2006 has been a year of pleasant surprises for lovers of adult soul, and the year rightly ends with one of the best surprises of all, 27 year old Liv Warfield. The Peoria native comes out of left field as a kind of Sade-meets-Jill Scott-meets-Anita Baker, her sultry, steamy voice deftly handling an excellent collection of jazz-influenced soul on her debut album, Embrace Me.
Producers Dave Whipple & Darren Bowls have assembled a top-notch set of players, and the restrained, live instrumentation is the perfect backdrop for Warfield’s groovy, appealing compositions and her surprisingly assured vocals. Tunes like "Get Away," the playful "Groove DJ" and the beautiful title cut would fit comfortably on urban adult contemporary or jazz stations, but most of all they fit just right in my CD player. A stunning new talent and one of the best debut albums you’ll hear this year. Highly recommended.
by Chris Rizik
