Customer Reviews

Ultimate Collection

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Ultimate Collection" is the only album on the market where you can get a full dose of Angela Winbush's sweet, soulful melodies from the 1980s up to her latest original work with The Isley Brothers in 1996. There isn't a bad song on this album, and rightfully it should have contained a few more songs, like "Imaginary Playmates" from her Rene & Angela days, but I digress.

If you like this one, I suggest that you get the Rene & Angela album, "A Street Called Desire...and More," which has a much better version of "You Don't Have To Cry" than you get in this set, plus excellent 12" versions of "Save Your Love (For #1)," "I'll Be Good," and "Your Smile." Another good choice is the album "Sharp," wich has some other gems like "You Had A Good Girl."

In the 1980's, there were so many talented female artists, that many were overlooked. Angela is one of them. She wrote, produced and sang. She was part of Rene' and Angela and went on to a solo career and a 10 year marriage to Ronald Isley. I'll be good, Angel, Save your love, and others make Angela a hot underrated artist.

Born in St. Louis, Mo. (hometown girl) began singing gospel in her church choir, also learned to play the piano at an early age. Went to Howard University in Washington D.C. and majored in architecture, began singing at recording sessions to pay expenses at the school. Worked with Al Jarreau and Stevie Wonder, by then it was too late, the bug had bit her...changed her major to music education. The experience was invaluable while working in the studios during recording dates, got the opportunity to see what happens and learned about writing and producing firsthand.

In 1980, she met singer/composer Rene' Moore and became "Rene' & Angela" recorded several albums together "Wall To Wall" (1981), "Rise" (1983) and "Street Called Desire" (1986). And then in 1987, Angela went solo with - "Sharp" (1987), "It's The Real Thing" (1989), "Angela Winbush" (1994) and finally "Ultimate Collection" (2001) featuring the highlights of previous albums mentioned, this is the best of the best in "ultimate fashion".

Hip-O Records and Pat Lawrence, have put together this excellent collection featuring the depth and breadth of her talent, blending so well with her skill and artistry, and there's no doubt that, in the world of real-life musical divas, Angela Winbush is in a category all of her own...spin this cd, sit back and enjoy this collection to end all collections!

Total Time: 79:55 on 17 Tracks...Hip-O Records 560347...(2001)

Angela Winbush was the Anita Baker of her time. An absolutely unmistakeable voice to say the least. Never to be duplicated or imitated. Why she didn't get the recogntion that Anita did is mind boggling. She did more than just sing. i used to work graveyard and one ofe the local stations had a midnight request line. I've lost count on the number of times I called and requested "Your Smile", "You Don't have to Cry". and "Angel". Classics for all time.

Ever scratched your head and wondered which Angela Winbush album to buy after the break up of Rene & Angela ? Fret no more. This is the one and only. Why ? Because this collection showcases the best of both of Ms. Winbush's musical worlds as part of a duo and solo artist. Her voice can only be described as smooth,vibrant,sexy, and very,very classy. She's one of the most underrated and few R&B divas to be able to get you to move on the floor or spend a special evening with someone with her smoldering ballads. The key to captivating her audience are some of her deep and soulful lyrics. The rest is cloaked in the best of R&B-pop has to offer from the 80's and possibly 90's ! Many will remeber the funk-dance driven frenzy from Save Your Love for #1 w/rapping from Kurtis Blow. You Don't Have to Cry is a mellow and emotional ballad at best with it's synthesized/sampled rain drops and thundering effects in the beginning. The simple yet provocative crooning she does on the slower tempoed song Angel is to die for.Even her re-make of Marvin Gaye's Inner City Blues shows that if a female vocalist is worthy and can perform any Gaye song, she is definitely the one !...

I HAVE TO WRITE THIS IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE I DANCED WITH ANGELA ON STAGE IN PHILADELPHIA LAST SATURDAY NIGHT AND ONLY HER AND I WERE IN THE ROOM OF 150 PLUS PEOPLE! AFTER THE SHOW I REALIZED I HAD LOST TOUCH WITH HER MUSIC AND BEST BUY TOLD ME I HAD TO BUY HER CD ON LINE, AND I SAID AT AMAZON THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I HAVE GOT TO TELL YOU FROM HER SIGNATURE SONG "ANGEL" WHICH SHE SANG TO ME; (I HAVE PICTURES THANK YOU VERY MUCH) TO THE SOULFULL GROVE OF "TREAT U RITE", I HAVE GOT TO SAY AS I WAS DRIVING TODAY LISTENING TO "TREAT U RITE"; I SAID TO MYSELF "THIS WOMAN IS SICK"! HOW CAN ONE WOMAN GROVE SO HARD, AND THEN I REMEMBERED SHE HAD ME ON MY KNEES ON STAGE AND SHE RUINED ME FOR ANY OTHER WOMAN IN THE WORLD; GOD I LOVE HER! FROM HER DAYS WITH RENE TO RON TO STANDING ALONE, THIS WOMAN IS A STAR, STAR, STAR, STAR, STARLET OF THE HIGHEST ORDER! BUY THIS ONE PEOPLE, CAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOU WILL HAVE MISSED OUT ON WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF MUSIC BY A FEMALE ARTIST IN THE ENTIRE 20TH CENTURY, THERE IS NOT ONE BODY OF WORK THAT CAPSULIZES AN ARTIST TALENT BETTER THAN THE "ULTIMATE COLLECTION"! IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THIS IS A TRUE TESTIMENT TO THE TALENT THAT ANGELA WINBUSH BRINGS TO ALL OF US FROM THE DEPTHS OF HER SOUL. THE WOMAN IS GOD'S BEST GIFT TO MAN, AND GOD'S REPRESENTATIVE OF LOVE POSSESSED BY A WOMAN! SO PUT ANGELA'S "ULTIMATE COLLECTION" ON THE NEXT TIME YOU WANT TO LOVE, LIVE, SING, LAUGH, OR JUST PLAIN OLD GROVE AND I PROMISE THIS WONDER OF THE WORLD WILL, "TREAT U RITE"! eric stephens (ANGELA DID NOT GIVE ME PERMISSION TO WRITE MY NAME IN CAPS, SORRY, HEY IF SHE DID TO YOU WHAT SHE DID TO ME YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND)! ANGELA WINBUSH IS A WOMAN OF LOVE, GRACE, PASSION, MUSIC, TALENT, AND MOST OF ALL VISION. THE MUSIC SHE HAS CREATED THROUGH WRITTING, PRODUCING, SINGING, PLAYING, & VIDEO IS TRULY A GIFT FOR THE AGES; GREAT TO SEE, AS SHE TOURS, THE PROPS ARE BEING LIFTED UP TO HER WHERE THEY BELONG. THANK YOU MS WINBUSH, HECK AS CLOSE AS WE WERE (EYE TO EYE)I CAN CALL YOU ANGELA; THANK YOU ANGELA FOR YOUR GIFT OF SONG, AND THE JOY THIS CD, THESE SONGS, HAVE BROUGHT AND WILL BRING TO LIVES ALL OVER THE WORLD, YOU ARE JOY!
GOD BLESS

I RECEIVED THIS CD A FEW WEEKS AGO AND I JUST LOVE IT!!! IVE ALWAYS LOVED RENE AND ANGELA AS A DUO BUT I LOVE ANGELA WINBUSH AS A SOLO ARTIST ALSO, THE SONGS ARE EXCELLENT R&B, AND THE VOCALS ARE EQUALLY GREAT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS ALBUM TO ANYONE WHO MISSES THE OLD R&B SOUNDS BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES!!!!

When I first purchased this album years ago, I cried at the sheer passion and emotion that Angela Winbush put into every song. Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, all of these so called female artist really need to sit back and let a real women do her thing. Angel Winbush can sing an Angel out of heaven. Lord have Mercy on anyone that does not recognize this artist as just that a beautiful God filled songtress, full of emotion and passion, integrity and authenticity. WOW what a singer and songwriter as well as musician. The real deal, the full package a real triple threat. Love this album, these songs prove that music used to mean some and if i ever get the chance to see her face to face i will be sure to tell her, what a reamrkable artist she really is.

Angela Winbush started her career as a backup singer for Al Jarreau and then she hooked with Rene Moore and they had formed the group Rene and Angela this woman has a dynamic strong voice I love just about every song that she had ever made I remember hearing You don't have to cry when I was a little girl and when I heard KeKe Wyatt and Avant do the remake I had to have this cd and I am very glad that I had bought it because every song on here is good Hello Beloved w/ her ex-husband Ron Isley and Floating on your love w/ him ..... And just about all of her duets and some of her solo songs such as treat u rite and the real thing I will truly recommend angela and her cds this is a very underrated artist she deserves much more recognition than she has received and she is also a producer and a songwriter so this woman is multitalented !!!!!

There is NO DOUBT that Winbush is a GREAT talent, but this CD should've been a total showcase for her SOLO work!! While the tracklisting is diverse, the Rene & Angela songs could've been left off!! They are impressive songs, BUT REAL Angela Winbush fans already own the 'Best Of Rene & Angela' & 'Street Called Desire' CDs, so there is unnecessary song repetition on this NEW compilation. Also, the song 'Cest Toi (It's You)', should've been left off. The track is an annoying uptempo number which showcases a few French words that Winbush learned!! Angela's rendition of 'Inner City Blues' (Make Me Wanna Holler) is a fine remake, but I would've liked to see the AWESOME 'To Good To Let Go' or 'Keep Turnin Me On' in it's place!! If you REALLY love Angela Winbush, get all 3 of her solo CDs PLUS the 2 Rene & Angela compilations. This way, you can really appreciate Angela's gifts. This CD is for novice Winbush followers, NOT FOR THE REAL FANS!!

Peace, SD (of 'Chaka's World')