If Betty Wright, Benny Latimore and Timmy Thomas amongst others get together to record an album of cover versions with a singer, you certainly expect a new singing sensation hailing from the deep south of the USA, who has come the usual way like singing in the gospel choir before. Well, the afore-mentioned people did get together and they recorded with a singer with a good soulful voice, but this girl, Josse Stone, is only 16 years and hails from the rural English town of Devon.
The Soul Sessions is a pleasant ten track album that consists of cover versions of obscure and familiar soul songs and I must admit it works very well and Josse's voice sounds much more mature than sixteen.
Betty Wright handles the co-production of The Soul Sessions and is featured as a background vocalist too. "I was given a CD of Joss' demos just one day before we met," Betty Wright remembers. "I told Steve [Greenberg, also co-producer], 'We don't know how, we don't know why, this kind of voice is just a gift from heaven.' In making The Soul Sessions together, I've been Joss' best friend and her worst enemy. By that, I mean I've made her attempt things with her voice that she couldn't even have imagined before. And Joss, for her part, has reminded me of some I things I'd forgotten about why this kind of music is important to me and why I still enjoy creating it. We just plugged right into each other."
All the songs here have a pleasant live vibe to it with musicans whose name every soul music fan know but haven't heard in a long while. Six of the ten songs here are played by Willie "Little Beaver" Hale (guitar), Timothy "Timmy" Thomas (organ), Benny Latimore (piano), Jack Daley (bass), Cindy Blackman (drums), Angelo Morris (guitar) and Betty Wright/Jeannette Wright/Namphuyo A. McCray (backing vocals).
This combo can be heard for example on The Chokin' Kind, written by Harlan Howard and made famous by Joe Simon in 1969 when his version topped the R&B charts.
Super Duper Love reached No. 7 on the R&B charts in 1975 when sung by Sugar Billy. This is quite an obscure uptempo dance tune.
In 1972 Bettye Swann's Victim Of A Foolish Heart became a No. 16 R&B hit, Joss interprets this as a fine ballad.
Joss also recorded two songs with The Roots in Philly. Namely Fell In Love with A Boy and I've Fallen In Love With You. Fell In Love with A Boy is a cover version of Fell In Love With A Girl by the White Stripes. Joss' version is a funky cover with Angie Stone and Betty Wright on background vocals.
I've Fallen In Love With You is a cover of a Carla Thomas song and a nice soul song with strings arranged by John Angier.
There are more good covers like For The Love Of You by the Isley Brothers or Aretha Franklin's All The King's Horses that make this album a winner.
Since this album stays true to its concept of bringing the sound of classic soul of the sixites into this century it is a great listening pleasure and a good debut album for the very young Joss Stone. But it remains to be seen if this really is the start of a promising career because her sophomore album surely must take a different direction with original material if Joss don't want to be labelled as "60ies cover singing sensation".

"Really GOOD......I saw an interview here in Brazil and I thought what a beautiful voice this big girl has.... a real god's talent... success ...and come to Brazil to do a show...ok?? "

"je suis français j'aime le chansson mais surtout le clip"

"Joss's the boss. I'm going to see her in concert March 6th in Amsterdam. Can't wait....."

"G'day from the land down under...Australia!
I have never ever heard of Joss Stone until today...her voice captivated me from the moment I walked into a little music shop that imports music from around the world. I just wanted to know then and there who this amazing voice was. The owner said that it had just been imported earlier this week and that he had been playing it in his shop since that day.
What surprised me was that she was a young soul and now that I know her age I am even more surprised. Needless to say I bought the album then and there today and it has been burning up my CD discman since lunch. I just couldn't get enough so I just had to jump on the net to do some more research.
Such an amazing talent that has reached right into my soul. Wishing Joss all the best for a brighter future ahead. I am enjoying every single track on the album and will continue to do so.
Please let me know if Joss ever decides to stop by Australia as I will definately love to hear her live.
Yours in music
Sina"

"Devon is not a small town in England it is one of the bigger counties!"

