NANCY WILSON / “Save Your Love For Me”
We’ve wanted to do this for months, but we wanted it to be spontaneous and relaxed. So we waited till the time was right for both of us. We wanted a happy, romping sound. It would be Cannonball’s quintet with me fitting in as a sort of easy-going third horn on some nice songs that haven’t already been “heard to death” on records. —Nancy WilsonFor a minute, back before she crossed over, Nancy Wilson epitomized what it meant to be a young, Black female jazz singer. She was the jazziest of what was then an ultimate compliment: girl, you one jazzy chick. Although I am quite aware of the implicit sexism inherent in that slang, back then it was not meant as a put down or a restriction, but rather as a supremely hip declaration of awe and admiration. Nancy was a vivacious, potent and rejuvenating sonic tonic. Her voice was unmistakable, unique. It seemed that she effortlessly swung as hard as the whole band swang, and that was Cannonball, so you know they was swinging. Nancy’s phrasing smoothly matched Cannon’s alto lyricism; when they dueted, it was a dance. There was so much beauty in the way each caressed the other’s note. But above and beyond their unerring technique, another element stood out: they sounded like they were having fun, and that joy was infectious. You left their performances walking on air. I was blessed to experience them together in concert.
Nancy was just what jazz needed, and Cannon was the right booster to propel Nancy’s career into the stratosphere. Even now, when you listen to this classic recording, you smile. No doubt, Nancy was destined for great things. She'd had a minor hit, pre-Cannonball, with her inspired rendering of "Guess Who I Saw Today." Nevertheless, it was this album—Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley—that made digging Nancy Wilson de rigueur in the Sixties and cemented her tenure at Capitol Records with Nancy's second hit, an interpretation of Buddy Johnson’s staple, "Save Your Love For Me."
The Nancy Wilson Show, a recording long out of print (which ought to be immediately reissued), captures some of the joie de vive Nancy exuded in concert. In its stead we offer a little known gem from Nancy’s catalogue, "Black Is Beautiful."
Originally issued on the 1968 recording The Sound Of Nancy Wilson, the version included here is available on the 2002, 4-cd box set The Essence of Nancy Wilson – Four Decades Of Music. Recorded live at the Sands Hotel, Las Vegas on August 29, 1968, this previously unreleased version of a quintessential lullaby was presented as a dedication to her young son K. C. Nancy’s dramatic reading is emotionally stunning in its dynamic range, slowly building to a roaring climax capped off by a whispered denouement.
Nancy Wilson’s decades-long career is currently comparable to a consummate stage actor in a cinema-dominated era. Like a stage actor, what she did live was done in real time: no retakes of fluffed lyrics, no punch-ins of missed notes, no electronic cover-ups of vocal weaknesses, yet, since we no longer celebrate theatre, we sometimes overlook such stellar accomplishments. Nancy Wilson may never go platinum, but regardless, her contribution to the artistry of song is peerless. As long as we have these recordings, her importance is ultimately undeniable.
For those who remember times gone by, Nancy and Cannonball will undoubtedly rekindle embered joys; for those who weren’t even born until years later, here is an example of a bygone artistry that is still potent, still touching, still beautiful, still, well, still a definition of jazzy hipness.
—Kalamu ya Salaam
Click here to purchase Nancy Wilson & Cannonball
Mtume’s response
I know this album mostly from seeing it in the record store (Tower Records in New Orleans, where I worked for several years)—it was a favorite selection of the jazz crew who worked upstairs. I've heard a few songs from it — all of which I liked, I just never got around to listening to the whole album. I do have a few individual Nancy Wilson songs in my iTunes: "How Glad I Am," "Sunshine" and, of course, "Guess Who I Saw Today." I see I've got more listening to do. :-)
—Mtume ya Salaam
Still shining bright
And since you mentioned "Sunshine," what about that 4Hero remix of "Sunshine," which is done so respectfully, you don’t even realize it’s a remix, just think it’s something hip, hip, hip that Nancy did. Man, that 4Hero production duo is the absolute bomb — but, we’ll get into them at another time. Meanwhile, check out "Sunshine." It is a bit outside of Nancy’s normal approach, which is part of what makes it so interesting.
—Kalamu ya Salaam
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10 Responses to “NANCY WILSON / “Save Your Love For Me””
June 20th, 2005 at 9:06 pm
One of the things i am always trying to do is talk about books; and talk about (what i perceive to be) “good” Black music.
i dig what you are doing here… some people are drivers and some people merely operate a vehicle. Vocally speaking, Nancy Wilson is a “driver.” Of course, everyone talks about and should own Nancy’s rendition of “Guess Who I Saw Today.” i mean, everyone says that song is the one. And, i dig it, but Nancy Wilson sings a version of “Too Good To Be True” that is so perfect, so divine, you will likely forget that anyone else ever sang that song. Also, just because of the lyrics, check out “The Greatest Performance of my Life.”
Other must be mentioned that are sure to make you members of the Nancy fan club include: “The Good Life” and “Go Away Little Boy.” Orgasmic, i tell you… orgasmic.
When people speak of Ella, it is the artistry, and the scatting, with Sarah, it is the creamy sweet voice, with Carmen McRae, it is the way she rides a note; and with Etta James, it is power. Will Billie Hollliday, especially after her vocal chords were destroyed, it was emotion. Same with Ms. Nina Simone, but, with Nancy, it is the unique phraseology; the way she says something. She says everything like she mean it. No matter what she is singing about, her phraseology is believable. Plus, she goes from power to whisper pleasantly surprising my ear each time. She can be all breath or all voice. i gotta go now, cuz now, i need to hear Nancy sing something/anything…
Trust me on this: Check out her version of “Too Good to be True.” Do it. Now. If you cannot do it now cuz you don’t have it, then go get it. Now. If you cannot get it, then tell me how i can upload it for you, cuz you gots to hear that before going any further with Nancy Wilson…
Good luck/skill with the site.
Love & Struggle, Askhari.
July 10th, 2005 at 8:50 am
What a treat. This week’s jukebox contains 2 of my favorite song stylists – Nancy and Luther. Nancy is one of our most profound interpreters of lyrics – re-inventing any type of song – jazz to the Beatles to country. She did a heartfelt soulful tribute to the late O. C. Smith when she sang “Little Green Apples” at Chastain Park in atlanta last year.
If jazz is the art of improvisation, and If you listen to Nancy live now with her trio, you will hear a true jazz singer. one who still uses her voice as a fine-tuned instrument, and who at nearly 70 can jam with the best of them. She may have ‘crossed over’ in terms of her recordings, but live, Nancy still delivers. And it’s a gift to still have her with us.
July 11th, 2005 at 5:59 pm
And this kind of sound is PRECISELY why it is so painful for many 20-and-30-somethings like me to stomach contemporary radio drivel. WOW, did Nancy roar near the end of “Black Is Beautiful?” I’ve always thought that she epitomizes graceful and elegant Black womanhood and now I’m even more of a fan. Thanks for helping to introduce me to more of her catalog!
July 11th, 2005 at 7:14 pm
This is the juice of the truth. Kalamu – everybody talks about what it takes to enhance and unify our community and you do the work. I learned what it means to save your love for somebody from this beautiful songstress. She taught me all the words to how to be a woman in the 1960’s.
Yeah some things change but I remain thankful that some things – like artistic mastery – stand the test of time. Put this in the space capsule so the universe can know this rendition of black womanliness.
Big up Kalamu you get the gold star for great karma. Grow and prosper
July 14th, 2005 at 6:54 am
I heard Duke Ellington’s A Drum is a Woman recording before I saw the album cover. When I saw the white woman on the front I became confused then angry. Beyond the musical excellence that swings with the urgency of John Henry’s hammer racing against the machine, Duke’s band laid down tracks that expertly navigated across never before chartered historical and political terrain. It was the same with Miles’ Someday My Prince Will Come. I mean as Black as Miles Davis is how they gonna put an ofay bitch on the surface of some of the deepest groves ever etched in vinyl? That’s some helluva images to be throwing at people. In the immortal words of Les McCann, “GotDammit, tryin to make it real compared to what?” At least, on a very basic level, they recognized the music’s ability to get to the very essence of being but they could only connect it with sex. Them fuckin assholes are forever making the wrong associations.
Oh well, once I got past the political bullshit of a racist music industry the love of music is truly all that matters. The strength, pride and supreme love of who I am emerges victorious from the music. But the process by which I got to the phoenix rising from the burnt asses controlling the distribution of recorded music fucked with my mind to the point where it can hardly discern whether or not it desired entertainment, artistic statements or both. I mean, what is the Blackest representation of me I could want? Can my Blackness be defined for me by artists, musicians and writers? Is shaking my ass purely for the joy of shaking my ass ever relevant? What if I’m shaking my ass just because I’m horny or because it’s Friday or just because I got an itch, is that so wrong? But most importantly, why am I so damn self-conscious about shit that should be a natural extension of me. Now I’m questioning my own Blackness and no one raised in a Black community should ever be forced into that position by an entity outside of the community. But like I said earlier there are strong images out there and whether you want to deal with them or not your consciousness has to adjust to the fact that there were these white images on the album covers of some great Black music. Why? See how convoluted this shit gets?
