Maysa - Maysa (1995) (Japanese Edition)

Review by Alex Henderson

Maysa showed a lot of promise on this self-titled debut album, which recalls the late-'70s and early-'80s output of soul divas like Chaka Khan, Alicia Myers and Phyllis Hyman, and sometimes shows quiet storm leanings. Most of the songs that the big-voiced, expressive Maysa turns her attention to are straight-up R&B, although she ventures into jazz fusion territory when she scats her way through the Brazilian-influenced "J.F.S." (which is the type of song that wouldn't have been out of place on a Flora Purim, Raul DeSouza or George Duke album of the '70s). At a time when a lot of R&B recordings were entirely electronic, Maysa's producers favor a sleek yet fairly organic approach and combine keyboards with real bass, real guitar, real drums and real horns. Ranging from decent to excellent, Maysa enjoyed some airplay on NAC stations but didn't make the singer a huge name in the R&B world. Nonetheless, this CD is worth searching for if you're an R&B lover.