Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood

Darden Purcell is a vocalist who has performed with the Airmen Of Note, as well as several other artists. She put out her first album, Easy Living, in 2009, and followed it in 2016 with Where The Blue Begins. She opens her new album with a seriously cool, bluesy rendition of "Willow Weep For Me," which features a strong vocal performance. This track is a delight, and Darden Purcell includes a bit of scat in the middle, adding her voice to the jam. The band backing her is made up of Joe Locke on vibraphone, Shawn Purcell on guitar, Todd Simon on piano, Jeff Reed on acoustic bass, and Todd Harrison on drums. I particularly like the bass work on this opening track, and there is a really nice lead on vibraphone. That's followed by the album's title track, which eases in, and features a beautiful vocal performance. The mood she speaks of will become your mood too, the way her vocals will affect you. Maybe not lazy exactly, but relaxed and feeling good, dreamy. Plus, this track features some wonderful stuff on piano. And then "Come Back To Me" features a great rhythm, as well as a delicious lead on guitar. "In a Rolls or a van/Wrapped in mink or Saran/Anyway that you can/Come back to me." Well, I'd prefer the mink personally, but I suppose the Saran might be kinky in its own way.

Darden Purcell's delivery of "I Concentrate On You" has an intimacy from the start that helps pull us in, and this is such a good song choice in this strange and troubled time when it makes more sense than ever to focus on those we love. She also shines on "A Cottage For Sale," giving a moving performance, supported by some beautiful work on piano. "Chatterbox" is an original composition by Shawn Purcell and Darden Purcell. It gets off to a great start with some delicious work on bass, and then becomes even more enjoyable with Darden's lively vocal line. "But you have got to learn to find your own groove/Don't you know that you're smarter than they are/Someday we'll read about you in your memoir." This is one of my personal favorite tracks. It is a delight. That instrumental section features some particularly good work on guitar, followed by a groovy bass lead. Her recording of "Taking A Chance On Love" is fun and bright, and provides a dose of optimism. "We will have our happy ending now/Taking a chance on love." And each of the musicians gets a chance to shine, making this track another of the disc's highlights. Darden Purcell changes gears for the album's final track, a moving version of "You've Changed," which begins with some beautiful work on vibraphone, and features a gorgeous, heartbreaking vocal performance. "You've changed/That sparkle in your eye is gone."