Search - Various Artists :: Soulful Divas, Vol. 3: Softly With A Song

This volume of soul expert David Nathan's series of soul-woman minihits and obscurities covers love ballads of the late '70s and '80s, which means the potential ick factor is pretty high. But, though plenty of the lyrics rhyme "right" and "tonight" and there are a few too many tasteful strings and chiming synth fills, Nathan's dug up some swell vocal performances: Minnie Riperton keeps her legendary multioctave range in check on "Memory Lane" until she can't hold it in any more, Merry Clayton gently torches "When the World Turns Blue," and Dianne Reeves brings a touch of quiet-storm smooth jazz to a cover of Rickie Lee Jones's "Company." Extra points for bringing Dionne Warwick's "So Amazing" to American CD for the first time. --Douglas Wolk