Promise of a Brand New Day

From houses of worship to houses of blues, Ruthie Foster has always been a rafter-rattler. And with a soul-filled voice honed in Texas churches, she can move audiences to tears or ecstasy sometimes in a single song. Her last two albums, 2009's ''The Truth According to Ruthie Foster'' and 2012's ''Let It Burn,'' moved the Recording Academy to deliver Best Blues Album Grammy nominations; her latest, ''Promise of a Brand New Day,'' could make her a contender once more. For this effort, Foster put Meshell Ndegeocello in charge as her producer and then got out of the way, letting the lauded singer and bassist call the shots regarding players, takes, and mixing. Foster says by the time she stepped into the Los Angeles studio they used, all she had to do was sing. Ndegeocello played bass, and enlisted her regular guitarist Chris Bruce (Sheryl Crow) and keyboardist Jebin Bruni (Aimee Mann), plus drummer Ivan Edwards and backing vocalist Nayanna Holley. Foster did request two special guests: guitarist Doyle Bramhall II and singer Toshi Reagon. ''Ruthie's voice is such a singular, powerful instrument, and she has such mastery of it,'' Ndegeocello notes. ''She can turn it on, belt it out and bring you to your knees, all in an instant. I wanted this album to highlight her voice and also communicate her vibe, give a fuller picture of her artistry and ability,'' Ndegeocello continues. ''She really trusted me with the music and I think we've made something that compliments and holds its own alongside the power of her voice.'' Amen, sister.