Customer Reviews

Schuur Thing

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

 

 

This is my favorite album from this artist. The amazing Diane Schuur is at her very best vocally. The songs on this fantastic CD are all gems from the first one to the last. This album is a real showcase for the world reknown Jazz superstar and you can clearly hear it in every note that comes out of her golden pipes. The legendary Jose Feliciano joins Diane for two duets in two of the album's great tracks they are "By Design and "American Wedding Song. Both songs are beautifully orchestrated and Feliciano and Schuur sound fantastic together.

Two of my favorites besides the two that she and Jose perform are "Take Me To The River" which is really fanstastic and "Make A Plan" both songs are a powerful testament of what great torch singer Mrs. Schhur really is. Feliciano plays electric guitar on these two tracks and he aptly demonstrates why he is regarded by critics thru out the world as the greatest living guitarist not to mention one of the finest and most distinctive voices in Pop music.

If you love Diane Schuur this CD is a MUST have for your collection. All of her albums are great and her voice is one of the finest in Jazz as far as I'm concern but this album is a rare masterpiece which is rarely if ever available. I've seen this album sell for $100 on Ebay. Get this gem while you still can you will not be dissapointed. FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This album, Diane's sophomore effort, turns to bouncy pop with a lot of synths and electric piano. There are standards here with jazz harmonies, but the effort of this album goes toward adult radio. The bouncy "Needle In A Haystack" is pure pop fluff with Diane handling all the overdubbed harmony and backing vocals. "By Design" is a pop duet with Jose Feliciano, whose baritone is as strong and full as Diane's contralto. Both sing this song in full voice and the song is clearly targeted for radio airplay. "Love Dance" is a more straight on jazz/pop ballad, "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" is delivered in a bossa nova style reminicent of Basia. "Take Me To The River" sounds a bit strained, again Diane's vocals are multi overdubbed. "Sure Thing" is a favorite, an optimistic intimate ballad featuring soft strings. This album is a little overproduced and was an attempt to market Diane as mainstream. The synths mark time but Diane's vocal delivery and the pop production of this album offer a study in an artist searching for a signature sound, which she explores futher in the follow up album "Timeless."