It turns out that Arvo Pärt is not the only Estonian making music. Southern Estonian vocalist Sofia Rubina has been stirring things up in all hemispheres since 2011 with her release, Two Roses (Self-Produced). I Am Soul finds Rubina six deep in commercial releases and consists of eleven tracks, addressing such disparate artists as Bonnie Raitt, George Duke, and Chick Corea, as well as six originals. Rubina collaborated with keyboardist Evgeny Lebedev, bassist Anton Revnyuk, and drummer Ignat Kravtsov. This trio may be small in force but is large and elaborate in sound, one that is modern adult contemporary at its core, branching out into rhythm and blues, soul, gospel, and jazz.
The recording opens with “Home” a powerful and deeply felt original Rubina dedicated to her daughter. The singer’s voice celebrates family and the act of belonging in a mainstream way. The singer takes a gospel turn with the original “Stay True” and “Surgery” from Spenser Smith and Testament. The most visible of the material is Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” previously covered by Bonnie Raitt. These songs are presented with a sharp edge of production that serves Rubina’s solid alto voice well.
Well-produced and executed, I Am Soul, provides a contemporary jazz alternative to the present state of popular music. Sofia Rubina shaves a layer off of the top and presents it convincingly.