Something Wonderful

AMG Review of Something Wonderful

Nick Dedina
All Music Guide

This fine album was sadly lost in the shuffle when it was released the same year as another Nancy Wilson album, The Swingin's Mutual!, her highly successful collaboration with the George Shearing Quintet. This is a shame, because Something Wonderful is one of Wilson's best albums and her tastiest with famed ig-band arranger Billy May. Only 23 years old at the time, Wilson had a commanding lues- and soul-drenched jazz voice that was fully formed at the time of this recording, and unlike so many young singers, she was already committed to communicating lyrics rather than showing off how great her voice was. This is beautifully illustrated in the narrative gem "Guess Who I Saw Today," which justly went on to become one of Wilson's signature tunes. For his part, May keeps the accent here on swinging jazz but avoids the heavy brass and wild percussion that he became famous for. Instead, he opts for a subtler sound. May even throws a couple of small-group jazz and lues numbers into the mix and allows some superb jazz musicians (including Ben Webster, the legendary tenor saxophonist) to shine in the solo spotlight. Out of print for decades, Something Wonderful remains one of Nancy Wilson's most jazz-oriented sessions, and it's a welcome addition to Wilson's CD catalog.