Angie Wells - Truth Be Told

(Angie Wells, 2023)

Angie Wells

After having released her debut recording Love and Mischief (Self Produced, 2017), vocalist Angie Wells has been heading at lightspeed right through the COVID pandemic toward her follow-up, Truth Be Told, with her foot-to-the-floor, social agenda in tow. A lot has happened since 2017 and Wells has had a lot of time to think. She made the best of that time thinking, composing and producing a cogent and integrated socially focused recording. Truth Be Told extends the provocative dialogue that started with Rene Marie's incendiary pairing of "Dixie" with "Strange Fruit" on her sophomore release Vertigo (MAXJAZZ, 2001), except Wells carefully weaves her social statements in her choice of material to compose and cover.

Wells spreads her stylistic arms wide, touching a NOLA vibe on"There's Always Time For Lovin'" before conjuring some dirty blues on "Do I Move You" complete with overdriven guitar and clever lyrics ("...do you quiver from your head down to your liver?"). The singer and her fine band roll casual rhumba on "Where The Livin' Is Good." On"Truth Be Told" Wells doubles down socially with a finger-snapping cappella gospel sound addressing black deaths (detailing each) at the hands of the police, counted with snare shots, and presented as a rise to action. This is just one highlight of many.

The singer updates"Accentuate The Positive" with a sprite contemporary reading, sporting a great arrangement. Bonnie Raitt's "Nick of Time" is given a piquant reading with pianist Josh Nelson contributing some heady seasoning. Two other highlights are Wells' duet with bassist John Clayton (who also produced the recording) playing arco throughout. In a hard bop marriage made in heaven, Wells mashes up "Moanin/Worksong" to a greasy and funky effect. the traditional "I've Got A Feeling" is given three readings: a humming version, a music box version, featuring Clayton, and a full hymn version strategically placed throughout the recording providing cohesion to the material that hardens into integrity.

Wells recalls Shirley Horn on "Here's To Life" performed with guitar accompaniment only. "Talking All Under My Clothes" is beautifully sexy and wholesomely seductive, pairing well with the closing "They Can't Take That Away from Me" sung in an ad hoc a cappella duet with Zion G. Truth Be Told elbows its way in and demands to be heard...and heard again.