Cannonbird, his original nickname, like Sonny Stitt, was one of few alto saxophonists who caught what Charles ‘Yardbird’ Parker dropped and parlayed a lucrative career. When Cannonball Adderly teamed with Nancy Wilson it was beautiful both on the surface and deep in the grooves. The sound of Cannon’s alto is big, lush and fluid. The music is warm and resonant in the lower register, clean and expressive in the middle and articulate and powerful in the upper register. Cannon’s alto explodes with joy much the same way Bird’s sax did. And Cannonball had a way of caressing a note that was so affectionate and engrossing it was like finally being embraced by a lover that had taken too long to return. Nancy is in good throat, bending and contorting her voice to the will of the song. Loosing all since of self in this act of love, Nancy is a very communicative and emotional lover of the melody. Her sound rings ecstatic and is as clear and climatic as a midnight cry from the shadowy window of a suburban bedroom. Sometimes sensuality arouses it’s neighbor. Sheer delight found itself satisfied in the release initiated by a cool, night breeze passionately caressing naked emotion.
Mostly all of the songs on the Cannonball Nancy Wilson recording are what are now referred to as jazz standards. These songs are really popular music of the 1940’s and the 1950’s. While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with making popular music the important thing is that artist must have the freedom to choose the direction their music will take. Nostalgia has it’s place but the music must move forward in order to grow and remain vital. The music as well as the cover photograph is a welcome change from the evil that record industries do. And while I can’t lie and say that this particular recording, while very good in and of itself, is one of my favorites I do recognize the significance of the recording as well as Cannon and Nancy interpreting songs like The Masquerade is Over and Save Your Love For Me. But especially when I look at Nancy…? with the smiling face…? in that fly-assed yellow silk dress…? I know Oshun and Bird Lives!
Considering the times, Nancy Wilson on that album cover is a very powerful image. The music speaks for itself.
AumRa Frezel
July 15th, 2005 at 3:32 am
Listening to it right, beautiful. Nice to discover someone ‘new,’ no matter how embarrassing this may sound.
February 9th, 2006 at 3:15 am
I AM EXTREMELY GLAD TO SEE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY NANCY WILSON FAN IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHERE PEOPLE LIKE BEYONCE, MARIAH,GWEN,CHRISTINA… RULE THE ROOST. THOSE WOMEN ARE CONSIDERED DIVAS AND THEY ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DESERVE THAT TITLE. THEY HAVEN’T EVEN PAID THEIR DUES. MISS. WILSON IS THE BOMB AND DESERVES MORE ATTENTION ESPECIALLY ON OUR R&B, POP,SMOOTH JAZZ RADIO STATIONS. I CALL IN AND REQUEST HER SONGS BECAUSE EVERY GENERATION SHOULD KNOW THIS WOMAN AND HER SONGS.
HER SINGING MAKES ME BELIEVE THE STORY SHE IS SINGING. ANITA BAKER SAID IN AN INTERVIEW THAT MISS. WILSON CAN TELL A STORY, AND THAT IS SO TRUE. I LISTEN TO SONGS LIKE GUESS WHO I SAW TODAY, HELLO LIKE BEFORE,YOU’RE AS GOOD AS RAIN AND IT’S LIKE A MOVIE REEL IN MY HEAD. SHE’S JUST ALL THAT AND I HOPE EVERY FAN THAT READS THIS CALL THE APPROPRIATE RADIO STATIONS IN THEIR HOME TOWN AND REQUEST,REQUEST, REQUEST NANCY WILSON.
SHE’S DONE CLOSE TO 60 ALBUMS. ALWAYS KEEPING UP WITH WHAT WAS POPULAR BUT STAYING TRUE TO HERSELF. CHECK OUT HER 04′ ALBUM R.S.V.P. SHE WON A GRAMMY FOR IT AND IT WAS WELL DESERVED!
May 18th, 2006 at 10:37 pm
hi have been a Nancy Wilson fan for many years and I just happened upon this site beause i was wondering if anyone could help me find the name of a song i had on tape but lost. I only know some of the lyrics. (Darling, all, I have left is, a picture of you on which you wrote but never never said the words i love you) Nancy also talks toward the end of the song really giving it to the guy who left her a check in letter in which he left 3 letters that is. sorry its so vague but i cannot find this song anywhere without proper tit;e hope someone can help thanks for your time.
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:31 pm
I love Ms. Nancy Wison, with all my heart. I wish she would come back to St. Pete, Florida or Tampa, Florida one more time. I promise I won’t miss it.
March 10th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I was looking a song that i thougt Nancy song named My Love, however the song named that arent the tune I was looking for. Chorus line in the song, if I’m not mistaked “My love, is so good to me, your love is all I need” this is driving me crazy..if someone can help, please, please do!
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