A gospel-influenced soul/pop singer with a fine range and a quality not unlike
Natalie Cole,
Mica Paris is among the many noteworthy talents to come out of Britain's healthy R&B scene of the 1980s and '90s. Though not a remarkable effort, her debut album,
So Good, was a respectable and decent one indicating that she had much potential. Among the CD's more noteworthy cuts are the haunting "My One Temptation," the jazz-influenced "Sway (Dance the Blues Away)" and the sizzling "Nothing Hits Your Heart like Soul Music" (which also seems like a statement of purpose, and points to
Paris' devotion to more traditional R&B elements). Perhaps the song that does the most to test what
Paris is truly made of is "Where Is the Love" -- forming a duet with
Will Downing for this remake of the
Roberta Flack/
Donny Hathaway classic, the earthy singer makes it crystal clear that she's quite capable of depth. For
Paris, the best was yet to come. ~ Alex Henderson