Joss Stone
The Soul Sessions

THE REVIEW

A nice surprise.
This is how I would define “The Soul Sessions” (Virgin 2003) by Joss Stone. I must confess, in fact, that I approached listening to this album with caution. The numerous praises for this white, English, sixteen-year-old girl, in love with Soul, honestly made me very suspicious.
Similarly, the story of her life did not completely convince me. Joscelyn Eve Stoker, her real name, was born in April 1987 in Dover, England, to a middle-class family. She grows up surrounded by the English countryside, goes to school, and one day enters a record store, where she miraculously buys a "Greatest Hits" by Aretha Franklin. Her first album, for the series "that's incredible." She falls in love with Soul. She starts singing and, apparently, is quite good, but no one notices.
Until, two years ago, she participates in a BBC show titled "Star For A Night" (a kind of "Fame" to be clear), where she performs "A Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin, "On The Radio" by Donna Summer. Immediately many shout prodigy for Stone's voice. She gets noticed by London producers, contacted, signed, and taken to the States where her new career begins.

I may be skeptical, but it seemed like the plot of a bad and implausible movie. It seemed like a story constructed for the media. Moral of the story, I thought that even “The Soul Sessions” was a well-packaged gift, but rather bare inside. A prejudice? Certainly a prejudice, who doesn't have them. The important thing is not to become a prisoner of them. In fact, despite everything, I freed myself from it quickly. It only took a brief listen to the album, followed by many others.
Yes, because the girl knows her stuff, damn she does. Her voice is sweet, warm, deep, emotional, intense and it’s not a mere imitation of legendary models like Aretha Franklin, even though you can tell she owes her a debt. She has, however, her own distinct, clear, and convincing stamp. She has her own style, in short.

Now I understand why they bet on her, on her voice, and why some illustrious names from the Miami Soul scene, such as organist Timmy Thomas and guitarist Little Beaver, have been called to produce this debut album. Thanks to these musicians, this girl’s voice, and the excellent production, listening to “The Soul Sessions” becomes, therefore, a pleasant journey back in time.
Also because for this debut, Stone performs a series of classics, plus a gem “Fell In Love With A Boy” by Jack White (“Feel In Love With A Girl” in the original version).

Her next album will likely see Stone not only as a performer but also as a songwriter. It will be a kind of trial by fire for this girl. In the meantime, we can calmly enjoy "The Soul Sessions," not a miracle, but still a nice album, a nice start, a nice surprise.