With a clear, clean, beautifully vibrato-less soprano and ample control of her pitch, Schrire brings together the essence of some of my favorites among modern creative vocalists--Kendra Shank’s global approach to song, Kate McGarry’s vocalese, and Norma Winstone’s inventive spirit, all with a vocal quality in the realm of Sara Gazarek. Freedom Flight offers only one so-called jazz tune and two Schrire originals, but her approach is deeply rooted in improvisation and open experimentation. The core trio-- pianist Nick Paul, bassist Sam Anning, and drummer Jack Goldbas--suggests the European elegance of ECM artists; I would not mind a recording of just the band, a perfect complement to Nicky’s firm but delicate voice. All arrangements and producer duties were managed by Schrire, with mentor Eldridge co-arranging and adding vocals on James Taylor's "Shower the People", as well as backing on piano on the disc’s only standard, a duet rendition of “If Ever I Would Leave You”.

The title track is Nicky’s original intro to Lennon and McCartney’s “Blackbird,” suggesting a cross between a prayer and a Theo Bleckmann improve. Her voice echoes somewhere between soprano sax and flute before she launches into the pop hit tune—her way. Anning’s beautiful basslines add additional elegance, and Paul’s spare but majestic piano mirrors Nicky’s earlier vocalese; the track ends in a reprise of “Freedom Flight.” Covered often by jazz artists, “Blackbird” has seldom soared so high.

Schrire’s “Journey” travels with an obtuse swing, Goldbas creating a delightful popping accompaniment as Nicky creates her own echo chamber. She begins her “Ode to a Folksong” vocalizing over a bass vamp. Paul Jones joins in on sax, and with Nicky, we now have two “horns” harmonizing before Jones launches a sustained solo. Eerie passages follow, where you are not really sure where the sound comes from—human or brass?

Schrire and Eldridge provide one of the album’s highlights with their duet on Lerner and Lowe’s “If Ever I Would Leave You,” Nicky starting the opening verse a cappela. The sparse arrangement puts the piano in counterpoint—the melody is Nicky’s alone, with a short vocalese statement in closing.

The remaining tracks cover wide –and seldom crossed—terrain. Drawing from British indi pop stars Florence and the Machine (Florence Welch and Isabella Summers), “Cosmic Love” is more folky with a strongly syncopated bassline; Schrire adds her own brand of scat that evolves into vocalese. “Sleep Away,” by Italian singer Pia de Vito and Belgian singer/songwriter Linx, includes guest Jay Rittman on clarinet, providing beautiful interplay with Nicky; Aaning carries a bass melody under their voices and a vamping piano --“drops of madness, drops of love, drops of you and me….” Loudon Wainright’s “The Swimming Song,” with Nicky’s voice moving over Brian Adler’s percussion, creates the drone of a of a tribal ritual enhanced electronically, suggesting a weird twist on rap, close to spoken word with very small intervals marking the melody while percussion mimics a heartbeat.

Bahia composer Alcyvando Luz penned “El Preciso Perdoar,” presented here as an upbeat, joyful turn for piano, bass, and percussion. Nicky sings in Portuguese so naturally the vocalese seems to suggest that language as well. “Me the Mango Picker” from South African Prisoners of Strange composer Mobelli features Nicky’s vocalese in a trio with clarinet and bass. We might be “prisoners of strange” here but it is not a bad place to be, suggesting a hymn in counterpoint. James Taylor’s “Shower the People” could be a round with multiple voices via overdubs, Schrire and Eldridge carrying Taylor’s melody, propelled by Anning’s deliberate basslines. The harmonizing between Nicky and Peter (who also takes a solo verse) is both beautiful and haunting.

This inspiring set closes with Bob Dylan’s classic, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” Nicky aligning her voice to the bass, Jones commenting with saxophone. This is not one of the pop tunes frequented by jazz musicians, but here the phrasing, the rhythm, all spells jazz from a blues perspective--Dylan meets Coltrane via Jones and Schrire.

Don’t think twice. This is far beyond “all right.” Freedom Flight is a thrilling maiden voyage.

First posted at www.jazzink.com. For more on Nicky Schrire, visit www.nickyschrire.com