Sy Smith – Until We Meet Again
I was doing a bit of research as I prepared to review Until We Meet Again, the exceptionally good album by SoulTracks favorite Sy Smith. I often try to learn some background prior to writing a review because I want to get as much background information as possible to increase my knowledge of the artist – their motivations or an event that inspired the project.
In the case of Smith and Until We Meet Again, I was looking for confirmation. When I heard this record, I got this mid to late 1970s vibe and the music made by singers like Patrice Rushen, Brenda Russell, the recently departed Marlena Shaw and Minnie Riperton. A quick check showed I wasn’t the only one making the connection.
Sy Smith – Until We Meet Again
I was doing a bit of research as I prepared to review Until We Meet Again, the exceptionally good album by SoulTracks favorite Sy Smith. I often try to learn some background prior to writing a review because I want to get as much background information as possible to increase my knowledge of the artist – their motivations or an event that inspired the project.
In the case of Smith and Until We Meet Again, I was looking for confirmation. When I heard this record, I got this mid to late 1970s vibe and the music made by singers like Patrice Rushen, Brenda Russell, the recently departed Marlena Shaw and Minnie Riperton. A quick check showed I wasn’t the only one making the connection.
This record had a Riperton feel and not just because Smith, like Riperton, possesses that five-octave range that allows her to climb the vocal ladder all the way to the top. Lyrically and thematically, Until We Meet Again was personal and reflective in a similar way that Riperton was throughout her career, but particularly on the projects she recorded prior to her death.
Until We Meet Again highlights Smith’s ability to manage material of varying tempos from the funk of “Slide,” the album’s first single to the angst filled mid-tempo track “Why Do You Keep Calling Me,” which is the best song on an album filled with good tunes. “Why Do You Keep Calling Me,” has a laid-back bass line that serves as a counterpoint to the story of Smith’s frustration about an ex-flame who broke off the relationship but won’t let her move on. Dre King’s deft work on the keyboards gives this song that fusion of jazz and high-end R&B that will take a lot of soul fans back.
Until We Meet Again features collaborations with a few of Smith’s friends. The propulsive and percussive “Masterclass” pops with Sheila E. adding the percussion. “Masterclass” is a funky cautionary tale about the risks of allowing the heart to overrule the head. Many people may recall the video of Smith singing “Let’s Stay Together” at a backyard party with Shelia E. and her dad, Pete Escovedo.
Smith also invites Chris Botti to add his Harmon muted trumpet to “Remember How to Fly.” Smith has been Botti’s go to as lead singer for his live performances, and he returns the with his cameo on “Remember How To Fly.”
Until We Meet Again is bookended by “Flowers,” a 1:25 minute introductory interlude that finds Smith encouraging people to give flowers to those the appreciation while those people are around to bask in that love, and the title track where Smith acknowledges the important people in her life who have transitioned, while encouraging listeners to do the same.
In between there is “Always Pick Up For You,” a poignant song about that one moment when we all miss someone who has died. We all have that moment we’ve accomplished something or need advice and our first instinct is to reach out to someone who is no longer here. “Always Pick Up For You” finds Smith coming to terms that she can’t communicate with this person on the phone, but she must be open to other ways to communicate.
This project is a milestone for Smith in another way. It’s her debut album on the +FE Music label, which is the imprint started by Foreign Exchange members Phonte and Nicolay. Phonte, along with Smith, Zo! and Tall Black Guy, serves as a producer on this project, and Smith collaborated with FE on numerous occasions. That familiarity breeds excellence on Until We Meet Again. Highly Recommended.
By Howard Dukes