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- The Guardian, Friday 26 July 2002
After the wonderful surprise of Angel in the Dark, last year's album of studio material recorded before Nyro's death in 1997, here are two complete Christmas Eve concerts from 1993 and 1994 at the Bitter End club in New York City.
The format is the one she preferred during her last years: her voice and piano plus three to five backing singers, revisiting her back catalogue and her favourite soul and doo-wop oldies.
The recording quality is perfect, the singing even better. From the Crystals' Oh Yeah, Maybe Baby to an early version of Gardenia Talk, via Wedding, Ooo Baby Baby and Emmie, Nyro revels in the warmth of the setting and the admiration of her audience, responding with a majestic intimacy.
No one ever distilled the essence of uptown soul music with a more exquisite touch.
