Customer Reviews

Til Tomorrow: Remembering Marvin Gaye

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

 

 

On a visit to St. Louis last month, friends "dragged" me to The Jazz Bistro for a "night out" that I didn't even want. BLESS THEM !! What an incredible surprise !! It was Cassandre McKinley's CD release show, and I am so glad I was there. Ms. McKinley's renditions of Marvin Gaye's music were just awesome. Her voice is smooth and rich. I bought the CD and haven't stopped playing it since. It is so obvious that Ms. McKinley is truly FEELING every note she sings. It really touches me. If you want insight and emotion delivered with a truly beautiful voice, you will find it on this CD. I am a now a true (if new) fan.

Cassandre McKinley, ostensibly a jazz singer, has released this c.d. on MaxJazz, as part of their superior catalogue of excellent jazz vocalists who deserve wider recognition. These mostly are songs of Marvin Gaye, and the c.d. is a tribute to the late, great soul-man.

For the most part, this intersection of jazz and soul sounds more like soul than jazz. The exceptions are "You're the One for Me", and to my ears the best track on this disc: ironically, the Beatles "Yesterday." On that track, Ms. McKinley plays with the familiar melody and transmogrifies it into a soul-sounding tune.

Cassandre McKinley is an accomplished singer, and the c.d. sounds fine. But Amazon commands four stars if you like it, five stars if you love it. I like it. There's something I can't put my finger on that keeps me from loving it.

Maybe it's this: Marvin Gaye was so good, that if you do a tribute to him that sounds like soul, you're going to come out second-best. Take "Your Precious Love", for example: Here, she does this as a duet with Michael Payette, which sounds good; but it will hardly make you forget the original.

Nevertheless, an "A" for effort. I look forward to Cassandre McKinley's next c.d. RC

I'd heard this artist and thought her voice was clear and true. I was excited about a cover album of Marvin Gaye's classic, soulful songs and was a bit disappointed after listening. Some tracks are beautiful, well rendered paeans to his artistry, others rather bland. She does have a lovely voice, but this album does neither her nor Marvin Gaye justice.