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Cassandra Wilson

John Lewis, Programme notes for gig at Barbican Hall, 13 July 2003

CASSANDRA WILSON's voice can startle you the first time you hear it. It's down, deep and bassy, almost androgynous, with a hint of menace that can raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Like the Delta blues being played on the cello. She describes herself as a baritone and she's not joking. "Thing is, you can't call a woman a baritone, because women ain't supposed to go that low. You have to say 'contralto'. I don't care if I sound like a man. I'll go anywhere for the emotion."

Total word count of piece: 886

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