Georgia-born singer Lizz Wright’s last few projects have seen her trying out interesting musical costumes. The Orchard (2008) was a folk-jazz session featuring Calexico, while Fellowship (2010) explored pulpit-hot southern gospel. Her fifth LP sees her back in that safe zone between smooth jazz and quiet-storm soul, with signings including Norah Jones sidekick Jesse Harris and country-rock kingpin JD Souther. Amid the slick, midtempo soul workouts, there are some sublime moments. Right Where You Are is a killer waltz that sets Wright’s smoky alto against Gregory Porter’s whale-bothering baritone; a languid version of Nick Drake’s River Man features some lovely, woozy textures from guitarist Dean Parks; and there’s a deliciously slow, gospel reading of the Bee Gees’ To Love Somebody. Best of all is Here and Now, a dreamy, coma-paced ballad co-written with producer Larry Klein and songwriter David Batteau, where Wright’s honeyed voice seems to liquefy with a celestial Fender Rhodes.
