A very nice collection of standards. Michelle Walker has a wonderful voice and she is backed by a great band, Dave Cosby and Wayne Wilentz contributing excellent solos. Splendid renditions of Summertime, East of the sun, Nature boy and Pennies from heaven.

Michelle Walker's cd, Slow Down, is sensual, spicy, soutry, with a a twist of sexiness. Michelle's song Slow Down is the jazziest upbeat tune that gets you jumping to its beating drums. The cd not only has great jazz hits, but also other venues that are represented very well.

For a debut jazz vocals CD, SLOW DOWN is excitingly original in concept and innovative approach, and the vocals of Michelle Walker are topnotch. Michelle Walker has a sensual, restrained, melodic voice that will attract new listeners in the jazz listening audience. Every note is perfectly sounded, every emotion is perfectly visualized as well as vocalized, and her voice is very poignant. [Click the link to read the entire article....]

Although the play list has a couple of less familiar tunes, including a Walker original, for her first album she has chosen to stay with selections from the standard repertoire....Walker possesses a set of strong vocal chords which she uses with remarkable restraint. Even though it's obvious that she has the physical equipment to belt out everything she sings, she has wisely chosen to be restrained, using her vocal powers like a small hand gun rather than as a howitzer. She also demonstrates an extraordinary degree of musicality as she adds subtle alterations to melody lines, going up when one expects her to go down.....Wayne Wilentz's on the mark comping on piano. Just when you begin to think that another version of "Summertime" would indeed be superfluous, along comes a singer like Walker who ordains this tune with a freshness which more than justifies another listen....Walker's superb backup musicians get an opportunity to stretch out. Dave Cosby's guitar is particularly prominent on this cut and Justin Lees brandishes a mean axe on "Sometimes I'm Happy". Marc Blackwood and Jim West on bass and drums serve the session well with their timely intervention and steady time keeping. [Click to read the entire article...]