"Hai, I'm tina and I'm 15 years old I'm from the netherlands. Joss Stone isn't very known over here. My father gave me the cd one day and I loved it from the first song till the last!!! Now I listen to it every day...Keep going like that!!! love Tina"

"I never heard of Joss Stone until Ellen Degeneres and Tom Cruise were talking about her on Ellens talk show. She is just fantastic....One of the best soul singers I think I have heard. She definitely fits a fine catagory with Aretha, Janis and the rest of crew. Joss you are an amazing young artist. Hope to hear more from you soon."

"When I heard that Joss Stone was from England I thought," well what could she know about soul?" but then I heard the girl sing and my eyes were wide open. I was Like man she can really sing. and i love how you can feel what she is singing. and you know she feels it. she needs to keep it up. move over Mariah Carey, we got somebody new."

"My mother was listening to the radio one day and I usually tune her music out, but this song was really good. I started listening and I fell in love with it. I couldn't get it out of my head. I think she is so talented."

"I love this album and am very impressed with joss's vocal strength. For a 16 year old child she sings like an experienced soul singer and to be ablt to work with names such as Betty Wright, well there moust be something special about her."

"As i'm listening to this cd right now, i have to tell you the truth, it will be in my player for a very long time...Being as i am 18 and around her age, i probably don't have the best background on "soul" music, but from what i know, she sure "brings me back". I was very impressed with her segment I saw on MTV and i just went out and bought the cd expecting the best and i think what i got was more than what i originally expected. I am thrilled to have another all time favorite in my collection. Joss Stone...I give you mad props!"

"I wanted to say that I got the pleasure of hearing the incredible voice of 16 year old Joss on Good Morning America! She's like nothing I've ever heard, I'm anxious to hear more from her! I can't wait to check out the rest of the album! If you're not already a fan of jazz, her voice will definitely change your mind!"

"I recently saw Joss perform at a small venue in my hometown. Not only does she have a powerful voice (and a great cover of Fell In Love w/ a Boy!) but she seems to be a really nice, down to earth person. As a blond, 15 year old singer/songwriter, Joss was really an inspiration to me! I can do this, too! Much Love, Maia"

"I got it after hearing about "Fell In Love With A Boy" thinking I would hate it because I am a big White Stripes fan and everyone elses attempts at doing their covers are pretty bad, but it was surprisingly good. I love the entire album!!!"

"we're two of jossies closest friend and we wish her all the best in her music, and we the album is absoluty great."

"This album is absolutely amazing!! When you hear joss's voice it doesn't provoke images of a young white girl from England, her sound is mature and she sings from the heart. Her next album coming out next year (co written by her) should be just as fantastic and I for one can hardly wait! This girl kicks some serious arse! By the way devon isn't a town it's a county full of towns and cities. [Thanks for the explanation, Dirk]"

"to joss stone the music was really great. looking forward to your next cd. sincerely yours linda cadogan"

"I had never heard of Joss Stone until a few days ago when I saw her perform at Joe’s Pub and was blown away. I picked up a pre-release copy of Soul Sessions at the gig. It is hard to believe this classic selection of soul tracks is her debut. She is so young, so gifted and from England, but with a voice of a mature 45 year old black woman from the deep south. Joss has tone, style, passion and above all an identity I have not heard since Aretha Franklin and Janice Joplin hit the airwaves.
Joss Stone is a one off; she has a voice so pure, so strong, with natural soul rhythm that is illustrated in each and every track of these old covers supported by old time musicians, Little Beaver, Timmy Thomas and Latimore and backed by divas Betty Wright and Angie Stone, wow!
Opening with a passionate rendition of Choking Kind displaying the scale and flexibility of Joss’ tone, contrasted by Dirty Man a cool ballad that rasps and sends shivers down your spine, and peaks with Some Kind of Wonderful an upbeat rhythmic rendition that makes you want to hear it all, all over again. Live, Joss is "Some Kind Of Wonderful" with some New Yorkers having already nicknamed her "Janice Joscelyn".
Soul Sessions…..simply sensational.
Just buy it."