I wish Sister Rosetta Tharpe and O.V. Wright were still around to hear Ruthie Foster’s new album/DVD combo, “Ruthie Foster: Live at Antone’s.”
Maybe they can, though. Foster certainly sounds as if she’s singing for angels on covers of Tharpe’s “Up Above My Head (I Hear Music in the Air)” and Wright’s “A Nickel and a Nail.” Her voice seemingly has wings in the opening moments of “Up Above My Head.” Then she settles into a soulful groove I know would have made Sister Rosetta praise the Lord. Foster finds the emotional heart of Wright’s “A Nickel and a Nail” right away and her vocals build to a searing crescendo.
If you’ve ever seen one of Foster’s live shows, you already know she’s adept at everything from jazz to rock. “Live at Antone’s” captures her versatility captures Foster blending funk, gospel, blues, soul, jazz, folk, rock, and even a little reggae. “Runaway Soul” is a perfect example. It’s a hard driving blues tune, but Foster colors every lyric with gospel overtones. And her soulful rendering of Lucinda Williams’ “Fruits of My Labor” is tender and sweet.
I didn’t catch Foster’s act at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival this year because I’ve seen her live many times before and there were some other acts in the same time slot that had been on my wish list for a long time. I won’t make the same mistake again.
Here’s what I missed:
