Mary Ann Redmond - Prisoner Of The Heart (2002)

Mary Ann Redmond is a Washington, D.C.-based rock/blues/soul vocalist who packs a mighty wallop, especially when performing a gutsy rendition of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" and her heartening soul/jazz spin on Sam Cooke's "You Send Me." With this release, Redmond garners sturdy support from her sextet and duo of background singers. Her powerful and undeniably emotional delivery sparks memories of the late Janis Joplin. Whereas, this outing features a potpourri of upbeat, funk-rock grooves, gospel-tinged ballads, and more. The ensemble provides sympathetic support via a non-obtrusive methodology, consisting of bluesy soloing endeavors and firmly organized rhythms. A few of Redmond's original compositions seem to deviate into a myriad of nondescript vocal forums and, to some extent, suffer from an air of invariability. But the vocalist's interpretations of the aforementioned classics amid the catchy hooks witnessed on the title piece signify a sample of the highlights. ~Glenn Astarita