The album opens with a cover of “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” this rendition starting with a strong Latin rhythm, immediately setting it apart from many other versions we’ve heard over the years. Jacqui Naylor certainly puts her own spin on this familiar song, not just with the rhythm, but her vocal approach, which has an exciting energy. “Grand to be alive, to be young/To be mad, to be yours alone.” This track also features some nice work on piano, particularly that lead, but it is the drumming that is the heart of the piece, that is its pulse. I love that section toward the end that is all about the percussion, along with some good work on bass. That is completely delicious. Just see if you can keep your body still during that part. Then we get into the original material, beginning with “Treasures Of The Heart,” the album’s title track, and it too features a strong rhythm, this time with a bit of a funky edge. I love Jacqui Naylor’s vocal performance here. There is a certainty in her delivery that is appealing, along with an attitude that is perfectly aligned with that funky edge. “I found joy when only dark clouds came to call/I felt springtime when the leaves began to fall/In the sunshine and the rain.” There are positive vibes, and no nonsense. There is also a good deal of soul and an undeniable motion forward in this track. “And trials, tribulations, I’ll get through.”
“All That We Could Be” features some sweet, relaxed work on horn at the start, setting the mood. “Please don’t break my heart this time,” Jacqui asks at the beginning of this original number, and her voice has a different tone from the previous tracks. Here she speaks of experience, and we hear it in her voice. We also hear a need. “You never knew all that we could be,” she sings. Clearly she does know. This also contains some pretty work on piano. That’s followed by “Happy Adventure.” Here Jacqui tells us, “Life may not be a fairy tale/But happiness is everywhere/Inside the newness of the spring/Joy can be found in everything.” Those first lines are delivered nearly a cappella, before the track’s great rhythm begins. It’s a rhythm that will help you “enjoy the ride,” as Jacqui urges us to do in this original song. Yes, another positive message, delivered to a delicious beat. As she sings of “the ups and downs of life,” those motions feel like a part of the dance. Hey, we can handle the downs if they’re simply a dip in the ongoing dance. Right?
“Walk Out In The Sun” has a gentler rhythm, with brushes on the snare. There is a warmth to Jacqui’s vocal delivery to match that rhythm. “Here by your side, I’m the brightest flower.” Love is what it’s all about. “Love for another, love for myself.” The bass also adds to the pleasant and positive vibe of this original composition. Then in “Love’s Around,” the percussion provides the center, with a bit of funk to that rhythm. And here the piano lead seems to be dancing too, finding its own steps within that rhythm. So good! That instrumental section is fantastic, the band jamming there for a bit. This track also features another excellent vocal performance. This is one of my favorite tracks. It is followed by the album’s second cover, “True Colors,” the title track from Cyndi Lauper’s 1986 album. Again, Jacqui Naylor puts her own spin on it, putting some gospel vibes into her delivery, which works really well. What a captivating vocal performance, one of the album’s best. “If this world makes you crazy/And you’ve taken all you can bear/You can call me up/You know I’ll always be there.” She feels like a friend as she sings to us, “So don’t be afraid to let them show/Your true colors.” This is a beautiful rendition.
“You’re The One For Me” has a snappy rhythm and features a bright vocal performance. Again it’s all about love. “‘Cause I love you more each day/Take my hand, I’ll lead the way/You’re the one for me, I’m the one for you.” And she sings how everything seems possible when we are near that special someone. Isn’t it wild how another person can do that for us? The other thing that can give us that feeling is music, and this song works like that. Things then get mellow with “Love In Springtime,” which features another outstanding vocal performance. I love the way she holds onto certain words, seeming to suggest she’s not hurrying, but enjoying the moment, holding onto it just a little longer, playing with it, within the thought, the memory. “You and I, we fell in love in springtime.” A smile is delivered with the lyrics. Then the whole world seems to turn cheerful with Jacqui Naylor’s cover of Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day” “Then I look at you/And the world’s all right with me/Yeah, just one look at you/And I know it’s going to be, it’s going to be a lovely day.” We hear the joy in her voice, and her vocals help us share that feeling. She includes a bit of “Over The Rainbow” near the end.
“Picture Book Of You” begins with the rhythm, and you’ll find yourself smiling even before Jacqui comes in with lyrics of love and joy. This one feels like a great dance that everyone can join, that everyone should join. A dance of love. “Laughing with loved ones, things going our way/With you, my life is so worthwhile/I am made whole each time you smile.” Oh yes, I know that feeling. Love is what this whole existence is about. There is a short section of percussion in the second half, which I love. That’s followed by the album’s final cover, “This Guy’s In Love With You,” which was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and was a hit for Herb Alpert. Jacqui Naylor’s rendition features warm work on piano and another excellent vocal performance. There is a nice instrumental section in the middle. “Hold onto those you love,” Jacqui sings at the beginning of “Hold On,” soon adding, “‘Cause all that you need is there before you.” It’s a song about appreciating what we have, something it is difficult to keep in mind when we feel we aren’t yet where we should be. The album concludes with “We’ll Shine Through.” “Did I tell you that you’re my ideal/I love the way you make me feel/You’re the sunshine in my heart/With you, I’m ten feet tall/Yeah, I’m invincible.” It’s a theme to this album, and to life in general, that love is what keeps us going, what makes us want to keep going. This song is another of the disc’s highlights. I like the way this music makes me feel, and I hope I get the chance to see Jacqui Naylor in concert at some point. “Times are rough throughout this whole town/But I’m betting on you, yeah, betting on us.”
CD Track List
- I Didn’t Know What Time It Was
- Treasures Of The Heart
- All That We Could Be
- Happy Adventure
- Walk Out In The Sun
- Love’s Around
- True Colors
- You’re The One For Me
- Love In Springtime
- Lovely Day
- Picture Book Of You
- This Guy’s In Love With You
- Hold On
- We’ll Shine Through
Treasures Of The Heart was released on April 26, 2024 on Ruby Star Records.
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