Best And Beyond

Gino's new album is a tribute to his work that is beyond the best. The new arrangements of some of my favorite songs are the best ever, and the ones of songs that I never really liked much are beyond my wildest dreams, so much so that I really, really, like listening to them on this album. Props to his talented musicians and back-up artists, but as always Gino and his vocal passion are the star of the show.

I never really connected to the song "black cars" and in it's past life thought the song and its album arrangement were not worthy of him singing it. Well...not any more. I just love, love, love, this arrangement. The music is just terrific and Gino's vocal talents are front and center. The same for "wild horses".

I did not think "brother to brother" or "I just wanna stop" could be done any better....but I was wrong. They are beyond wonderful. "Crazy Life" is better than the re-recorded version on "Live in Montreal" and not nearly long enough. I just wanted him to sing it on and on and on. It is a spectacular lead-in to "black cars".

"The surest things can change", "living inside myself", and "put the weight on my shoulders" have grown up. You can just feel the shades of life experience when he sings them now...vintage Gino....like sipping fine wine!

For me the only songs on the album that are the best are "people gotta move" and "venus envy". Everything else is way beyond that. Listening gives me the feeling that Gino is in a good place in his life.

I have written a good many words about some of my favorite Gino music for Amazon. I think I am running out of superlatives to describe it, so I will simply say...buy it...listen...experience, and enjoy.

To have a full appreciation for Gino Vannelli's album entitled The Best & Beyond" one has to have a sense of the history of the artist behind the music. I have followed Gino Vannelli's singing and recording career since my graduate study days at Kent State University back in the 1970's. At that time I happened to be walking past a room of someone who lived down the hall from me in what was then the now demolished Terrace Hall graduate dorm.

The music I heard through the door was really fantastic as I never heard anything or anyone like it before. What immediately struck me when I was first walking by the dorm room where the music was coming from was the voice of the recording artist. It was pure, strong, on exact note at every point and had such an innate moxie and sexiness quality about it that you couldn't do anything but love hearing it. The style of music I was hearing was not main stream pop but leaned heavily toward a mix of jazz with the then up and coming fusion style. I thought to myself, "this is rediculous - how can anyone sing let alone put lyrics to a fusion style of music?" Up to that point I thought the best singing voice in history had been Frank Sinatra but when I heard Vannelli's pipes I immediate thought "Move over Frank, this new unknown is in town and is better than you!!".

So out of musical curiosity I knocked on this person's door, introduced myself and asked the person occupying the room what recording artist it was she was listening too. She invited me into her room and immediately pulled out three Gino Vannelli record albums and asked me if I would like to stay and listen to all her albums such as Storm at Sunup, The Gist of The Gemini, A Pauper in Paradise. The rest is history as we sat there for about three hours and listened to and discussed the life and times of Gino Vannelli.

In any case I began to then purchase everything I could find on Gino Vannelli. His albums at that time were easy to find at local shops as he was on the mainstream A&M label as he had been "discovered" by label owner and Tijuana Brass band leader, Herb Albert. Over the years Vannell's style of singing moved toward pop (Brother to Brother, Nightwalker/Black Cars, Powerful People) which caused his singing career to go mainstream with top-pop singles along the way. As he continued he eventually moved his production to European music labels and later to his own production with his brother. Also during this time his singing and musical style evolved from jazz-fusion to pop and then onto a semi-opera style Canto and most recently to classic nightclub style lyrical jazz as in the album A Good Thing.

And this little bit of artist history brings me to his most recent album release (The Best And Beyond). Over the years Gino Vannelli has rereleased many of his previous songs over and over again usually as a "best hits" or an anthology album (Ultimate Collection) as many artists do, and in keeping with his the original recorded styles. But this import production "Best & Beyond" album is different. Rather than just his continuing the re-release cycle going Gino Vannelli has actually taken the step to reinterpret many of his pop-hits and in a couple of different ways.

Several songs that were originally fast tempo are now performed in slow tempo. His phrasing and metering of the originals puts a more seductive quality to the sound of the music. Also most of the fusion-style instrumentation of the original recordings is now with this "Best & Beyond" album been made "warmer" as he now utilizes plenty of brass into the orchestraic mix. The sound is reminiscent of the analog production days and almost total non-existence of any cold and sterile digital sound quality that were a trademark of his previous recordings.

In effect Gino Vannelli has "modernized" his previously released music by taking a step backwards toward a much more intimate and warmer singing style and sound quality. It sounds now much more intimate with its touch of nightime smooth blues style. I beleive that he is on to something whereby he can re-introduce much of his past fabulous music to the public without risking it being labeled yet another "best hits" anthology.

Though the content of the album is comprised of past songs they really are different and new souding. The album is certainly worth buying as it seems this musical talent is beginning to embark on a journey to re-invent himself. This would be an intersting journey to follow as this artist's voice and style is truly a cut way above any singer in history and is truly needed to remind people of what good singing and music really is.

I have been steadfast fan of Gino Vanelli since the 80's. Possessing a massive vocal talent with his unique voice, coupled with the musical instrument talents of his brother Joe, Gino's music has become timeless. This is a 21st Century treasure!

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