The Landscape

“Irreplacable”

(Blue Canoe)

Since her days singing backup for Tower of Power, then lending her chops to contemporary jazz and blues artists from Spyro Gyra and the Yellowjackets to John Mayall and Etta James, Marilyn Scott has established herself as a first-call talent on the L.A. music scene. For some 40 years, the vocalist and songwriter has built a distinguished discography under her own name, the latest entry in which, The Landscape  (Blue Canoe), she developed during the pandemic. A dire concern for nature and the environment are expressed throughout the album, with tunes such as “Irreplaceable” and the title track voicing the inconvenient truth of humankind’s poor stewardship of the planet. The former, included here, carries an anxious, melancholy vibe as Scott observes the devastation all around her in her native California. Scott’s sad and lovely vocals are set against a poignant backdrop provided by the all-star ensemble of guitarist Michael Landau, pianist Russell Ferrante, keyboardist Scott Kinsey, bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta.