Ruby Collins

Ever shop around looking for new music, happen upon a CD, and immediately form an idea of what it might sound like? This is my experience with Ruby Collins' CD "In My Dreams."

What I was expecting from the artist, Ruby Collins, was a sweet, soulful, deep and earthy sound. What I heard was ALL of that, blended with a fresh, unique, quiet confidence, and in some instances, some familiar references. The familiarity comes from vocal performances at time similar to Tracy Chapman, Alicia Keys, and Norah Jones.

I was pleasantly surprised by the relaxed vibe of the title track "In My Dreams," which features Ms. Collins on the acoustic guitar, and the four tracks that followed. While her guitar skills are admirable, I was more tuned in to the quality and thoughtfulness of the lyrics, which seem to be culled from some personal life experiences. The lyrics of "Tired of This," "We Were Young," and "Take Care of You," evoked some trips down memory lane.

After reviewing the first five tracks, I was again surprised, this time by her renditions of timeless classics "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," "Nature Boy" and "Summertime." Ms. Collins' versatility becomes more apparent during this set. She is very capable of switching from Pop to Adult Contemporary to Jazz to Neo-Soul and back again. In Ruby's voice, I could hear tinges of Eartha Kitt's famous "vibrato," especially on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." She breezed through the tremulous changes and had perfect pitch throughout.

"In My Dreams" is an eclectic CD must have for any music collection. Recommended. - Soul Tracks