A Turtle's Dream

iTunes Review

A Turtle’s Dream was released during a highly productive period in Abbey Lincoln’s long and varied career. Working with French producer Jean-Philippe Allard, she composed songs of unusual honesty then wrapped them up in some of the most exquisite jazz sounds she ever recorded. In fine voice throughout, Lincoln considers the promise of life in “Throw It Away,” finds hope of renewal in “Not to Worry” and accepts mortality in the title number. In “Down Here Below,” she engages God in prayerful dialogue against a brooding string backdrop. Breaking this mood of dark contemplation is “Hey, Lordy Mama,” a track drenched in an after-hours blues ambiance. A mystical reading of Eden Ahbez’s “Nature Boy” and a yearning take on Leo Ferre’s “Avec le Temps” compliment her originals. Throughout these tracks, Lincoln combines the poise of a jazz diva with the vulnerability of a confessional poet, singing with an easy grace that reflects her early devotion to Billie Holiday. Guitarists Pat Metheny and Lucky Peterson and bassist Charlie Haden are among the stellar players who contribute to this masterful, deeply moving set.