Jill Scott is neo-soul royalty, without any doubt whatsoever. In fact, her debut album, Who Is Jill Scott? remains a monumental release over quarter of a century since it first saw the light of day.
Nevertheless, Scott has continually refused to be boxed-in as a singer but is a true Renaissance Woman who has also made her mark as a spoken word artist, poet and actor. Hence, she can easily be forgiven for making us wait 11 years since her last album, Women. That said, any fans approaching To Whom This May Concern with a degree of trepidation due to its long gestation can be rest assured. Jill Scott’s new album is an absolute gem that is equal parts magic, joyfulness and a reflection of the times in which we find ourselves.
Featuring an army of collaborators, from Ab-Soul and Tierra Whack to Trombone Shorty, To Whom It May Concern filters a cascade of fine flavours into a tasty mix of soul, funk and jazz that borrows from such giants as Parliament-Funkadelic, Betty Davis and the Rotary Connection and creates a sound that is brimming with improvisational spirit, is at times intimate and at times expansive, but is always direct and plain-spoken.
Lead single, “Pressha” is an anthem to individuality and to breaking away from the herd. “So much pressure to appear just like them”, Scott sings. “I find it so pathetic”. While “Liftin’ Me Up” is a joyful cry for resilience and self-empowerment and “Offdaback” offers thanks and praise to those musical pioneers like Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, on whose shoulders her music stands.
Elsewhere, there’s the funky hip hop of “Norf Side”, the woozy, psychedelic soul of “Beautiful People” and even the Big Band swing of “Pay U on Tuesday”. But despite its array of seasoning, To Whom This May Concern hangs together in a way that suggests it was planned meticulously and then polished to shine like a musical diamond without losing any of its depth and inspiration.
