''I didn't realize how thirsty I was until I had something to drink.'' That's how I felt after listening to Kendra Ross' debut New Voice. Ross is an artist you probably haven't heard of who has done some background work for artists like Talib Kweli & Kanye West. But this soulful debut leans more heavily on Jazz & Traditional R&B than it does on Hip Hop.

The first thing that hints to this album being something different is the production or maybe a better word would be orchestration. Ross co-produced the album with Music Director Christian Ver Halen and enlisted some of today's best session musicians whou have worked with the likes of John Legend, Cassandra Wilson, Matisyahu & Santana. Tracks run the gamut from Jazz to R&B to Neo-Soul.

As a singer & songwriter, Ross is definitely gifted. Although she never ventures into dangerous territories her vocals are smooth & seductive. Her lyrics are insightful & introspective with most songs being of a personal nature. This only helps to make the songs more honest and most listeners will be able to relate. Stand out tracks include ''I'm So Okay'' & ''Why Can't I See'' a duet with Eric Roberson.

Overall this album is a wonderful debut. If you like artists like Jaguar Wright or Jill Scott than you should give this one a shot. It may be a little hard too find, as of this writing outlets like Amazon still do not have the album listed. You can find it on iTunes & CDBaby. Good hunting

SonicAmp Rating: 8/10