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Every syllable that Abbey Lincoln sings is imbued with the wisdom of a life well considered. Lincoln's is the voice of the indomitable spirit, the force that lets us look at the vicissitudes of life and keep on keeping on. But this ageless diva also celebrates the joys of existence with an unaffected passion that few can muster. One of the few jazz vocalists who also compose, Lincoln has filled Over the Years with heartfelt originals ("I'm Not Supposed to Know," "What Will Tomorrow Bring," "A Heart Is Not a Toy"), as well as such cannily chosen material by Michel Legrand, Leonard Bernstein, and others. (Lincoln even slips in a Spanish-language version of the ballad "It's Impossible," known here as "Somos Novio.") Saxophonist Joe Lovano brings his exceptional taste and technique to perfectly suited solos and obbligato on six of the ten selections; while Jerry Gonzalez's Miles Davis-tinged trumpet enlivens two performances. Lincoln has been on a late career roll since the late 1980s, Over the Years proves that it's far from petering out. William Pearl, Barnes & Noble