So Good

A gospel-influenced soul/pop singer with a fine range and a quality not unlike Natalie Cole, Mica Paris is among the many noteworthy talents to come out of Britain's healthy R&B scene of the 1980s and '90s. Though not a remarkable effort, her debut album, So Good, was a respectable and decent one indicating that she had much potential. Among the CD's more noteworthy cuts are the haunting "My One Temptation," the jazz-influenced "Sway (Dance the Blues Away)" and the sizzling "Nothing Hits Your Heart like Soul Music" (which also seems like a statement of purpose, and points to Paris' devotion to more traditional R&B elements). Perhaps the song that does the most to test what Paris is truly made of is "Where Is the Love" -- forming a duet with Will Downing for this remake of the Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway classic, the earthy singer makes it crystal clear that she's quite capable of depth. For Paris, the best was yet to come.