Abbey Lincoln's That's Him!

Abbey Lincoln’s 1957 That’s Him! is a wonderful delight. Opening with the slow, “Strong Man,” where Lincoln sings about her love for a large, dark, muscled, and shining man who folds around her. “Hair crisped tight and curly and cropped kinda close” indicates beyond a doubt, that Lincoln is singing in honour of the black male physiognomy, which, in 1958, was quite unheard of for lyrical material. In addition, her light-hearted tone and with the fun, black conscious lyrics from Oscar Brown, is enhanced by some soloing spaces for Kenny Dorham and Sonny Rollins, the latter going first through melodious runs. “Picture a lover like this” is Lincoln’s obvious, and rather direct, appreciation of black love. Thus, even before her closer relationship and marriage with Max Roach (who drums on this album), Lincoln was already engaged in her own pro-black sentiment and art, as well as choosing material that she would want, not predominantly white standards or apolitical work. “Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe” is another love song for a man, but with perfect piano comping while she lithely exudes notes through the mountainous curve of the song’s melody. “When he kisses me it’s Christmas everywhere” also indicates her willingness not to shy from sensuality, especially when her voice rises and falls. The question of a reciprocated love is still unknown, alas, but perhaps the potential unrequited love only improves the song until Rollins blows away another pretty solo. Then Lincoln’s soaring, unique voice also rises, becoming louder while maintaining the melismas necessary  to keep things from becoming boring. As one would expect from a jazz vocalist who can actually sing and emote, the listener is overcome with desire for Lincoln’s Joe to return her love.

She even pays tribute to Billie Holiday, singing “My Man” and “Don’t Explain.” The former is similar to some of Holiday’s 1950s recordings, with a very bare arrangement, centred on piano and voice. It’s a song full of despair, distress, and, clearly, self-inflicted domestic abuse to a certain degree since Lincoln, like Holiday, sings, “What’s the difference if I say I’ll go away when I know I’ll be back on my knees someday.” The band does a great job, however, providing the necessary atmosphere for the heart-breaking piece. Somehow, “Tender As a Rose,” a standard on a woman’s beauty, is just Lincoln’s vocals, and it evades the realm of boredom! Lincoln, always experimental and a risk-taker , does quite well without the band, showing that her voice stands alone. Next, “That’s Him!,” the title track, is another torch ballad love song, but one in which Lincoln defiantly proclaims who the man she loves is, instead of allowing herself to be claimed or described as an object of desire in some other songs. “Wonderful world, wonderful youth, that’s him, that’s him” and the stunning band accompaniment, such as Dorham’s muted trumpet, keeps things interesting, too. Lincoln, near the song’s end, injects some blues phrasing, too, showing individuality and her own personality in her interpretation of standard material. For “I Must Have That Man,” another standard well-sung by Holiday, begins with just percussion in response to Lincoln’s vocals. Another song obviously about love for a man, has Roach swinging joyously and the rest of the band joins it, adding some bop to the standard fare while Lincoln’s vocal phrasing, almost conversational, keeps up until Dorham’s solo. Then, after the instrumental break, Lincoln sings while the horns and piano provide back-up, sounding exquisitely jazzy with a big sound, reminding me of some of the songs from Dinah Jams. Despite Lincoln’s desire for a man who may reject her, the song gives the impression that she will be fine, however, if she does not have him, perhaps reflecting her boredom with so many of the misogynistic torch songs and ballads female jazz singers have been forced into recording, though the alternate take, in my opinion, is more soulfully bluesy with band accompaniment after the instrumental. Regardless, Lincoln makes it quite clear at the end she will have that man, and not be helpless and wait for male authority.

“Porgy,” standard material from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, is another ballad, which excels. With well-written lyrics from Gershwin, the song is delightful to hear. The instrumental improvisation from Dorham’s trumpet is ‘cute’ as well, though Lincoln’s vocal remains the highlight by far. “He’s got a good kind of love for me, changing my style and way of living, glad I stopped taking and starting giving, I got a man, I got Porgy now.” The alternate take surprisingly seems to feature even more melisma and fervour. The penultimate track, “When a Woman Loves a Man,” is a standard with sexist lyrics about how a woman in love wants to live her life for her man while men do not practice love that way. Nevertheless, things turn out to be a little bluesy with the band accompaniment, especially Sonny Rollins playing behind her and the pianist. “She’ll just string along all through sick and thin ‘til his ship comes in” continues the theme of the selfless, woman in love, who will be the first to praise him when he’s going strong, the last one to blame him when everything’s wrong, it’s such a one-sided game they play, but women are funny that way.” It’s hard to believe Lincoln ever believing this drivel, but she sings it in a seemingly sarcastic way with the moving band, showing off her blues shout at the song’s end. But all good things must come to an end, and “Don’t Explain,” by Billie Holiday, a song for a lover cheating on her, continues the theme of the selfless, tragic lover abused and scorned by men. Dorham and the bassist perform exceedingly well, here, particularly the former’s smooth solo. The walking bassline, soft swing, and Dorham’s mournful trumpet create an atmosphere of hushed talk, silent rage, and torn love. Thus, though not quite reaching the heights of Abbey Is Blue, this album is a powerful reminder of Lincoln’s already unique voice and style.