This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Queen Latifah has already made a name for herself as a rapper and actress. Now she’s trying to threepeat as a jazz singer.
Capitalizing on the acclaim she received from Chicago, she reverts to her original handle for the seductive and soulful Dana Owens Album. On this set of covers, Latifah settles down and jazzes it up, dividing her time between standards like Lush Life and I Put A Spell On You, and poppier fare like California Dreamin’. Fans of the old Queen may be surprised by the swellegance of these lushly orchestrated arrangements, which feature nary a drum machine or a turntable in earshot. But those who saw Chicago won’t be shocked at how capably she acquits herself. From the first of these dozen cuts to the last, she unveils stronger vocal chops, smoother flow and more interpretive subtlety than you would ever expect from someone who spent much of their career busting rhymes over a beatbox. Whatever she wants to call herself, she can call this a success.
