(Vocal Jazz, Soul) Zara McFarlane - Until Tomorrow - 2011, WEB, FLAC (tracks), lossless

Until Tomorrow, from young London-based singer and writer Zara McFarlane, is a delight. This is not McFarlane's first recording—her 2010 self-produced six-track EP, also called Until Tomorrow, debuted some of these songs, and she has also recorded with the Jazz Jamaica All Stars—but it's her first full-length album. Filled with fresh and beautifully crafted compositions, it signals McFarlane's maturing talents as a singer and songwriter with a distinctive take on the art of the song.
McFarlane is no bluesy shouter, but she is most definitely a soulful singer. Her voice moves effortlessly from the plaintive yearning of "More Than Mine," through the slinky soul of "Blossom Tree" and "Chiaroscuro," to the pure and crystalline sounds of "Waking Sleep." There's often a childlike innocence and honesty to her performance, making her a consistently engaging singer. Her lyric,; with their tales of lost love, sadness, romance and sensuality, are equally engaging—all the more so because they have an air of mystery, often hinting at a narrative but leaving the listener to complete the story.
On "Mama Done" McFarlane delivers a flurry of lyrics—part sung and part rapped and occasionally threatening to overwhelm the singer—over a tight Latin-tinged groove from pianist Peter Edwards, bassist Nick Walsh and drummer Andy Chapman."Until Tomorrow" benefits from a relatively sparse arrangement: delicate and spacious playing from Walsh and Chapman, over which McFarlane's voice floats with sparkling clarity. It also features the album's finest solo, a dazzlingly emotive performance from Edwards. The three saxophonists are used sparingly but effectively. The soft, lyrical, solo on "Blossom Tree" and the more frenetic one on "Chiaroscuro" are especially noteworthy—sadly, the players' individual contributions are uncredited on the promotional copy of the album.
McFarlane also interprets—and slightly re-titles—two tunes written by Harry Whitaker, best known for his work with Roberta Flack: "The Children & The Warlock" and "Thoughts." McFarlane's versions stay close musically to Whitaker's own, but her lyrics and vocals give both tunes added depth.
"Feed The Spirit (The Children & The Warlock)" lets the whole band stretch out, giving the singer's emotionally intense vocal a strong, punchy backing. By contrast, McFarlane's beautiful rendition of "Waking Sleep (Thoughts)" is intense and perfectly measured. The vocal on her own "More Than Mine" is equally intense and affecting, but the backing is freer and builds its intensity over time to convey the singer's despair.
In this collection of beautiful and affecting songs, "Blossom Tree" is the most immediately engaging—a potential standard in the making. But Until Tomorrow is filled with musical treasures, waiting to be discovered. ~ Bruce Lindsay, All About Jazz

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Previously a backing vocalist for artists as diverse as Soweto Kinch and Noah and the Whale, 28-year-old London jazz-soul singer Zara McFarlane’s debut album, Until Tomorrow, showcases a talent that undeniably deserves to take center stage all on its own. Released through Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings label, the extension of her 2010 same-titled six-track EP (of which three tracks appear here) is an effortlessly subtle and soulful affair tailor-made for lazy Sunday mornings, which, apart from the rather superfluous rendition of The Sound of Music’s “My Favorite Things,” cleverly avoids drifting into MOR easy listening territory. “More Than Mine” (also featured in an “alternate take” version whose only difference is the addition of some barbershop quartet-style vocals) is a delightfully gentle jazz-pop ballad whose reflective piano chords and melancholic saxophone hooks perfectly reflect the yearning lyrical themes of seeing a past lover out with her new beau; “Captured, Pt. 3″ and “Chiaroscuro” are minimal but charming rearrangements of her collaborations with dance producer Bopstar, both of which are unrecognizable from their previous vocal house incarnations; while the pounding piano chords, shuffling hi-hat rhythms, and McFarlane’s swooping scale-gliding vocals on “Feed the Spirit (The Children and the Warlock)” help provide a captivating rendition of the rather obscure number from underrated jazz composer Harry Whitaker’s back catalog. It’s hard to see exactly where the comparisons with the likes of Erykah Badu and Jill Scott have come from, as other than the galloping percussion and R&B-tinged melodies of “Blossom Tree,” its 11 tracks are very much at the modern jazz rather than the nu-soul end of the spectrum. But whatever category Until Tomorrow is filed under, it still remains a sensual and highly expressive debut from an artist who appears determined to fully grasp her opportunity in the spotlight. ~ Jon O’Brien