Delivering soul

These two ladies show that soul and R&B are more than alive on the music scene, and that there’s a constant stream of emerging artists who deserve our full attention — no matter which part of the world we may be referring to.

Jazmine Sullivan — Fearless (Sony BMG). With such soul luminaries as Missy Elliot, Stevie Wonder and Faith Evans all rooting for her, Jazmine is one new artist with potential written all over her. Bust Your Windows has a Mark Ronson vibe, and with its neo-tango beat sounds like something Amy Winehouse could have recorded. The second track, Need U Bad has this deceptive tropical/reggae intro and works like a charm. The lush ballad After the Hurricane (had me thinking Jennifer Hudson and Jordin Sparks), signals the start of the most impressive sequence of songs. Dream Big is Top 40 stuff, and Live A Lie has an inviting chorus, while Fear and In Love With Another Man showcase her vocal range. This is one smartly packaged album.

Laura Izibor — Let the Truth Be Told (Warner Music). Dubbed the “Soul of Ireland,” Laura hails from Dublin; and on some tracks, she reminds me of what a sultry singer in the Dublin-based movie The Commitments would have been like. There’s a very smart, retro feel to the CD, and it works on her uptempo numbers — like a Macy Gray with more pop sensibilities. The song Shine was featured in The Nanny Diaries and Grey’s Anatomy picked up the winsome From My Heart to Yours. Laura kept this CD very personal, eschewing the use of super guest stars and cameos. If there is a weak link, it’s the last half of the CD, when gospel tinged ballad after ballad had me yearning for an uptempo breaker. Like Alicia Keys, Laura composes all her songs.