Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Shana Tucker: Shine

Shana Tucker: Shine

By Larry Reni Thomas
July 23, 2011
View read count

Shine is a bright, bluesy, jazzy album from the multitalented vocalist Shana Tucker. She also plays cello and guitar on this set of Tucker compositions, with insightful autobiographical titles like the upbeat "Fast Lane," with a great line "leave the porch light on," and the ever-moving "No Get Back (Together With Me)." These tunes, along with "A Secret That I Keep," are the best and most rhythmic selections on the disc, with snappy, direct lyrics, good beats and simple melodies. But most importantly, they tell a story, which is what a work of art should do; in addition to making their audience realize that life is universal.

Tucker began playing piano at an early age, adding cello through high school and college. She studied at Howard University and Brooklyn College Conservatory, worked with her trio, Hue, and has arranged/composed compositions on several CDs, theater productions and TV commercials. Her commissioned pieces include "Nexxus" and "Savannah," and Hue has opened for

Hamiet Bluiett

saxophone, baritone
1940 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Hamiet Bluiett, Vinx, Sweet Honey In The Rock, and the Blind Boys of Alabama.

Shine—which features a smiling Tucker on blue-colored back and front covers—is her maiden voyage as a solo artist since moving to North Carolina, and is tight, polished and professionally done with her angelic voice throughout. The title cut is an inspiring ballad; poetically making sense when she says: "shine on you and me." Her sense of lyricism is keen and her lyrics are as compelling as her distinctive singing.

Her accompanying musicians perform well, as if they were vibing off of her, and help her to gracefully, yet forcefully, tell her tales. It's an excellent offering from a jazz talent that deserves more recognition, whose imprint and vitality has already been quite visible in North Carolina, and whose Shine is surely a sign of greater things to come.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

A Secret That I Keep; November; The Precious Ones; Fast Lane; Bow Out Gracefully; Repeat Again; No Get-Back; Simplicity; Look Me in the Eye; Shine.

Personnel

Shana Tucker: vocals, guitar, cello; Chris Boerner: guitar; Scotty Miller: guitar; Pete Kimosh: bass; Josh Stodhl: drums; Stephen Coffman: drums; James Wallace" piano; Byron Elliot" Fender Rhodes; Grant Osbourne: piano.

Album information

Title: Shine | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Self Produced

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Harlem-Kingston Express Live!
< Previous

A Merger In Jazz Education
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.