Schuur Fire

Wow, I thought there would be a lot of reviews by now, where is everybody?? Let me start by saying that I am a HUGE Diane fan, have been for years and will continue to be. I'm at an age where I have witnessed first hand her chapter changes in her career and we are on chapter two, the best chapter so far. Diane's first chapter began in the eighties, when she recorded her first album in Seattle, Washington and experienced great loss when a fire destroyed her first album masters. Panning forward a couple of years she was discovered by Nancy Reagan as was invited to perform at a televised event at the White House. I was in my early twenties at the time, witnessed the televised event and fell in love on the spot. My friends were listening to groups like Duran Duran and the like, I headed into another direction with Diane at the helm.

Diane was signed to GRP records in the eighties and her music met the vernacular of the day. She recorded standards and pop songs using the latest in synthesizer technolgies. Today, this early work marks time and the bulk of her GRP recordings are now out of print. Diane closed chapter one of her career with a one-off album recorded for Atlantic records.

Chapter two begins with "Friends For Schuur" recorded for her very supportive jazz label Concord Records. In the past, Diane played with her last name as a title of her albums like "Friends" and "Pure Schuur," "Schuur Thing," and a few other titles. Diane released two other albums with Concord, one with Maynard Ferguson and "Midnight" produced and arranged by Barry Manilow, a recent labelmate. On this outing, Diane experiments with a Carribean atmosphere and the ending result is the soundtrack for the summer. Not afraid to experiment within an experiment, she does daring covers, one of which refers to the aforementioned Duran Duran. "Ordinary World" is one of my all time favorite Duran Duran songs and Diane turns out a classic jazz arrangement all the while supplying a four block harmony arrangement via mult-vocal overdubbing. James Taylor is complimented with a well sung and interesting tropical arrangement of "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight." Standards abound and the album contains an obligatory Cole Porter composition and like all Porter songs, works well with the theme of the album it's regulated to, in this case a rousing version of "So In Love." Diane, how are you going to top this one??

Following the career of this sassy diva for years, who would have thought Diane Schuur had it in her to swing into high gear and go over the top!! This work is inspired in a "Wow!" kind of way.

The opener is the standard "Lover Come Back To Me". Well, the name is the only "standard" thing about it! Like many of the other songs in this album, the Caribbean Jazz Project creates some hot salsa arrangements! Diane's vocals are far and away her best. For example, "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" will take the top of your head off! Nobody (including Baby James himself) can pull off anything close to the feeling that Diane injects into the phrasing of this ballad. Hot and sultry, the musicians and Diane make magic with "So In Love". This one is an exceptional listen! Nobody can sing Stevie Wonder like Diane Schuur! What she does with "As" is dazzling! She truly could do an album of only Stevie Wonder songs to perfection. There is a satisfying but beautiful maturity to "Confession". "Yellow Days" is a fine ending to this collection.

For all of the Diane Schuur fans, this is a must for your collections. For jazz vocal fans--you must experience this album. For Diane herself, thank you! You are a beautiful soul!

I found the musical arrangements on this CD detailed and brilliant.

Once again, Ms. Schuur executes a flawless vocal performance that is both original and daring.

The song selection is very innovative and pleasurable.

The plan to re orchestrate the DURAN DURAN song ORDINARY WORLD is nothing less than a jazz tour de force.

Schuur softly adapts her vocal styling to enhance the Caribbean essence and blend skillfully into the forefront of this project.

If you worship music that is stylish then this beautifully crafted product is for you. A great CD for all to discover!

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