Great range, pure tones, and understated nuance bring a beautiful lilt to the voice of Jeri Brown on Firm Roots, her ninth release as a leader. The title pays homage to the up-tempo bebop classic penned by Cedar Walton which inspired Brown's ... Full Descriptiontreatment of "The Roots of Life." This program also contains a fine selection of original arrangements that Brown wrote for such great songs as "Feeling Good"and "What the World Needs Now," among others. These skills help to place her in the same group of illustrious jazz vocalists/arrangers as Nnenna Freelon or Karrin Allyson, with respect to arranging and vocalizing the poetic necessities it takes to capture listeners from the first note sung or played. However, Jeri Brown's own style is full of reasons for a standing ovation. Anyone looking for proof that her cultural excellence stems from her inspired roots in gospel, jazz, and classical depths need only take one listen to her renditions of R&B, rock and pop favorites "With a Child's Heart,""We May Never Pass This Way Again," or "Will It Go Round in Circles." Brown has a beautiful honey-flavored voice and the musical personality of a positive, idealistic, soft-spoken poet but her life experiences filter through on these songs with the illumination of a 100-watt bulb. In other words, she's got what it takes to brighten up the present-day jazz galaxy of vocal artists.