AMG Review of Jubilant

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Working with trumpeter/composer/arranger Terence Blanchard, vocalist Jubilant Sykes revives and reworks the sound of traditional African-American spirituals and hymns. These hardly sound dated, since Sykes and Blanchard have found the core of the songs and given them fresh, unpredictable, jazzy arrangements. Throughout, Sykes sings with precision and passion, making Jubilant a thoroughly impressive and original debut.