Customer Reviews

Powerful People

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That is what I remeber thinking the very first time I listened to "Powerful People". At the time, not a lot of my friends knew who Gino Vannelli was. But when I heard this album I knew everyone would soon know and I could not wait to play it for them.

Powerful People gives listeners a hint that in addition to being a talented singer, musician, and lyricist, Gino is also a superb (dare I say "powerful") arranger and orchestrator. The songs on the album that most clearly demonstrate that are, "son of a new york gun", "jack miraculous", and "powerful people". They also demonstrate that the people in the music business who label this album "soft rodk" have no idea what they are talking about.

When I hear "Jack" and " NY gun" , they make me think of song & dance numbers in a broadway musical about a "Guys and Dolls" Nathan Detroit kind-of-character. I wondered if this was really someone he knew. "Powerful people" has the sound of an orchestra playing jazz. Listening to these three wonderful songs just make me feel good.

The ballads "lady" and "jojo" are two of my favoirte songs. They showcase Gino's honeyed, crystal clear, beautiful voice (the instrument that I think he plays the best). You feel as if the songs are really personal. I imangined he was singing "lady" just for me (as did, no doubt, a million other women), and I wondered who "jojo" was, if he was really the child of a family member or friend. I never even gave Jim Croce's work much thought until listening to Gino's tribute to him made me curious about it.

"People gotta move" is a great dance number, and you just know from the lyrics that while you are having a good time grooving to the music that Gino also wants you to think a little bit too.

Herb Alpert was "a force to reckon with" in the music business in the 70's, and he produced (or got credit for) Gino's first album "Crazy Life". I always read album production and musician credits, and peruse lyrics, sometimes before I even listen to the music. One of the first things I noticed about this one was "Produced and Arranged by Gino and Joe Vannelli". Herb gets credit as an associate producer, and I wondered if he deserved it. Gino's creative control credit was a foretelling that a powerful musical force was about to make his mark in the music industry.

Gino's music has the power to makes you happy, sad, want to dance, or just chill. The power to make you care about what he cares about and, make you care about him. It does all of these things and so much more, and is simply a joy to listen to even after more than 30 years.

First time I heard a Gino`s song (People gotta move) I was 13 years old, and I fell in love with his style and EXTRAORDINARY voice. I started the collection of his records (LP`s of course) and have them all. I`m lucky to live in Mexico City, where I`ve found all his albums on CD. On 1991 one of my dreams came true, I saw him in two of his concerts and it was a FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE. My husband became a Gino fan too after that. Don`t miss visiting ginov.com, it`s as everything Gino does, PERFECT! There you can find two wonderful videos. Thank you Gino for your beautiful music and keep doing your excellent work. Maru Camilli

This was Gino's soulful 2nd album & a GRAND follow-up to his also flawlessly smooth & soulful 1973 debut album "Crazy Life".

Few music historians know this: the Vannelli brothers' very unique use of synthesizers on this album broke NEW GROUND for this instrument & influenced MANY musicians in the ensuing years across all genre's.

On another note, I'm waiting for the day that "smooth jazz" radio rediscovers Gino's first 5 albums -- the ones he (along with his brothers Ross & Joe) created BEFORE 1978's best-known "Brother to Brother".

These albums are a GOLDMINE for all tastes, just waiting to be re-discovered by a whole new generation of listeners.

And the particular tracks on this album, Lady, Felicia, Jo-Jo, Poor Happy Jimmy -- are ballads that will STAY with you LONG after the CD is put back (temporarily!) on the shelf.

Call this "pop" if you want, but this album works for the R&B, Jazz, & rock ears too -- either young in age or young at heart!

"People Gotta Move" showcases this high-energy collection from the Canadian dynamo, Gino Vannelli. When I first heard this album way back in the 70's, I thought Gino's too good to survive the music scene. However, this album catapulted Gino's career nicely and he came up with several other notable albums, even into the 90s with such gems as "Irreconcilable Man" and "Black Cars." His "Live in Montreal" album is also a great disc. Along with the aforementioned "People Gotta Move," there are some prime cuts: "Lady," a sensual throbbing love song; "Jo Jo" a moving paen to brotherly love; "Powerful People," a showcase for Gino and brother Joe's keyboard artistry and arranging skills; and the fast-as-a-bullet "Jack Miraculous." His later concept style albums were also fine. If you haven't heard Gino before, give him a spin. You'll like it, I bet!

I have recently been exposed to Gino's wonderful music through recommendations here at Amazon, as well as friends....many who are into Jazz-Fusion style music. Well, I can definitely see why....his music is accessible enough for the casual music listener, while being musically interesting and challenging enough to satisfy Jazz and Fushion fans (like myself). 'Powerful People' was my first exposure to the immense talent of Gino and his band, and remains the one I come back to the most. Personal favorites would have to include "People Gotta Move", "Lady", "Powerful People" and "Son of a New York Gun/Jack Miraculous"....however, ALL songs are very memorable and fit perfectly within the album context. As for the musicians on 'PP', they are all well "versed" and talented players who were "lucky" enough to be employed by a "Boss" that gave each of them plenty of room to stretch out on their respective instruments. Of special interest to me was the fact that one of my favorite drummers, Graham Lear was not only on this album but seems to be the "juice" behind these exciting compositions....absolutely inspired drumming from a guy who would go on to do more stunning work with Santana's great band shortly thereafter.

