Customer Reviews

The Best Of Dianne Reeves

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What a shame. Dianne Reeves may have the best voice in jazz today, but in this CD every song is over produced, arranged, and most sadly, oversung. Anyone who has listened to Ms. Reeves sing knows she has great vocal ability, but it feels like this is an attempt to see how stylized and how much vocal gymnastics she can wow us with. From the original songs (which are awful and should never be a part of the best of, to the couple of standards which again are over arranged (and over the top with vocalization), this CD was totally disapointing. You want to hear the best of Diane Reeves, get the soundtract to "Good Night and Good Luck" as this is truley an artist at the top of her vocal game with great arrangments of wonderful songs.

This collection, hand-selected by the artist, is a fine representation of the basis for the current interest in her work. It includes songs from the Grammy award-winning albums of 2001 and 2002 as well as the earlier album introducing her most-requested song, "Better Days" (the "grandmother song"). The album testifies to her obvious vocal strengths, dramatic presentation, and charismatic presence. Moreover, despite being a miscellany, the album reveals remarkable consistency in timbre, arrangements, and musical approach. At the same time, the thick and heavily synthesized accompaniments provided by orchestrator George Duke place much of this collection decidedly in the realm of "contemporary jazz/pop," if not "dance," music rather than in the free and open spaces preferred by a Sarah Vaughan. The consequence is a more predictable, programmed approach, which Reeves executes with undeniable power and aplomb. The cost, however, is the discovery and freshness, not to mention intimacy, that have motivated the best jazz singers to take on enormous risks.

On the other hand, if the entire album consisted of the level of musicianship found on "You Taught My Heart to Sing" (just Dianne accompanied by a Mulgrew Miller-led piano trio), it would deserve 5 stars hands down.

I LOVED Dianne Reeves covers in "Good Night, Good Luck", so I bought this cd. However I was kind of disappointed. Her voice is still amazing, but I didnt' realize this was going to be in a different style. I guess I prefer the older style of vocal jazz - most of these songs just didn't do much for me.
Three or four of these songs included religious invocations of god - which I am not particularly interested in hearing. There are several good songs. I enjoyed "Love for Sale"; "Nine" was amusing; and "Endangered Species" is a great feminist anthem. I think I'll stick to older singers (Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, etc.) though from now on.

A few years ago ( and with an ex-girlfriend who shall remain nameless! ) I saw Dianne Reeves with Take 6 at the Kennedy Center here in Wash. D.C. And while I found the entire show extremely enjoyable the highlight of the evening came about when Ms. Reeves tackled a selection called " Better Days " a nostalgic, soulful look back at the joys of being young, extremely curious and impatient when waiting for tomorrow and what it will bring ( who said youth is wasted on the young! ). Anyway, once the song ended there may not have been a dry eye in the house.... but don't misunderstand me. Unlike other singers who tend to rely on cheap sentimentilism to get their point across ( I could make a list of singers here but since I subscribe to the 'if you can't say anything nice' theory.... ) Ms. Reeves simply sings in a fashion that relays the songs almost wistful manner and lets the listener decide how to relate to the lyrics wonderfully nostalgic theme. Due to the power of her performance I ran to my local record store and purchased her debut cd. And I've been thanking my 'lucky stars' ever since!

Singing in a fashion that is at once traditional, soulful and extremely honest Dianne Reeves projects perhaps what is truly best in a jazz singer that is at once mature and thoughtful when displaying her craft. Whether doing standards such as " Love For Sale " or " Misty ", which by the way was so good I found it even better than Sarah Vaughns ( sorry! ), she exudes a real sense of professionalism that I simply will never get enough of. Her heartfelt rendition of Stephen Sondheim's " I Remember Sky " is at once tender, gentle and ultimately heartbreaking in it's simplicity. Still she is capable of much more than just that though when she tackles " Afro Blue " ( which I think is a Coltrane composition....I could be wrong! ) an amazing mid-tempo number that allows her to 'stretch out' a little with some mean percussion thrown in, giving the song some real 'muscle' that I found particularly likable! What the heck....I truly enjoyed everything here and whether you are a fan of jazz singing or not ( and it's simply impossible to catagorize Dianne in just one genre ) there really is something here for everyone. No matter where your tastes may lie! By adding ingredients into her singing such as Jazz, Soul, Gospel and even a little Scat ( Ella! ) Ms. Reeves makes each song here an hodge-podge of flavors that I find very tasty and makes me ponder that perhaps I should eat out more often! A delicious helping of Dianne Reeves should be on every music lover's daily diet as far as I am concerned ( with all apologies to Julia Child )

All in all, I'm obviously a huge fan of Dianne Reeves and feel that even granting this wonderful disc 5 stars may simply not be enough but.....so be it! ...

I just saw Dianne Reeves in concert Saturday evening and was stunned and shocked. That kind of musicianship has not been heard in my 40 years of life! Her singing is second only to her persona on stage. This album is indeed some of Dianne Reeves finest work. It cannot begin to represent what Dianne Reeves is capable of, but is an adequate replacement. The highlight of the album is Dianne's own composition, "Nine" which chronicles the carefree life of a child at age nine. 5 stars!

The Best Of Dianne Reeves may not have every single song she's ever aced; but wow, how this CD shines! Dianne has a marvelous voice that can charm the birds right out of the trees and every song she sings proves it. The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is nicely done.

"Better Days" starts the CD with Dianne singing squarely front and center--right where she belongs! Dianne's excellent diction bolsters her performance even more; and the music to accompany her works very well for "Better Days." Then comes "I Remember;" this tender ballad features Dianne singing with s sublime piano arrangement in the background. "I Remember" is quite impressive and I think that you'll enjoy this number very much.

"Endangered Species" has a smooth jazz flavor to it mixed with something that sounds like a side dish of Caribbean music. The drums and percussion work well for "Endangered Species" and Dianne delivers this without a flaw. Dianne makes it all look so easy; but it isn't. Her talent carries her through. Listen also for "Old Souls" Dianne sings this so well you're convinced she gave blood to make "Old Souls" a true Dianne Reeves success.

There is a live track of the classic pop tune entitled "Love For Sale;" Dianne sings this and when she scats a bit this tune really takes flight! "Love For Sale" sounds wonderful when Dianne Reeves performs this so well; and the jazzy arrangement serves to increase the natural beauty of this ballad. Another live track is "Afro Blue;" Dianne sings this dramatic number with all her might and you can tell she's really quite a belter! "Afro Blue" is quite a highlight of this album.

The CD ends with three very impressive tracks. "Lullaby Of Birdland" sparkles and shines when Dianne Reeves sings it; and she handles the tempo and key changes effortlessly. The jazz arrangement again works to enhance this number; I think this version of "Lullaby Of Birdland" would make Ella Fitzgerald very proud of Dianne! Following "Lullaby Of Birdland" we get "Misty." "Misty" gets the royal treatment as Dianne performs this with a very sensitive treatment. The piano and the percussion are absolutely perfect and Dianne's rendition of "Misty" easily ranks among my very favorites. "Fascinating Rhythm" is another opportunity for Dianne to take a little extra time to make this ballad all her own with her exquisite handling of this ballad--and she doesn't miss the opportunity. "Fascinating Rhythm" charms me and it makes a strong ending for this CD.

The Best Of Dianne Reeves won't leave you disappointed if you like smooth jazz, quality music by a great contralto or classic pop vocals given a somewhat creative and more modern touch. I highly recommend this for Dianne Reeves fans (as if they didn't have this already); and this CD is an excellent place to starts for people just discovering the tremendous artistry of the great Dianne Reeves.

"Vocalist Dianne Reeves' three-plus octaves, diva-like delivery, and intimate sense of song have long made her one of the most compelling vocalists in jazz." ~ The Seattle Times ~

This impressive offering from a multi-Grammy awardee and jazz vocalist extraordinaire, Dianne Reeves, is one of the most notable CDs from her discography. Released under a prestigious record label, Blue Note Records in 2002, its repertoire consists of thirteen of the best songs she ever recorded in the most beautiful settings so this CD belongs to the top shelf from my ever-growing music collection.

Ms. Reeves interprets the material in such an endearing fashion that will surely please the listeners' ears. She is backed by equally talented and creative instrumentalists such as George Duke (piano and keyboards), Billy Childs, Mulgrew Miller, John Beasley (piano), Eddie Del Barrio (synthesizer), Paul Jackson, Romero Lubambo (guitar), Ottmar Ruiz (piano, synthesizer), Kevin Eubanks (acoustic guitar), Freddie Washington, Chris Severin, Charnett Moffett, Stanley Clarke, Reginald Veal (bass), Jimmy Johnson (fretless bass), Ricky Lawson, Marvin Smith, Abraham Laboriel, Jr., Joey Heredia, Rocky Bryant, Greg Hutchinson, and yes, Billy Kilson (drums), Paulinho Da Costa, Luis Conte, Alex Acuna, Munyungo Jackson (percussion).

Emotional highlights that will surely warm the listener's heart include four of the most remarkable songs ever written and my all-time favorites -- "Lullaby of Birdland," a previously-unreleased version of "Misty," "Fascinating Rhythm" and "You Taught My Heart To Sing," a song written by an eloquent and romantic lyricist, a Songwriter-Hall-of-Famer, Sammy Cahn, and the music was composed by an ingenious jazz pianist and composer, McCoy Tyner.

"We meet and it begins
The sound of violins
The song of birds high on the wing
You taught my heart to sing

Why does this heart of mine
Feel like a Valentine
You smiled and suddenly it's spring
You taught my heart to sing

My heart was an empty shell
Then you came along
Now my heart's a carousel
Filled with song

The miracle of you
Will last my whole life through
You're all I'll keep remembering
You taught my heart to sing"

For more breathtaking listens, please check these Grammy-winning CDs out, The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan and A Little Moonlight. I wholeheartedly recommend these beautiful CDs for your lovely listening experience.

One of the most brilliant female jazz singers to emerge in the second half of the 20th century, Dianne Reeves touches on everything from contemporary vocal jazz to quiet storm soul to covering some of the great jazz chanteuses of years past. Best known for the tender 1987 jazz-soul ballad "Better Days" which has affectionately come to be known as "The Grandma Song". She's probably at her strongest when she stays contemporary, but her extraordinary singing talent can still do some of the old masters proud.

A few years ago ( and with an ex-girlfriend who shall remain nameless! ) I saw Dianne Reeves with Take 6 at the Kennedy Center here in Wash. D.C. And while I found the entire show extremely enjoyable the highlight of the evening came about when Ms. Reeves tackled a selection called " Better Days " a nostalgic, soulful look back at the joys of being young, insatiably curious and ultimately impatient when waiting for tomorrow and what it might bring ( who said youth is wasted on the young! ). Anyway, once the song ended there may not have been a dry eye in the house.... but don't misunderstand me. Unlike other singers who tend to rely on cheap sentimentilism to get their point across Ms. Reeves simply sings in a fashion that relays the songs almost wistful manner in a style that is filled with hope and a fond rememberance of things past ( sorry Marcel Proust! ). Plus, she wisely lets the listener decide how to relate to the lyrics wonderfully nostalgic theme. So, due to the power of her performance that night I ran to my local record store and purchased her debut cd. Obviously, I was not disappointed in my rash decision and, although many years and musical tastes have come and ultimately vanished, I'm still a huge fan of this incredibly talented yet also undeniably first-rate jazz singer.

Singing in a fashion that is at once traditional, soulful and extremely honest Dianne Reeves projects perhaps what is truly best in a jazz singer that is at once mature and thoughtful when displaying her craft. Whether doing standards such as " Love For Sale " or " Misty ", which by the way was so good I found it even better than Sarah Vaughns ( sorry! ), she exudes a real sense of professionalism that I simply will never get enough of. Her heartfelt rendition of Stephen Sondheim's " I Remember Sky " is at once tender, gentle and ultimately heartbreaking in it's simplicity. Still she is capable of much more than just that though when she tackles " Afro Blue " ( which I think is a Coltrane composition....I could be wrong! ) an amazing mid-tempo, exotic number that allows her to 'stretch out' a little by adding some mean percussion ( giving the song real 'muscle' ) thus adding a wonderfully different taste to her already slightly eclectic catalogue. What the heck....I truly enjoyed everything here and whether you are a fan of jazz singing or not ( and it's simply impossible to catagorize Dianne in just one genre ) there really is something here for everyone. No matter where your tastes may lie! By adding ingredients into her singing such as Jazz, Soul, Gospel and even a little Scat! Ms. Reeves makes each song here an hodge-podge of flavors that I find very tasty and makes me ponder that perhaps I should eat out more often! A delicious helping of Dianne Reeves should be on every music lover's daily diet as far as I am concerned ( with all apologies to Julia Child! ).

That being said, I did want to finish this review by saying Thank-You to everyone who has read my reviews and especially to those who have sent me e-mails regarding these silly critiques. It's always a wonderful experience getting 'feed back' regarding my web-site and I cherish each and all of you for taking the time, and trouble, to give me your impressions, whether through votes or even contacting me. Each and everyone of you is terrific! Thanks!!

This is a CD with all great tunes. My entire family likes it, which is unusual.