Insight News
Aimee K. Bryant's latest release 'Becoming' is deep, rich, soulful
By Dwight Hobbes
1/31/2008
I don't mind at all bragging that Insight News recently called it, kind of: coverage of Penumbra Theatre Company's latest incarnation of their perennial holiday favorite, Black Nativity, included these comments about cast member Aimee K. Bryant: "If you're not eagerly awaiting a CD from premiere artist Bryant, you just don't know what time it is: she's amazing behind a microphone with splendid range." Well, lo and behold, the profoundly gifted Twin Cities vocalist, right around Christmas, released her solo debut Becoming. If you didn't know, don't sweat it; word has not quite circulated yet. In fact, if Thomasina Petrus (who burned alongside Bryant in Black Nativity) hadn't seen me on the street and handed me her copy of the album, I probably wouldn't know about it, either.
Just in case the name Aimee K. Bryant doesn't immediately ring a bell, here's a bit of background. A founding member of Chicago's noted Congo Square Theatre, she not only sings beautifully, but also has strong acting chops and has been on stage at Illusion Theater, Children's Theatre Company, Penumbra Theatre and a list of other venues. So it is a good bet you have seen her act. Likely, you also have heard her sing, as highlights to her impressive performing track record include Jevetta Steele's roof-raising hit Two Queens, One Castle; Seussical the Musical and the acclaimed Fats Waller revue Ain't Misbehavin'. When she steps from theatre and musicals to straight-out gigging as a musician, it's time to look out. Bearing this out, her recording credits include work on spoken word siren Sha Cage's bad-to-the-bone Amber People and leaning in on funk-fusion master Yohannes Tona's tour de force Sand from the desert: if you didn't catch her as part of The Yohannes Tona band for his release thing at The Dakota, you missed out big time.
As to the previously mentioned splendid range, Bryant admirably acquits herself with this debut. You've got jazz-rooted R&B, a healthy taste of gospel, even some prose-poetry thrown into the mix. Unavoidably, there will be the knee-jerk inclination to compare her to predecessors (Deniece Williams comes to mind). Do yourself a favor and bear in mind that even Williams had influences (can you say Minnie Riperton?). Might also ask yourself: who was the last such true vocalist you heard, in today's era of computer-aided, four-note wonders, that actually threw down, much less bringing greatness to mind.
Point in case: Ain't nobody ready for the cut "Everytime." Believe me, iss gon' take you there. Effervescent intro giving way to funkified smooth, just carrying you away in a groove easy as falling out of bed. With Bryant absolutely waxing angelic. And "No No Ni – a No" ingeniously takes you to church with its earthen grounding to tell a triflin' fool to get his watch (and respect for a sistah) seriously checked. She digs it up from way down deep, nuanced as the day is long, delivering a soulful talking to which frankly, no Black man should ignore. If it applies, your coat is pulled. If it don't, sit back and be pleased that baby-girl has your back. If the percolating "Alright" doesn't get you, well sorry, but fact is, you just can't be got. At least not by tasty- sweet elemental funk: Bryant spreads her wings, treating your ears to tight, economic phrasing which, at the same time, executes an aural landscape.
Long story short (little late for that, true) Becoming by Aimee K. Bryant is a disc you want to get next to. Quick, fast and in a damned good hurry.