(December 10, 2021) When an established artist takes special note of a promising talent waiting in the soul music wings, those encouraging pats on the back can jump start the aspiring talent’s dreams. Vanessa Bright leads the U.K. collective Soul Emotive (drummer Frankie Tontoh (Amy Winehouse) and keyboardist Anders Olinder (Omar)), who have performed on various BBC platforms. But it was the singer/songwriter/producer’s solo showcase, “Get Gone,” that was selected by international R&B icon Ne-Yo for his ‘Stay Lit’ mixtape. Meanwhile, Bright has released several singles and showcased her electronic brushstrokes on the full-length Under Water in 2021.
SoulTracks now welcomes Bright for the first time into an inviting jazz/funk/soul experience entitled “Keep Your Spirits High.” The veteran, acclaimed jazzman Tom Browne (“Funkin’ for Jamaica”) joins Bright, molding a unique duet of scat-fueled and note-bending improvisations. Aided by Bright’s calming voices and Browne’s nimble trumpet work, the warm mood behind “Keep Your Spirits High” matches the positive theme of moving forward when times get rough: “Makes you wonder sometimes/How can we thrive?/We gotta’ do what we always do/To keep our spirits hiiiiiigh.”
Absolute kudos also belong to the backing band, featuring the silky keys played by Olinder. Already possessing a wealth of skills in her young career, Bright is a blessing in several genres as well as a must hear voice within today’s progressive soul scene. While waiting for her upcoming vocal project in 2022, Movin’ On, check out “Keep Your Spirits High.”
By Peggy Oliver
Vanessa Bright– “Keep Your Spirits High”
