written by Richard Hahn & George Thatcher

Taylor Dayne is an American pop singer who had a good strings of pop/dance hits between the late eighties and the nineties with songs like “Tell It To My Heart,” “Don’t Rush Me,” “Love Will Lead You Back” and “I’ll Be Your Shelter.”

In 1993, Dayne released her third album entitled “Soul Dancing.” It was another good collection of the singer’s usual mix of dance moments and adult contemporary ballads with the production handled by big names like Clivilles & Cole, Shep Pettibone, Ric Wake, Narada Michael Walden and Humberto Gatica. