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Month: August 2014

ESTATE

from UNDER THE DESERT SKY
written by Bruno Martino & Bruno Brighetti

Andrea Bocelli’s “Under The Desert Sky” was a cd/DVD release that features the Italian superstar’s December 2005 concert at Lake Las Vegas. This special event was broadcast throughout 2006 on the American TV network PBS with high ratings. The tracklist presents gorgeous live renditions of many songs from the tenor’s multi-platinum smash album “Amore.” David Foster and Humberto Gatica were responsible for the impeccable production of “Amore” and in charge for “Under The Desert Sky.”

IT’S THE FALLING IN LOVE

from ECCENTRIC AUDIO
written by David Foster & Carole Bayer Sager

From time to time, we discover interesting renditions of songs from the amazing David Foster songbook. This time it’s a beguiling dance cover of “It’s The Falling In Love” by UK modern funk duo Smoove & Turrell. The song was co-written in the late seventies by Foster and Carole Bayer Sager. “It’s The Falling In Love” was recorded by Michael Jackson for his mega-seller album “Off The Wall” and by other famous artists like Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Smoove & Turrell included their take of “It’s The Falling In Love” on their 2011 sophomore cd “Eccentric Audio.”

BABY LOU

from ROCK’N’ROSE
written by Alain Chamfort, Michel Pelay & Serge Gainsbourg

Between the late seventies and the early eighties, many famous European acts recorded albums in California to incorporate their sounds with the magnificent atmospheres of the LA session scene of that era. Good examples were releases by important names like Riccardo Cocciante, Umberto Tozzi , Lucio Battisti, Alan Sorrenti and Alberto Fortis from Italy, Michel Berger, Alain Chamfort, Grimaldi/Zeiher, Sheila and Michel Polnareff from France, Ted Gardestad and Tommy Nilsson from Sweden. On these albums, you can find different studio legends including Ray Parker, Jr., the late Jeff Porcaro, Steve Lukather, Bill Champlin, Richard Page, Ed Greene, Mike Melvoin, Abe Laboriel, Greg Mathieson, Lee Ritenour, Jay Graydon, David Foster and many, many more. Foster appeared prominently in Sorrenti’s “Figli Delle Stelle” and Chamfort’s “Rock’N’Rose.” Both album were recorded in 1977 and include catchy pop songs with extraordinary instrumental back-up and refined arrangements. We reviewed “Figli Delle Stelle” years ago, so this time around we focus on “Rock’N’Rose.”

CINDERELLA BEAUTIFUL

from EAST OF ANGEL TOWN
written by Peter Cincotti & John Bettis

Every now and then we feel the urge to go back and listen to Peter Cincotti’s 2007 album East Of Angel Town. The main reason is that East Of Angel Town is a magnificent record, one of the best pop collections ever heard in the new millennium and certainly one of David Foster’s most challenging productions in recent years. On this album, the wildly gifted singer/songwriter/piano player presented a fantastic string of pop songs that wonderfully blended quality pop, jazz, blues and refined funk. We never tire of spreading the word about East Of Angel Town for its superior musical value. It’s pretty sad that such an endeavor only found limited commercial success in Europe, but it was criminally overlooked in North America, especially thanks to Warner Bros. Records’ off-target release strategy.

GONNA DO MY BEST TO LOVE YOU

from TRY MY LOVE
written by David Foster, Brenda Russell, Brian Russell

R-150-831435-1163270182

Carmen Rosa Vega, aka Tata Vega, is a veteran R&B/gospel vocalist whose powerful voice can be heard on numerous recordings by popular acts including Kenny Loggins, Philip Bailey, Stevie Wonder, Melissa Manchester, Andraé Crouch and Patti Labelle. Apart from being a top-notch session singer, through the years Vega released a series of R&B and gospel albums that showcased her impressive vocal range and superior singing skills. In the second half of the seventies, the singer signed to Tamla Motown Records and subsequently released four solid albums on that label.