Customer Reviews

Piano in the Dark / Get Here

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album is one of the best if you like soulfull music from the late 80's. I will never forget the first time I heard "Piano In The Dark". I had just gotten measured for my tuxedo for my senior prom in early May of 1988. When I walked out of the "Mr. Tux" shop and got into my new car, I turned on the radio and heard this piano and synthesizers start up and it gave me a chill that went up my neck. After hearing this song I had to find out who sang it and went to a record store and bought the cassette single immediately. The video is just as great with Brenda singing her heart out in what looked like an old cafe with rain pouring down outside and in the background playing the piano in the dark was none other than Joe Esposito. I had lost all of my 80's music and pretty much had forgotten it throughout the 90's. But I am once again collecting music from the 80's and this song is at the top of my list. I suggest it for a romantic dinner or dancing. If it doesn't take you back to the late 80's then nothing will.

I still remember the first time I saw the video for "Piano In The Dark" on Night Tracks (remember that show?). I was blown away by the poignant vocals, the incredible lyrics, and the cool jazzy vibe that underpinned that amazing song. I still get chills every time I listen to "Piano In The Dark", even though it has been 13 years since this album came out!
While "Piano In The Dark" is far and away the best song on "Get Here", the rest of the album is engaging and soulful. The stirring ballad "Get Here" became an anthem during the Gulf War because of the sweet but not sappy lyrics and its melodic simplicity. "Le Restaurant" is an amazing jazz ballad with David Sanborn on saxophone. Lite jazz great Dave Koz also guests on "Just A Believer". Other noteworthy songs include the funky existential dance hit "Gravity", and a trio of up-tempo pop songs. If you like Basia, Oleta Adams, Sade, or Anita Baker, you should love this album.
"Get Here" does veer a bit over the musical map, covering jazz, pop, disco, and 80's rock, but it's a worthwhile trip. Brenda Russell writes very honest, emotional music that is engaging and exciting. If you enjoy this album, you should also check out her 2000 album "Paris Rain", where her lush jazz songs really flower into an amazing experience, or her 2001 ultimate collection, which includes many of her best works.

Brenda Russell, has a great soulful voice and this album has a jazz and R&B feel. everytime I listen to it, I love it. I have never gotten sick of it and I still have it on vinyl at home. The ballad "Piano In The Dark" is soulful and could picture listening to it anywhere. I recommend this album because you wont stop listening to it.

...I would agree this collection of songs hardly made Brenda Russell a household name but she did put out a great track from this record "Piano in the dark" and I did hear that song on the radio for several years after. She may not have the pipes of Whitney Houston but there are very few singers that can melt your heart with their voices and Brenda Russell given the right material and direction can.

Sometimes, a song constantly seems to put you in the mood for love, and the feeling of life. There are just some great guilty pleasures songs that really seem to do that. Brenda Russell really does that from the heart. Her 1988 song Piano In The Dark is a very elequent and bold song that really does talk to you. The feeling of love and lust really goes together with Brenda's voice and the way she tickles the ivories on this song. Nevertheless, it is really just a shame that Brenda hasn't gotten as successful with the industry after this beautiful masterpiece of a song. Hopefully, someone else is singing this song right now.

A renowned and talented pop/R&B/soul songwriter and recording artist over a decade before this album was released this was probably the period when I first started to hear about Brenda Russell. Coming from roughly a similar school to the likes of Natalie Cole and Anita Baker in terms of female 80's R&B stars who looked to jazz oriented (sometimes even torchy) sounds for their music Brenda probably got the ball rolling in a lot of ways. And during a time when it seemed like her chosen genre was placing a lot of emphasis on stylish production surfaces,she was looking at that aspect of the music as purely a way of enhancing her songwriting. So musically this album is definately of the contemporary 1988 R&B/pop idiom. On the other hand it actually has aged extremely well because of Brenda's approch to her highly jazz oriented urban contemporary pop soul styled writing and music.

"Gravity" adds a lot of rhythm to the occasion and a slow one at that,giving it the distinction of being the funkiest number here and a great starting point. "Just A Believer","Make My Day" and "Midnight Eyes" are all more uptempo dance styled pieces and again retain the same aloof,romantic jazz-pop flavor as the songs more in her own style of writing. Of course hearing "Piano In The Dark" gave me one of my little "time life" moments. That meaning the memory of hearing the song getting saturation radio play when I was in third grade basically. But now that I understand the songs swoony theme...well it's just a very attractive and beautiful song. She goes for the same type of effect with David Sanborn duetting with her on sax on "Le Restaurant". Seems to me Brenda does a lot of nightclub and cafe hopping in her lyrics actually. The title track ends off the affair with some Smokey Robinson style wordplay-requesting her lover "get here" however he can.

With all the airbrush/watercolor tinted photography on this CD jacket it would be all too easy to throw this into the 80's music catagory without even listening to it. But that artsy,stylized look is genuine. Brenda was GOING for a high fasion personality here and it worked 100% for her. In a way she comes at her whole approch as something of an R&B answer to Joni Mitchell. A person willing to emmerse herself in an era's musical ethics without sacrificing the individuality of her own sound. Even without thinking about it the music here works on almost every level. In a car stereo while cruising,on headphones while chilling or even while doing a creative endevour-as I did listening to this as I was painting. So basically if your looking for one Brenda Russell album for your collection,especially if it represents her 80's era music this is the one you'll want to pick up.

Beautiful music for under 4 dollars! The cover was used but the CD, itself, was almost new with no scratches whatsoever. Excellent buy!

I loved this album when it first came out and now finally buying it on CD I find it is still just about as fresh as ever. This CD has the original version of the popular "Get Here" (Ms. Russell wrote it and sings it with great subtlety; Oleta Adams later had a big hit with it). Piano in the Dark and Le Restaurant, featuring a sax solo by David Sanborn, are my other favorites on the album.

Brenda Russell's voice is powerful, yet she holds each song gently, never overpowering the music. Oh, it will take you back with some of the late-80s arrangements, but her great lyrics and soulful singing make this a worthy addition to your pop or R&B collection.

she once said to me that, everytime I hear that song I think of you. I asked her, what song? She said PIANO IN THE DARK. So I bought the cd and listened to it and loved it. I still listen to it quite a bit over the years. And though she is long gone, every time I hear that song, I think about her. That song and GET HERE are the most soulful renditions on this cd. Brenda Russell has one of the most passionate, soulful, heartwarming voices you will come across. She manages to do what so many artists fail to do, just don't sing a song but tell a story in each song. Brenda's father was a one-time member of the Ink Spots.

"Piano"and"Le' Resturaunt"are two songs,that,virtually SNATCH,you out of your easychair,right INTO,tthe songs' scenario!! Brendas' expert descriptive genius allows'these songs' to do this!!When,I listen to the words',and envision,the scene,I feel like I'M in a ristoraunte' or listening to a piano being played,in the gloaming afternoon!!I bet my last cookie,that Brenda,was probably a narrator,in a past life!!Her PASSIONATE,vocals,only help,in bringing her stories to life!!"Piano"was my ALL-TIME favorite song when,it first came out,and,almost,two DECADES'later,that fact stands!!This entire album,is so good,it could actually DOUBLE,as her Greatest Hits'album,as a friend of mine commented!!!Like,I said,Brenda is like,a woman from a time,yet to come!!