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Reviews - Thirteen Kinds of Desire
Soothing and invigorating modern Jazz, never too far out but bursting with color and sweetness all the same. Smart and sharp, this is an excellent Jazz vocal CD.
DRUM MEDIA
Knowles has created intimate, invigorating musical settings for the words of Yusef Komunyakaa. Her delivery by turns subtle and dramatic, brings the songs to life.
THE BULLETIN/NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE
Knowles, an uncommonly good singer, sets Kommunyakaa's deep lyrics with casual presicion. The tracks shift by - husky, mysterious, playful, clear and swinging. It's thirteen kinds of engagement.
STEVE RATH, SENIOR PRODUCER OF NPR RADIO "JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER"
Pamela has excellent range, a very pleasant voice and delivers the poetry with conviction.
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
Knowles boasts an impressive range, clarion timber, and excellent intonation. Komunyakaa supplies Pamela with terrific material from mythography to textured romanticism and she knows just what to do with these poems, tailoring savvy settings for them and singing the hell out of every one.
NEIL TESSER: CRITIC'S CHOICE/THE CHICAGO READER
Pamela combines the control and range of a classical vocalist and the phrasing of a jazz musician, wrapping her voice around lyrics by noted contemporary poet Yusef Komunyakaa. Even a perfunctory listening reveals a touch of Diane Schuur and Carmen McRae here, a little Miles Davis there, maybe even some of the Beat quality of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. No, maybe it's more like Tom Waits.
TIME OFF "SMOOTH AS SILK" BY SUSAN VAN DONGEN
The voice of Pamela Knowles enters these lyrics so amply, with such insight and intimacy that it is hard to imagine the words apart from her voice, such is its range and plentitude, wit and passion. I am stunned and amazed and grateful for collection, which anchors poetry in song, song in passion, and passion in our humanity.
MARGARET GIBSON, PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH - UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
Pamela challenges audiences' expectations with improvisational and interpretive feats that harken back to exemplars like Sarah Vaughn and Betty Carter. Knowles is an unusually flexible singer capable of any number of wise moods and captivating embellishments.
THOMAS STAUDTER - FAIRFIELD COUNTY WEEKLY
Its brilliance is unmistakeable: Knowles serves up perfectly some of the most arrresting lyrics ever penned.
THOMAS STAUDTER - FAIRFIELD COUNTY WEEKLY
Reviews - Love Dance and Boites de Jazz
Pamela Knowles' voice has a timbre somewhere between smoke and honey, and she sings with superb accuracy and intonation.
AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW
In her easy way, Knowles can soar. Her voice has a subtle but affecting and sensuous quality. Knowles is an excellent singer.
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
A gifted actress with a superb singing voice.
PASSION - PARIS
A classy artist with a commendably wide-ranging approach and experience.
STAGE - LONDON
She proved herself equal to the soft sentimental love song, the spectacularly arranged show tune and lively Latin numbers.
THE PRESS - NEW ZEALAND
Pamela thrilled us with her vitality, warmed us with her sensitivity and delighted us with the breadth of her artistry.
JAZZ SOUTH - NEW ZEALAND
Full of character, bold and uncompromising. Pamela's style is quite clearly defined - tasteful and innovative.
THE PRESS - CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
Knowles is an excellent singer... her impressive control, her musky tone, her relaxed swing... great musicians backing superbly and contributing witty, lyrical solos to what is a very pleasing session of vocal and instrumental jazz... nice, nice. I find myself playing it a lot.
JOHN CLARE - SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
Standard of sensitivity and quality maintained throughout 15 titles marked not only by superb vocal technique, artistry and expression but also by instrumental highlights.
WENTWORTH COURIER
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