It’s fair to say that the job of being Norah Jones is taken, but Ellen Doty’s album, Gold, would be a good cover letter. This album of 11 originals plays on the simple, soft tones that Jones started off with before drifting away from jazz and into more eclectic territory. As a first album, it does what it’s supposed to—feature Doty’s potential as a vocalist and songwriter. “Perfect Day” is a pleasant uptempo track; the spare arrangement of “Say What You Will” makes up for some lyrical unimaginativeness; the delivery in “I Fall for you Again,” a smoky ballad, reminds me of Diana Krall. I so much want this album to be a little more Cole Porter and a little less four-on-the-floor pop-tune composition. I want to hear her voice weave through interesting harmonies and difficult bridges, but that’s not on this album. I look forward to her inevitable sophomore offering; like many great jazz Canadian artists, I expect she’ll grow into a force to be reckoned with, but pass on this record.
[rating:3]
-DMK
