I Hear You – Deanna Ransom

Deanna Ransom
I Hear You
TOC Records 2010
www.deannaransom.com

Glassboro, New Jersey native Deanna Ransom began her singing career as a five year-old member of her family’s group, the Heavenly Children. Her first solo CD, Never Say Never, earned her the Independent Female Artist of the Year in 2005. During a women’s conference, Ransom earned further accolades after a successful duet with Melba Moore on the anthemic “Rise Sister.”

On her latest project, I Hear You, Ransom demonstrates her artistic versatility by singing, writing, arranging, co-producing, and even contributing some of her own background vocals (with other female support).

While the songs on I Hear You are fairly customary inspirational fare, Ransom’s soprano voice is anything but. She is fond of long, melismatic runs that bear more than a passing resemblance to jazz scatting, especially on “In Love With You.” Another fine example of Ransom’s improvisational skills can be heard on the traditional-flavored “See You Through.” The joyous single, “Song of Salvation,” is also proof positive of Ransom’s adept way with a melody.

The musicians lend a smooth and relaxed foundation to the songs, even lending Caribbean beats to “Mercy and Kindness.” Dance-floor rhythms propel “Make a Way” and a floor-shaking bass underpins “Love 2 Love You,” which teasingly interpolates the hypnotic main lyric of the similarly-titled Donna Summer song.

Sometimes Ransom takes chances by stretching her voice a bit farther than she should, but when she is at her best, she possesses a sweet scat that more than makes up for the album’s rough spots.

Four of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Song of Salvation,” “See You Through.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.