Customer Reviews

Live at Radio City Music Hall 2003

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I must confess, Luther's last CD "Dance With My Father" was the first time I did not rush out and buy it. I own everything else!! I bought this CD hoping to relive the magic of Luther's concert and like others, hoping that I will be able to see him perform live again.

I was not disappointed. If you are a Luther fan, this CD is a must!!! If you never have seen a concert, here is an inexpensive way to get a taste of what you hear. Luther has been my favorite vocalist since the early 80s and this CD rekindled all these years oflistening to his vocal art. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!!

Hard to believe this is Luther's FIRST LIVE CD?! How can it be, after literally dozens of hit singles and amazing albums to his credit - but here it is, and sadly, Luther's sterling, stunning, literally UNTOUCHABLE vocal performances here are made all the more POIGNANT by the fact that, after last year's severe stroke, Luther will most likely never sing again - at least not like THIS - it's not just a brilliant VOICE, but his way with a lyric - the sense of rhythm, space, timing, breath, phrasing, and shading to really get INSIDE a romantic lyric - WOW! I've been fortunate enough to witness Luther LIVE in concert a few times during the 80s and 90s, but for those who weren't so lucky, this CD (although I am docking it one star since it's only a single CD and should have deserved a DOUBLE CD!) is ESSENTIAL listening for anyone remotely interested in quality music PERIOD. My thoughts are with you Luther - YOU GO!

The best way to appreciate what Luther -- and his band, OH MY GOD let's please not forget that magnificent band -- has done in this live-recorded CD is to go back and listen to the studio versions of each song, particularly his classic ballads.

When an true artist finally gets around to recording a live CD (and all TRUE artists eventually do!) you hope that he or she will bring a new interpretation of their material and not just sing it verbatim to what they recorded in the studio.

Then there's always that overriding fear when someone releases a live CD they'll be exposed for the fraud they truly are.

Not LV.

He's one of the a select few that actually sounds BETTER live than when he's "augmented" with electronics in a studio. And he NEVER performs his songs the same way twice -- a hallmark of creativity, ingenuity, and skill. Of course, he's been at it a very long time so anything less than perfection would be unacceptable...and perfection is what you get on this disk.

I'll agree with what I've seen in other reviews. The atmosphere on this CD is so intimate that you're completely unaware at times it's being recorded live.

Take Superstar, for example. Everybody familiar with his original version of this song knows it's the vamping/ad-libbing that he does near the end that transforms it from a story of lost love to one of subtle sexuality and seduction. Well, if you thought what he did on the original version was captivating, you will not believe what he does on this live version. With the help of angelic background singers (which are absent during the vamp on the studio version), a near perfect "bass drum" level and pacing (at the same level as the studio version but a much slower pacing!!), and his ability to stretch a harmonic phrase to its breaking point make this one of the most beautiful R&B ballads you'll likely hear in your lifetime. He does three falsetto passes just near the end that will absolutely melt your soul and send shivers down your spine. I guarantee it.

You could right a review like that for each song on the CD but his ballads steal the show by a long shot. You will be transformed after you hear them. Again, I guarantee it.

From time to time, I listen to my treasured vinyl of Change to hear Luther's voice when he first started, singing backup. Then, on to the vinyl of Never Too Much, and on and on, all the while recalling all of his concerts that I attended. Eventually I get to Here and Now, the song I sang to my wife at our wedding; by the end of the day, I'm listening to him singing about how his mother misses her spouse. So all in all, I'd like to think that I've been listening closely to Luther like this from time to time for the last 30 years.

Every once in a while, an artist who has already been recognized by his peers as setting an industry standard raises his own bar. In this recording, Luther has done just that.

Every once in a while, a live version of a selection supplants an earlier studio version (remember EWF's "Devotion"?). This album gives you about 8 of those instances. He owns these songs. He owns the tempo, the inflections. The artist is making you privvy to a private collection of originals 30 years in the making. Looking at the jacket you might think "but I've heard these songs many times before", and my response to you would be "no, you haven't, not like this, not even in 30 years".

Finally, the album is technically perfect. A live performance recorded with the type of control audible in this recording is hard to come by.

I've decided that if I were stuck on a desert island, I'd be content with 2 recordings. One would be an undisputed landmark of classical music: Artur Rubenstein's renderings of the Chopin Nocturnes. The second would be Luther Vandross Live at Radio City Music Hall 2003.

2003 is the year of the live CD. From Coldplay to Floetry, everybody is getting their live discs out in the fall to rack up pre-Holiday sales. But to call Luther Vandross' "Live at Radio City Music Hall" a mere cash-in would be a severe miscalculation. It's a thoroughly enjoyable 75 minute performance that proves, once again, Vandross is THE man to beat in the game of r&b. If singing live is the ultimate measure of vocal talent, then Luther passes with flying colors. "Live at Radio City Music Hall" cruises through older material as well as his hits from his last two studio albums. While the set omits a few personal favorites ("Don't You Know That" and "Since I've Lost My Baby"), it does include stellar renditions of "Never Too Much," "Stop to Love," "Superstar," and the oft-sampled finale, the classic "Glow of Love." Luther's delivery on these songs is just as good in concert as they are in the studio, and they stand tall as classic samples of old-fashioned r&b stripped of glitter and overproduction. "Live at Radio City Music Hall" is a standard by which all live CDs should follow

I've been a great fan of Luther Vandross for nearly two decades and can honestly say that this CD will NOT leave any fan of Luther's disappointed. This live version of (some) of his greatest hits will touch you in ways you'd never thought Luther could do. My favorites are "Here and Now" "Creepin'" "I'd Rather" and the always favorite and mind-blowing "House Is Not a Home" - his signature song. Luther's vocal talents on each and every song will give you goosebumps!

