Change Is Gonna Come Sessions

iTunes Review

If one of your favorite musical sets of the Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial happened to be the moment when cult soul diva Bettye LaVette sang Sam Cooke’s “Change Is Gonna Come” with Jon Bon Jovi, get ready for a truly amazing treat. On this 2009 EP, LaVette revisited and recorded a cooler sauntering version (sans the New Jersey rocker) with a gripping vocal performance that overflows with incredible emotion. LaVette’s bluesy and soulful renditions on the other standards here are equally impressive. Thelonious Monk’s “’Round Midnight” gets a slow burning feel with minimal piano touches and cinematic sounding orchestral accompaniment as her emotional voice sounds like it could fall apart at any moment — but it only gets stronger. She even gives Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child” a thicker, smoky mood, while Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” gets decorated with dainty violins and a loungy piano. Aside from the title track, LaVette’s fevered groove on a percussion-only accompanied version of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” is the next best thing.