The Dana Owens Album (CD - 2004)

Personnel: Queen Latifah (vocals); David "Fathead" Newman , Al Green (vocals); John Goux (guitar); Dan Higgins, Joel Peskin, Pete Christlieb, Brandon Fields (saxophone); James Moody (alto saxophone); Gary Grant, Larry Lunetta, Charles Davis (trumpet); Dick Nash , Bryant Breyers, Bruce Otto (trombone); Herbie Hancock, Jim Cox (piano); Peter Erskine, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Luis Conte (percussion); Mervyn Warren.

Throughout a career that started in the early days of hip-hop, Queen Latifah has consistently proven herself a woman of kaleidoscopic talents. The ultimate evidence of her versatility came in 2002, when she took on the role of "Mama" Morton in the film version of the musical CHICAGO, displaying acting chops polished enough to earn her an Academy Award nomination. In that movie, Queen Latifah also revealed an exquisite and powerful singing voice. The latter is put to good use on her 2004 record THE DANA OWENS ALBUM, a collection of (mostly) standards given full orchestral treatment.

To Latifah's credit, THE DANA OWENS ALBUM is an immense success, boasting her tremendous voice and an intelligent, provocative song selection. To put things in perspective, on "Simply Beautiful," she duets with the song's writer, the incomparable Al Green, and not only holds her own, but plays off him in the most natural of styles. On the most precarious cover on the record, she re-arranges the Mamas & the Papas' "California Dreamin'" into a breathy torch song, while retaining just a touch of the folk-imbued original. Queen Latifah closes the set with a masterful performance of the classic "Lush Life," a fitting ending to an entirely anachronistic record. minimize