Minnie Riperton - Come to My Garden [Aim]

Minnie Riperton's solo debut is in many respects her finest hour -- devoid of the overly syrupy production that hampers her later work, Come To My Garden instead couches her miraculous voice in the elegant arrangements of the great Charles Stepney, striking a perfect balance between romantic melodrama and sensual nuance. Call Stepney's singular approach "chamber soul" -- the nimble melodies and insistent grooves swell with orchestral flourishes, while the jazz-inspired rhythms (courtesy of Ramsey Lewis' group) at times evoke Van Morrison's masterpiece Astral Weeks. Read More