I’m admittedly biased against American Idol, a show whose
approach consistently leans toward ratings over musicianship. Voting
often rewards mediocrity over merit, resulting in the premature
dismissal of worthy talents like Melinda Doolittle. Voters jobbed
Doolittle by relegating her to third place behind the infinitely less
talented Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis. (Apparently, a winning
personality and unimpressive vocal range are reasons enough for the
likes of Michael McDonald, Kirk Franklin, and Aaron Neville to have
Doolittle sing backup for them in her pre-American Idol
days.)
For her debut, Doolittle wisely goes with her strengths instead of
trying to curry favor by going down the hip-hop or Top-40 path. From
the CD cover photo that replicates an old Bob Dylan album cover to the
unorthodox decision to include a pair of Robert Johnson covers in the
mix, it’s clear that Doolittle is not your little sister’s Idol
finalist. She gives “Declaration of Love” the kind of LaBelle-like
punch Celine Dion was incapable of serving up on the original. On
“Wonder Why,” she applies the kind of thoughtful reading that’s akin to
what Sarah Vaughan first went with on the Sammy Cahn classic. Covers of
Johnson’s Delta blues standards “Dust My Broom” and “Walkin’ Blues” are
wrapped in a funky framework that brings to mind vintage Tina
Turner.
Will Doolittle end up climbing to Jennifer Hudson-like heights or
end up in the cutout bin because her stylings skew too “old,” not
unlike former winner Taylor Hicks? Given the lowest-common-denominator
tastes of Idol‘s diehard viewership, I can only hope the
Missouri native avoids Hicks’ fate, considering the enormous talents
she possesses. (Hi Fi Recordings)
