Editorial Review:

Album Description:
Grammy® award-winning recording artist, Queen Latifah, debuts on Verve Records with her new album Trav'lin' Light. On this jazz and R&B influenced album from legendary producers Tommy LiPuma and Ron Fair,Queen Latifah delivers sultry yet powerful performances on a hand-picked mix of familiar classics and forgotten jewels.

Amazon.com:
With Trav'lin' Light, singer/actress/rapper/Cover Girl Queen Latifah (née Dana Owens) continues her chameleonic pan-stardom. The latest musical chapter in Latifah's success-studded career began with 2004's The Dana Owens Album, on which she emerged as a nuanced crooner of jazz and R&B standards. She continues this mode on her Verve records debut, adding ample individuality to such well-loved classics as Johnny Mercer's title track, Nina Simone's 'I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl,' and Antonio Carlos Jobim's 'Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars' (with legendary harmonica pioneer Toots Thielemans). Steve Wonder's own harmonica playing lends nostalgic ornament to an otherwise rather forced 'Georgia Rose,' and much of the album languishes in similarly downbeat fare, though Latifah's voice is never wholly unbecoming of her song choices. Toward the album's end comes a welcome swerve for the energetic. Inspiring takes on the Pointer Sisters' 'How Long' and Curtis Mayfield's 'Gone Away' lead into the soaring choruses of 'I Know Where I've Been.' Taken together, these three songs superbly straddle the spectrum from the former rapper to the still-newly minted singer with a long lease on success and a peerless sense of how to grow older gracefully. --Jason Kirk









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Disc 1:

1. Poetry Man
2. Georgia Rose
3. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars
4. Don't Cry Baby
5. I Love Being Here With You
6. I'm Gonna Live Till I Die
7. Trav'lin' Light
8. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl
9. I'm Not In Love
10. What Love Has Joined Together
11. How Long (Betcha Got A Chick On The Side)
12. Gone Away
13. I Know Where I've Bee

Rating: - * Amazing Versatility ... I must admit I never thought I'd but a Queen Latifah cd. Her earlier music was not to my taste and I really wasn't overwhelmed by her performance in CHICAGO. Then I saw her sing the song from HAIRSPRAY on tv and I was blown away. I quickly went to Amazon and ordered her latest - TRAV'LIN' LIGHT. Am I ever so glad I did. This cd was nominated for a grammy and I certainly understand why. There is not a miss out of all the 13 tracks. She tackles true classics from many different decades of varying styles and puts it all together in a very cohesive collection held strong by her amazing vocals. The cd begins with a true classic POETRY MAN and her take is soft, moody and totally effective. It sets you up for all the amazing music to come. She uses her skills on some bluesy, lilting emotive ballads like QUIET NIGHTS OF QUIET STARS, DON'T CRY BABY and GEORGIA ROSE. She hits the mark right on with the jazz uptemo numbers I LOVE BEING HERE WITH YOU and I'M GONNA LIVE TILL I DIE. The cd ends on an amazing high note with two belting ballads and Queen Latifah is amazing and stands up there with the best of the belters. GONE AWAY and the exceptional I KNOW WHERE I'VE BEEN, the uplifting gospel ballad from HAIRSPRAY will astound you. I am 47 and grew up with the music of the 70s and must admit my favorite tracks are her remakes of I'M NOT IN LOVE by 10cc and HOW LONG originally done by The Pointer Sisters. I thought they would be campy and she totally makes them her own. That is what she does on this whole cd. There are many artists out there covering the classics and they are basically redoing songs where your thoughts still remember how the original artist was better. Queen Latifah is better than that here. It is obvious she has picked songs that mean something to her. It fully comes across in her delivery and she makes each song an original - her own. Queen Latifah has grown into an artist with amazing range and versatility. I highly recommend this cd. Rating: - * Amazing arrangement ... I liked her last album. So I knew this album would be good too. Oh man, I was impressed by the instrumental arrangement! I didn't know that the arranger for this album, John Clayton got a Grammy award for one of the tracks. I forgot what it was... But anyway since I like his style and arrangement I am going to buy his CD too. If you like the arrangement on this album, you should definitely check out his music too. [...] Rating: - * AMAZING!!!!!! ... I could not believe this was The Queen. I am a retired singer and always loved Queen Latifah's music, even rap:), and as a gifted actress. I was amazed at the versatility and sultry sounds that came from her wonderful voice. My nieces are teenagers and when I let them here this CD (I didn't tell them it was the Queen), they said that it was good, who is it? I told them Queen Latifah and they did not believe me until they sat there and listened to the entire CD and realized it was her. They have a new appreciation for jazz and blues and see it in a different light. Hail to the Queen!! Music has an amazing affect on teens. My nieces listen to this CD constantly. WOW!!! Rating: - * Trav'lin Right ... I've spent the summer with this album in my car. What a great travel CD!!! Rating: - * surprising ... this cd is bad. it's an easy listen when for a mellow mood. she has a really nice voice. i like it.