2007 · Album
Abbey Sings Abbey
Recorded 2006 · Verve Records · Produced by Craig Street
A Singer Reclaiming Her Own Words
Lincoln sings her own compositions with the authority of someone who has earned the right to define herself.
Abbey Sings Abbey arrives as a late-career statement from an artist who spent decades delivering the standards with unmatched emotional precision. By this point, Lincoln had already built her reputation as a vocalist of rare depth and interpretive gifts. But this album shifts the focus entirely: these are Lincoln's own songs, performed with a band that trusts her completely. The material ranges from tender ballads to pieces with sharp political edges, and the arrangement choices—strings by Larry Campbell, the spare but responsive rhythm section of Scott Colley and Shawn Pelton, cello textures from Dave Eggar—never overshadow the voice. What stands out is how unhurried everything feels. Lincoln doesn't rush. Each phrase has space around it, and the musicians listen with real attention rather than playing decorative parts. The songwriting itself reveals a different side of her artistry: these aren't standards waiting for interpretation, they're personal statements waiting to be heard. Some pieces are almost conversation-like in their directness. Others develop slowly, gathering weight. There's no attempt to prove anything here, which is exactly why the album works. Lincoln has already proven herself a thousand times over. This is simply her choosing to sing the songs that matter to her, in the company of musicians who understand that restraint and respect serve the music far better than any amount of flourish.
Who's playing
Scott Colleybass
Larry Campbellstrings
Shawn Peltonmembranophone
Dave Eggarcello
Gil Goldsteinaccordion
Where next?
More by Abbey Lincoln
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