As my review title states, this is one of those rare albums that one could listen to to dance, clean house or simply "kick back" with a glass of wine with someone special. Likewise, it works well with whatever mood you may be in.....happy, meloncholy, excited, sensual, etc. Since I have aquired 'PP', I have also tried Gino's "Brother to Brother", "Storm at Sunup" and "Gist of the Gemini"....all are great albums in their own way, but, IMO, none hold the degree of "magic" this release holds....truly a timeless classic to be listened to over and over again!

"Powerful People" is latin & jazz in a dazzling mix, a record that expresses a being on top of the world feeling. Highlights are the explosive latin "Jack Miraculous", the mysterious "Felicia", and the ballads "Lady" and "Jojo". The catchy "People gotta move" makes a perfect opener. Other albums of Gino that come close to this one are "Storm at Sunup" (more jazz, complex and bombastic), "Brother to Brother" (variation, super titletrack) and his first one "Crazy Life".

What a truly impressive earlier album by Gino Vannelli. People Gotta Move is a very energetic song, reminding me of driving a Ferrari down the Autobahn in Germany at high speed. Truly an adrenaline-laced song. Gino is a true musical/lyrical genius. I am honored to have met him at the Addison Jazz Festival in Dallas, Texas, back in 1998. A Gino fan forever!

Being mainly involved with Progressive and Symphonic Rock in the mid 70s, I was surprised to listen the chords of "People Gotta Move" in the radio. I thought it was another solo scherzo of any of my popular Prog Rock and Symph-Rock heroes, but it wasn't...

This is an album you may listen without compromise to your previous music taste. No thrilling guitar riffs at all! A lot of keyboard work instead, and the great voice of Gino Vannelli. Very enjoyable music!
(Unfortunately, no remastered version has been issued for this album. Therefore, some loss of real quality audio level is to be expected.)

Right up there with people like Edgar Winter,Steely Dan,Level 42 and Narada Michael Walden the musical career of Gino Vannelli has to be one of the most mishandled,mislabled an misunderstood in the circles of commercial music. Although speaking strictly artistically Gino had no trouble at all creating his own little musical corner of the world. Gino's band has to be one of the best of it's time-the music itself being a very individual combination of R&B,funk,pop and fusion jazz that was actually a bit ahead of it's time. Compared by itself with Gino's debut 'Crazy Life' this album is far fuller and dramatic in sound. Gino's integration of the ARP synthesizer into his sound led him to use the instrument much the way Stevie Wonder did;to create artsy artistic textures as opposed to gimmickly sound effects. "People Gotta Move" gets the album out to a great start,in fact one of the songs Gino was stronly associated with during this part of his career;a jazzy-funk,keyboard led excursion that,like everything here will catch your ears and not let go. The same sound kicks back into gear on the even more upbeat "Jack Miraculous". "Lady" and "Jo Jo" both visit the same gentle,stripped down space of Gino's debut where you could rather say the same thing of "Son Of A New York Gun",although the bluesy feeling of that song is given more of a high-key "space funk" kind of treatment. Then comes the title extravaganza which veers from ballad to R&B to jazz at a moments notice-of not is the tasty electric piano solo in the middle.Here Gino sings of someone who is aware that "powerful people" are doing just about everything wrong in the world but he would rather not think about it,preferring to spend "a lonely afternoon with nowhere to go but his room" but starts to doubt that estetic towards the end of the song. "Felicia" is another,though more slower burning bluesy bit of R&B love song featuring some particularly sexy vocals from Gino although before you know a hot sax solo comes in and it's back to the jazz-that same general mood extends into "The Work Verse" and even into the moving closer "Poor Happy Jimmy",a tribute to the then recently departed Jim Croce who Gino describes here as having a "funky paraphrase"-a witty description if I ever heard one. In any period Gino Vannelli is definately an artist who deserves more then even a second look and a second listen. His music was extrodinarily influencial on many up and coming in the decade (and to come) and from what I am hearing even into some of todays neo soul. This is definately a classic of....whatever genre it belongs to this snappy,soulful album will surely become a treatured part of your music collection!

1974's "Powerful People" was Canadian vocalist Gino Vannelli's second album and truly lives up to the first word in its title - this is indeed a very powerful album.
Besides his breakthrough hit "People Gotta Move", "Powerful People" includes some highly memorable music such as the epic title track and the two-part suite of "Son of a New York Gun" and "Jack Miraculous" which comes off like a mix of progressive rock, jazz and a broadway musical.
The remaining tracks also have some great musical moments in them. The ballads "Lady" and "Jo Jo" both show off Vannelli's impressive vocal range as does "The Work Verse" while "Felicia" has an irresistible hook that stays in your head long after the song is finished. The closing track "Poor Happy Jimmy" ends the album on a tender laid back note with a solemn tribute to singer Jim Croce (who died the year before).
Musicwise and production wise, "Powerful People" was very much ahead of its time as Gino and brother Joe Vannelli used only keyboards and percussion on this album. While this became commonplace in the '80s, pop music done in this fashion was nearly unheard of in 1974. Also, the mix of different influences ranging from pop, jazz, latin and fusion makes for a highly entertaining album all around.
This is definitely worth listening to.