Obsession

“Striking, soulful, enchanting — vocalist Tessa Souter’s Obsession is likely to rank high on ‘best of’ lists at year’s end. Though the album brims with performances that reveal Souter’s jazz sensibilities, listeners needn’t have much interest in the genre to fall under her spell.” Mike Joyce WASHINGTON POST READ 

“Souter’s crystalline contralto and impeccable phrasing are mighty arrows in her quiver, but it is her ability to become one with a song, finding its intrinsic core and allowing its sentiments to grow organically, that enables her to score successive bull’s eyes.” Christopher Loudon JAZZTIMES READ

“The best thing is that Souter sounds different…. Expressive … full of passion … while Love Theme from Spartacus – a brief and daring duet with guitarist Jason Ennis – reminds me that there really is a love song buried in there.” Karl Stark PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER READ

“There is no room for debate about her handling of jazz material.” Ken Dryden ALLMUSICGUIDE READ

“Souter’s originals are reason enough to become familiar with this album.” Tyran Grillo ECMREVIEWS.COM READ

“A true jazz singer, she employs her voice as a musical instrument and as the member of an ensemble.” Seth Rogovoy BERKSHIRE LIVING MAGAZINE READ

“… compelling and utterly original… skip-proof.” Peter Quinn JAZZWISE READ

“It all feels like an inspired path for a 21st-century jazz singer to take.” Peter Bacon THEJAZZBREAKFAST READ

“Centred by the sheer skill and vocal artistry with which she imbues everything she sings . . . At once unassumingly virtuosic and uncontrivedly emotional, the Souter voice is simply one of the most attractive sounds in contemporary vocal jazz.” Chris Parker VORTEXJAZZ READ

“… exciting, sensual, and satisfying … really exemplary emotion and execution. One can easily get lost in Souter’s rich alto vocals … And, though one may have heard these songs many times before in their original versions or on remakes, here they seem fresh.” Richard Kamin – Hartford Courant

“Obsession . . . has so many indelible moments . . . fearless song choices . . . a very intimate sound, where Souter’s clear contralto and its marvelous tone rings through in all its glory.” Jay N. Miller – Patriot Ledger

“… a beguiling, atmospheric singer with a bell-clear alto voice who finds intriguing ways to instill jazz sensibilities into pop, Brazilian and other material.” Zan Stewart – Newark Star Ledger

“The singer has a rich contralto and uses it to great dramatic and musical effect. She starts with the familiar ‘Eleanor Rigby’ in a completely fresh arrangement that she created … Her rendition ranks up there with the Beatles’ original and the classic one by Ray Charles.” Barry Bassis TOWN AND VILLAGE READ

“One of the few exceptional standouts in the crowded field of female jazz singers … a gripping display of her ability to do it all … the work of an artist with the talent and the imagination to match her compelling musical visions.” Don Heckman INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF MUSIC READ

“With her rich contralto and crystal-clear diction … Souter knows how to get inside a song … a deeply satisfying album of jazz and jazz-inflected music that should appeal to a wide audience.” Joel Roberts ALLABOUTJAZZ READ

“Souter stands out in a large field of contemporary jazz vocalists because, unlike most of them, she thinks before she sings and never compromises the music with irrelevancies. This contemplative aspect, along with her unique style, precise articulation and her well-trained, stunning voice, make Souter a vocalist to reckon with and one whose development should be followed with great interest.” Victor L. Schermer ALLABOUTJAZZ READ

“To understand that you are in front of a refined and complex artist just listen to the tense and languid cover of ‘Eleanor Rigy’ that opens this amazing Obsession.” ITALIAN ALLABOUTJAZZ READ

Japanese JAZZ LIFE MAGAZINE READ
“Japanese language review”