Trust me when I say that this CD is worth every penny you spend! The only downside is that this should have been a 2-CD set. (I've seen Luther 3 times in concert and he has many more hits than what you hear on this live one.)

Regardless, Luther is "One In A Million" and will ALWAYS be the ORIGINAL SILKY-SMOOTH VELVET TEDDY BEAR of R&B Soul! We love you Luther!

First things first, Nat Adderly, Jr.'s meticulous work in crafting Luther's concert, this CD and his exquisite solo on "Superstar" should be applauded. Obviously, a lot of love and work went into putting this project together.

Luther's singing is first rate and his playfulness and good cheer makes "Live at Radio City Music Hall" a joy to behold.

That said, this is not a "fan's CD" - Sorry, it's much too incomplete.

Where are the truly great Luther originals, "For Ever, For Always, For Love", "So Amazing", "Any Love", "Till My Baby Comes Home", "It's All About You", "I Know"?

Luther's always had an affinity for great dance music. Where are the jams, "Bad Boy/ Havin' a Party", Let You Slide"," Power of Love", "Sugar and Spice", "Searching"?

I've always enjoyed the interaction of Luther with his wonderfully gifted back up singers - Hello? No introductions? No solos? Where's LISA? Where'd they go on this CD?

The duets, oh, the duets - where are they? "If this World Were Mine", " I Who Have Nothing", "How Many Times Can We Say Good By?" "I'm Only Human", "There's Nothing Better than Love"?

Though I despise the practice of labels releasing the more comprehensive "deluxe" DVD after they've release the CD, is this the plan?

Nat and Luther, you've given us a great appetizer, when are you going to serve up the entrée?

Luther, ya know we love you, get well and "Jump To It!"

Due to various injustices suffered throughout my life, I am a self-proclaimed atheist/agnostic and have been so as long as I can remember.

I tell you no lie when I say that somewhere among 'Love Won't Let Me Wait', 'Superstar', and 'A House is not a Home' I have once again rediscovered my religion. There's no guaruntee it'll stay with me so while I have it and before I offer my review of the new CD, let me share with you an internal mental memo I plan on sending to God in the very near future:

Dear GOD,

If you take this man (Luther Vandross) away from us...if you fail to restore him back to his former grandure...if you have the nerve to take him out but leave all these other talent-free, music-less wannabees around to pollute and further corrupt the very essence of soul and R&B, then sobeit. But you can forget about THIS so-called child of yours -- no more church, no more prayin', no more faith, no more tides, no more nothing from me. Nothing! You have been warned.

Signed,
I dare you to do it.

Then I thought to myself, wait a minute. HE can't be a vengeful GOD -- at least HE allowed Luther to complete this CD just before he fell ill, right?? Right??!!

So while I continue to struggle with this dilemma, allow me to throw a few numbers at you: 7 minutes, 31 seconds; 10 minutes, 25 seconds; and, the mother of them all, a whopping 12 minutes, 49 seconds!!!

Now if you're a true fan of soul/R&B, those numbers probably won't mean alot to you because they represent the playing times of the three aforementioned ballads on the new CD and, let's face it, you're lucky to get 5 minutes out of a song on a typical CD these days!!

Let's also face it that you're only need to be concerned about the ballads on this disk. While EVERY SINGLE SONG, including the mid/up-tempos, are worthy of honorable mention, it's the delivery of his classic ballads (not the newer ones) that will truly alter your state of mental being.

There are moments on this CD - especially on 'Superstar' - when the audience is so quiet as a sign of respect and in anticipation of what Luther might do next that you're completely unware that it is a live concert taped in the middle of Radio City Music Hall!! As good as the studio version of this song is, it pales by comparison to this one. The pace and delivery of his vamping near the end is so syrupy and deliberate that it'll totally disrupt your breathing pattern if you're not careful!! And it's an almost incredible 13 minutes long!!!

More of the same on 'Love Won't Let Me Wait' and 'A House is not a Home', including incredible performances by the backup singers and rhythm section, who set a perfect pace and compliment Luther to a tee. The soprano sax accompaniment on "Love Won't..." is a particularly good standout.

It's amazing when you think these are the same songs previously recorded in the studio yet the style in which Luther and his band deliver them makes them feel totally new.

Everything from his interactions with the crowd to his "attaboys and attagirls" to his band when they emotionally move him with a particular instrumental passage or phrase is done with ultimate class and style.

So, GOD, if you're listening get busy, you've got alot of work to do.

I second Gerald Levert's thoughts from his liner notes on his own new CD: Luther, get better. We need you out here.

With the many tributes of Luther's life and music on the radio, I yearned to hear his talented voice once more...live. This CD certainly did the trick. It gives the more personable side to him and his music.

If you don't have this CD, please purchase it...it will definitely give you warm memories...Mr. Vandross, I salute and celebrate you.

The more I listened to him, the more I appreciated his ability to sing a song and tell his stories through his music.
I will miss him without end. Thank You for your time on this earth and for giving the message of Love through your song's.

With deepest respect,
God Bless You and Your Family.
Tyrone G. (P-Way, NJ)