

© John Bush /TiVo