Customer Reviews

Blue

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are many "standards" albums out there...some good, some bad. This one is EXCELLENT. This album accomplishes something rare these days in a standards album. It sounds original, fresh, crisp and wonderful....an amazing fact since it is a from-the-vaults recording from 1973. The sound is superb as is Diana Ross' voice. To be commended and noted is the choice of outstanding material. I'm totally in love with the not-covered-enough song "But Beautiful" & I love the playful pondering of "Had You Been Around"....Personal favorite is to see the track "Smile" appear on CD again (since the 1976 album it once appeared on, "Diana Ross", is OOP). Invest in this CD and you won't be sorry. Additional kudos to Gil Askey who conducted the orchestra :-) What a great album!!!

As a committed, fervently adoring Diana Ross disciple, I wanted to wait a while before writing my review, because of course I loved this from the very first listen, but I wanted to really "get to know" this album and see what our "relationship" develops into. In that way, I can better evaluate the album's strongest points and cuts. I purchased my first copy at Starbuck's on May 16, then two more for friends in early July.

Ultimately, to cut to the chase, I feel that this CD is perhaps THE most important Diana Ross effort to be freed from the vaults. It even surpasses the excitement of the original Chic mix of "diana" when that was released in 2003. That moment for me was pure ecstasy; however, "Blue" is even more glorious. More importantly, it certainly ranks among her finest work PERIOD, solo or otherwise, and in my opinion surpasses the LSTB soundtrack. There is something about "Blue" that is even finer. Basically, she is jazzier on here and so Supremely confident. As far as how this ranks compared to Supremes vaults releases, I have a hard time deciding if this is even better than "There's A Place For Us", released in 2004. Vocally, Ross is more mature (though still young -- a mere 28!), confident, and most of all, JAZZ-ORIENTED as opposed to more showbizz-oriented (i.e. schmaltzy), as she was in the 60s. Also, the sound quality, due to the fine musicians, Gil Askey's true jazz arrangements (which only slide into Vegas on "I Loves You Porgy"), and the fresh mix, puts this above TAPFU.

Fave cuts:
1. "But Beautiful" - Wow is all I can say. She is tender, delicate, and brimming with a perfect balance of melancholy and wistfulness. This, folks, is singing. (Streisand, take notes.)

2. "Easy Living" - The epitome of jazz cat coolness! Diana has this totally classic laid-back approach and it just makes you grin.

3. "Let's Do It" - I am surprised more reviewers haven't lavished praise on this track. Ross nails this one, biting into the humour of the lyrics, while bringing it right back to a sincere romantic plea in the last bar. A correct interpretation.

4. "Solitude" - I know from listening to this that this was one of the "demo" takes from the original LSTB sessions, because the sound and Gil's clapping at the end matches the sound on a rare acetate I own of LSTB outtakes. A stunning, simple performance. Dreamlike.

5. "No More" - Again, a correct lyrical interpretation. I say "correct" because most pop singers not of the jazz idiom would not understand the subtleties and complexity of the lyrics. It is a beguiling song in which you aren't sure if the character is glad to be without her lover or not, and the character sounds as though she may be toked up or sloshed. Ross's rendition is sung with amazing intelligence.

6. "Had You Been Around" - This track is important because it was an original written specifically for "Lady Sings The Blues". On the soundtrack, a singer called Michelle Aller does about 30 seconds of it in a scene in a club. But for some reason, Diana's version didn't appear on the soundtrack. This is a fine, sterling track and what makes it important is that being an original composition, Diana didn't have a Billie or Ella original to listen to; she had to invent the style to sing it in. She nails it in true jazz style, which proves that she could do jazz without listening to somebody else first.

NOW - what intrigues me is this: did or didn't Diana record "Happy", the love theme from LSTB??? Why wouldn't she? Is it still in the vaults? I mean, everyone at Motown from Smokey Robinson (on "A Quiet Storm"), Michael Jackson, and Bobby Darin recorded this. Why wouldn't Diana have sung when it was written for LSTB? Can't figure that one out, but I would give anything to hear her sing it!

There are more great moments on the CD, but these are the ones I have chosen to pontificate on in my review. Get "Blue" and you won't be blue -- you'll be lost in a moment!

This album is an eye-opener, especially after all the negative press and peer criticism that followed the rock queen's portrayal of America's foremost tragic jazz diva as well as her impersonation of a music persona of cult-like proportions in the inner, exclusive circles of the "hip" jazz world. But the evidence on this disk is compelling. Diana did her homework, absorbing everything about the Holiday style except the rough (admittedly expressive) grain of the voice, undoubtedly exacerbated by years of smoking, drinking, doping. Moreover, she goes directly to the heart of Billie Holiday--the most painful, heart-wrenching performance of them all: Jimmy Van Heusen's "But Beautiful" from "The Lady in Satin" Album.

The phrasing, the breathing, the inflections, the accents and, above all, the unforced elocution are Lady Day. No artist could replicate Billie's singing "it's a heartache anyway" the second time around--a moment when her voice and heart literally break, life replacing art--but Diana nonetheless shows that she "gets" it: she evokes the feeling and drama though certainly not the excuciatingly tragic moment itself.

"I Can't Get Started," "Easy Living," "Solitude," and "Ain't No Body's Business" stand up right alongside the original performances--the tempos, storytelling, emotions so convincing that a listener might think the later performer is "channeling" the earlier.

No wonder the studio execs thought better than to release this one--a "serious" project that would very likely have made little money and put a damper on the mega-hits to follow. Still, Ross no doubt profited from the experience in non-material ways, learning how to communicate a song's essence as never before.

Because there is some "fluff" on the album recalling the weaker moments of the movie, five stars is representative of the songs cited above as well as "You've Changed," "He's Funny That Way," "My Man," and "Our Love Is Here to Stay." The shallowness of the remaining performances serves as a reminder of how much better she could be when she put her whole self into daunting material, literally becoming one with the spirit of the tortured life and torturous consciousness of a creative genius.

Life is full of surprises, especially when rare gems such as "Blue" are discovered in those vast vaults at Motown. If it wasn't for Shelly Berger - one of Diana's managers at the company - the album may not have seen the light of day.

From a historical point of view, "Blue" is fascinating; like the "Lady Sings the Blues" soundtrack, many of the musicians played for the real Lady Day herself, Billie Holiday. The exquisite arrangements are courtesy of Gil Askey, who also produced the album.

Diana's nuanced vocal delivery is stunning. It was as if she had been transported back in time to a bygone era of those decadent supper parties of the 40's. Diana's sense of timing and sense of `knowing' places her comfortably among the likes of Lady Day, Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington - that was quite a feat, especially when you consider that "Lady Sings the Blues" and "Blue" were recorded so early on in her solo career.

While a couple of the tracks lack the intensity of the versions from "Lady Sings the Blues" (namely "You've Changed", which is sung in a higher key), the overall package is very impressive indeed. Diana seemed so relaxed and at one with the rhythms and lyrics. Tracks that stand out are:

"WHAT A DIFF'RENCE A DAY MAKES" - utterly sublime!
"NO MORE" - delightfully ambiguous, and a personal favourite
"SMILE" - there's a subtle glimmer of hope in Diana's voice that's uplifting
"BUT BEAUTIFUL" - I love the way Diana caresses the lyrics. Nothing's overdone.
"LITTLE GIRL BLUE" - this is an alternative version to the track on the "Touch Me in the Morning" album. This take seems a tad more melancholic and poignant.
"MY MAN (MON HOMME)" - a glorious torch song
"EASY LIVING" - it doesn't get much better than this. It's such a cool track.

One wonders how Diana's career would have panned out had Berry Gordy released "Blue" instead of "Touch Me in the Morning". I guess we'll never know. One thing is abundantly clear, though - "Lady Sings the Blues" and "Blue" must rank as two of the most emotionally satisfying and important projects of the diva's long career. The fact that "Blue" shot to the #2 slot on the Billboard Jazz charts - some 34 years after it was made - is testament of Diana's lasting appeal. More importantly, "Blue" proved that behind the sequins and gloss is an artist with depth.

Diana Ross and Gil Askey should be showered with Grammy's for this outstanding, timeless masterpiece.

It is a shame this CD is not getting any promotion because it is wonderful and light years ahead of all the standards albums currently in release. Diana's interpretations are timeless and the musical arrangements superb. In an era of synthesized music, what a delight to hear an orchestra with real musical instruments.

I felt a little manipulated by the press releases regarding this CD after I had heard it. There are several cuts on the project that are obviously songs that did not make the final cut for the Lady Sing The Blues album such as "You've Changed", "Our Love Is Here To Stay" and "T'ain't Nobody's Business". These three songs are fine renderings but in comparison to the original releases they suffer in the comparison test. The one "Lady" song that does best the previously released version is "My Man". In this version of the song Diana sings all of the lyrics rather than the abbreviated (wrong) lyrics released in 1971.

Diana's voice is so crystal clear on this CD. Her detractors love to call her voice "reed thin", paper mache", and a "delicate instrument"; so what? Her voice is unique in its beauty and her soft voice is very pretty. She uses her voice to its maximum effectiveness on most of the material. Especially good are the cuts "Easy Living", Duke Ellington's "Solitude", "He's Funny That Way" and "I Can't Get Started". Diana gives it her full voiced try on a jazzed version of "I Loves Ya Porgy." Her singing is fine until the end of the song where her phrasing is squarely set in her pop/soul experience. For the most part Diana's offerings of these songs are subtle and lovely. She makes gentle turns on her phrasing and she lilts and bends along with the melody without straying very far from it. On "Solitude" her voice and subtle phrasing are exquisite.

Miss Ross' abilities as a song stylist are seen on "No More" and "Let's Do It... Fall In Love." This is an enjoyable CD which Motown had churned out with a touch of deception. These songs were not lost. They were ignored until it was profitable to repackage them to fit the trend of legendary stars remaking pop and jazz standards. Diana does well. Fans will like it. Others may be suprised by her renderings and the beauty of her voice.

This CD is definitely one of the better "Lost" albums to come
along in a while. These songs were recorded around the same
time as the "Lady Sings The Blues" soundtrack and were supposed
to have been released as the followup album. It was shelved to
make way for Diana's "Touch Me In The Morning" LP and never saw
the light of day. Far from a batch of stale leftovers, this is
a very pleasant surprise. As in the "Lady" movie, Diana conjures
up the essence of Billie without really sounding like her. Some
of the songs were released in alternate versions, and the takes
on "Blue" will be interesting for Diana-Holics. And many of the
songs never heard before fit her like a glove! Very enjoyable,
fun, sexy and playful. Diana has always been underrated as a
singer and this CD shows just how great she can be. If you are
a fan of Miss Girlfriend you will probably love "Blue". I do.

This album, originally recorded in 1973 as a follow up to the soundtrack of Lady Sings the Blues, was inexplicably never released until just a short time ago. Showcasing Miss Ross's talents for singing jazz and blues standards, this collection is positively sublime! To take nothing away from her success as a pop singer, one might easily hear this cd and say that Diana missed her true calling--as a silky-voiced jazz songstress. Anyone who enjoyed her live jazz concert CD Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings Jazz & Blues from the 1990s, will consider Blue a must-have for his/her collection. Songs like "Let's Do It", "But Beautiful", "Little Girl Blue", and "He's Funny That Way" never sounded so good! For anyone who has ever wondered, this is what classic jazz was truly meant to be!

I'm not much of a Diana Ross fan. I know some of her usual radio songs, but never really had much of a reason to buy anything by her since I tend to like more rock and old-skool jazz and blues music, not really pop or r&b. A friend of mine bought this CD at Starbucks about a month ago and kept raving about it. Based on that, and since it's apparently been getting really good reviews and such, I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm really amazed...why hasn't she been singing jazz more over the years? This is good stuff, and I don't say that lightly. Granted, this ain't Billie, but I don't think even Billie could have given such a brilliant reading of "Little Girl Blue" as Diana does here. This album is that rare example of a pop artist completely rewriting the rules of what a pop artist can do. "Had You Been Around" and "Smile" are delicious, and her rendition of "You've Changed" is simply awe-inspiring. It is no surprise, now, that Starbucks made such a big fuss over this. Highly recommended, especially to purists like me. This is real music.

Not at all, because this album, to use Mahogany's own words, is "...a winner, baby!" An artistic success for Diana, no matter what year it was recorded. The opening of the first track, "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes", lets you know that you are in for some music as smooth as silk, and you get it. "But Beautiful", "Easy Living", "Smile" and "He's Funny That Way" are in the same vein. In some songs - chiefly "No More", Can't Get Started With You", "You've Changed" and "Solitude" - Diana evokes Billie Holiday's essence of quiet, sad resignation. But there is humor, too. In "Let's Do It" and "T'Ain't Nobody's Bizness", her inner amusement is projected through her skillful interpretation, rather than through obvious comic "tricks", as some artists would have done. Diana performs well on 2 songs that I actually prefer by other singers: "Little Girl Blue" (Janis Joplin) and "My Man" (Barbra, of course), but Diana has given me the only other versions of these 2 songs that I have ever really liked. As for "I Loves Ya Porgy", I have to agree with those who say that it is probably the worst track. Although Diana does her best with it, to me the song needs a slower, more serious treatment. In general, this is an album of taste and restraint. Diana's voice is deeper than usual, and it flows in and around the melodies. There is very little excess of any kind here. The musical arrangements sound like they are authentically straight out of the 40's and 50's, and I like the strings in particular. As on Chaka Khan's "Classikhan" CD, they provide a lush, unifying background to the tracks. I really hope that this recording will be a positive force against the negative comments that have been out there lately, mainly from those who enjoy tearing down legends, I guess. Diana is one of the top female singers of our time, and she deserves a better break than some have given her.