Matt Recorded in New Orleans with a mixture of songs live from the road in Europe and having a distinct Blues influence.Charlie Patton and Muddy Waters are covered even "St. James Infirmary" but also we get a standard with "Lover Come Back To Me", some Pop tunes and also four compositions by Cassandra Wilson and the band as is the norm with Cassandra's albums because she just does not do covers but writes her own material as well as re- interrupt the songs that are not hers. Cassandra had a rough year in 2009 when her mother passed away and hit the road 5 months after on a European tour. Realising that the band and herself were sounding great she wanted to expand and get this feel on an album. Husky and smokey seems to be the timbre of Cassandra's voice, so singing blues is no issue for her but neither is pop numbers and standards but it is Jazz that she turns them in too with beautiful laid back results. The band are predominatley from New Orleans with Martin Sewell on guitars for all songs, Reginald Veal on bass, Herlin Riley, drums, Lekon Babalola, percussion with also Jonathan Bastiste on piano. Five guests on the album with four playing only on the last track "Watch The Sunrise" and Ravi Coltrane adding tenor on "Beneath A Silver Moon".

Live is how we start with a re-vamp of "Lover Come Back To Me" with a light tinkly piano intro then Cassandra coming in loud and clear with a beautful laid back delivery and a touch of scat. Jonathan Bastiste shows why he is a red hot prodigy on piano from New Orleans with a great solo then Herlin Riley has a go on drums and Cassandra finishes up but the wahoo at the end of the verse in her vocals is gorgeous. Things pick up with the next classic which is pure New Orleans being "St. James Infirmary" and no need to say "Not another version" because this one has got groove with great electric guitar and piano over that rythmn section of three because the percussion from Lekon Babalola gives it a wonderful vibe. "Beneath A Silver Moon" is in the studio with Ravi Coltrane as guest on tenor saxophone written by Cassandra and the band. Electric guitar and piano gilding over the rythmn with this beautifully written jazz song that has Cassandra vocals and Ravi 's tenor getting equal share in the arrangement. Martin Sewell the guitarist is the absolute star in this live version of the Charlie Patton song "Saddle Up My Pony" with slide playing drenched in the Mississippi. Blues is the stucture and exquisite is the style in this just under ten minute version. "If Its Magic" by Stevie Wonder is given great treatment as are the remaining numbers on the album . The title track "Silver Pony" is just a short piece primarily instrumental as the third track "A Night in Seville" is as well. There is a Muddy Waters tune with a Lennon McCartney and the last has Cassandra singing with John Legend in "Watch The Sunrise" and for this old bloke Cassandra is honey compared to the other vocal contribution of Golden Syrup.

Great album and one that may garner her more with the live songs being the the pick but I found not a lot new in it. Still is a good listen though.

Matt "Cassandra Wilson" can pretty much sing anything and not only that she can shape and bend those songs whether they be Jazz, Blues, Country or Rock and make them her own by a display of constraint, restraint and patience which gives her music its own sound in Jazz. Blues is the predominate influence for Cassandra and although we have a real mix of various style tunes within this album "New Moon Daughter" it is the Blues placed in a Jazz idiom that is what you will feel with a complete laid back style but one that also keeps you listening to Cassandra hold and bend those notes with her voice. Sultry,smokey and yes sexy as well is the description of Cassandra's voice and with her timbre she can sing those Blues with absolutely no effort but Cassandra is Jazz through and through. She has been around for quite a while now and early in her career collaborated with "Steve Coleman" the saxophonist,"M Base" which Steve was part of and also with "Henry Threadgill's, Air Band". Signed to "Blue Note in 1993 and released an absolute stunner of an album,"Blue Light Till Dawn" which is very similar in style to her next one in 1996 being "New Moon Daughter" which was one of those top albums in Jazz for that year and won her numerous awards including a Grammy. "Brandon Ross" who has been playing with "Henry Threadgill" is the guitarist and also contributes to some of the Arranging with Cassandra."Cyro Baptista" from Brazil is doing percussion, "Kevin Breit" is also on guitar but like Brandon the are playing varieties of string instruments by using electric,acoustic,banjo,bozouki, etc. "Lonnie Plaxico" appears on the majority of songs and he is on bass of course with "Dougie Browne" doing drums and any other type of percussion sound when needed, including an ashtray. There are other musicians making contributions as well but only on the odd song or two and they bring to the mix,cornet,dobro,congas,accordion and violin.

On the album we have a real mix of songs with five being written by Cassandra also "Robert Johnson","Son House","Hank Williams","Hoagy Carmichael","U2","Neil Young","Monkees tune being "Last Train to Clarkesville" but for the first we have the famous "Billy Holiday" song which was written by "Lewis Allen" and that is "Strange Fruit". Down tempo is where the covers all head from there original form and with some beautiful and original laid back results. "Love is Blindness" by "U2" is one stunning example by Cassandras approach and "Solomon Sang" follows which is one of Cassandra's compositions with a folk influence but jazz is the vibe. The two guitarists that feature have assisted with outstanding results with all the songs having them as the major component which only emphasises the Blues influence and they really do put down some fine picking with jabs and strums always on the spot. "Death Letter" the "Son House" song is simply beautiful with the texture in Cassandra's voice. The "Hank Williams" tune;"I'm so Lonesome I Could Cry" seems to be at half the speed Hank sang with every note sang by Cassandra just hanging there and she does capture that lonesome feel with stunning results and places this great composition right in to Jazz. "Last Train to Clarkesville" is next and you would think you are joking but this is just another song turned upside down but still retaining its original melody and just another highlight. "Until" another "Cassandra Wilson" composition has accordion throughout giving it a nice feel. "Harvest Moon" by "Neil Young" is the actual album closer but us lucky international customers scored a bonus with the "Robert Johnson" song 32-20 and that is where "Dougie Brown" gets to show of his percussion skills on tub and ashtray and they sound great.

Strange how when an album is released they garner high praise but as time goes by they occasionally seem to lose ground which I seemed to notice with this one's average rating. No such problems for me as it still sounds just as good when it was released back in 1996.