Barnes & Noble
Slow may be the best example of singer Ann Hampton Calloway’s versatility as an artist. Calloway’s voice is a stunning instrument that can caress a ballad: the evergreens “You Belong to Me” and “Never Let Me Go”; the Carole KingGerry Goffin pop standard “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”; bossa boss Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Someone to Light Up My Life"; and Calloway’s own outstanding originals -- “I’ve Dreamed of You,” the jazzy “Lullaby in Blue,” and the seductive, Bacharach-esque “Slow.” Yet Calloway can also enter contemporary smooth-jazz territory with style. “Tonight, You’re All Mine” (a CallowayCarole King collaboration) and Calloway’s “My Answered Prayer” sound like hits Anita Baker missed out on, while a duet with sister Liz on Van Morrison’s “Moondance” confirms the song’s secure place as a modern standard. Throughout, Calloway sounds outstanding, her pipes in prime shape and her attentiveness to lyrics never more in evidence. A triumph.
William Pearl
All Music Guide
The sultry, sweet-molasses voiced veteran singer/songwriter has an impressive pedigree as an entertainment Renaissance woman, with a Tony nomination for Swing!, the theme song to TV's The Nanny, and some 40 CDs as a soloist and guest artist to her credit. Best of all, she lives up to her promises, most notably, the vibe she hints at in the album title. Her goal was to make a dreamy "make out" album and she succeeds, creating a lush, moody, sparsely arranged atmosphere-rich collection of sweet originals played at very slow tempos. Those arrangements are geared towards allowing her voice to stand out and ultimately caress the listener, but the drawback is that there's not a great deal of variety in rhythm and movement from track to track. Those who love the original version of Carole King's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" may be maddened by its languid pace (despite its shimmering beauty), but King loved it so much that she wrote the following track, the much more engaging, AC radio-accessible "Tonight You're All Mine," with Callaway co-producing and singing backup on the track. Callaway also picks up the pace to joyous effect, singing beautifully with her sister Liz (with whom she performs cabaret shows) on a lightly swinging version of "Moondance." Other familiar tracks include a thoughtful reading of Ivan Lins' "Love Dance," and "I've Dreamed of You" (Callaway's song which Barbra Streisand sang at her wedding to James Brolin and later included on three albums.) ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide