Ruby Turner

I think that Ruby Turner has the voice and heart to take any song and turn it into a soul classic and every track on this album deserves to be lifted into that accolade.

She has such breadth of emotion in her voice and such depth in her tone that you are just enveloped in a tide of emotion every time she opens her mouth and this album – her 20th – is definitely one of her best.

The music ranges from soul, through gospel and R&B and into the Blues and on every track she just purrs, never stretching her vocals but also never selling the lyrics short in terms of emotion or groove.

The album kicks off with ‘Got To Be Done’, a lovely bit of New Orleans flavoured funk featuring Joe Glossop on piano and a wonderful bass line from Jeremy Meek, continuing into a soulful ‘Don’t Cry Over Yesterday’ with backline vocals from Ruby & Kat Eaton.
My personal favourite track is the title track, ‘Love Was Here’ – probably the most emotive song and beautifully sung.

All 10 tracks were written by Turner with Kat Eaton & Nick Atkinson and there is a bonus of ‘Chasing Love’ from the film The Host which she wrote with Wan Pin Chu but every track has the same infectious treatment of groove with Nick Atkinson’s guitars, Joe Glossop’s keyboards, Jeremy Meek’s bass and John Blease on drums – all told a deliciously subtle treatment.

The whole album is one of understated passion and heart, never brash and with no excesses. Ms Turner is a great singer but completely singing within herself – no showing off or bombast. A lovely way to start the year.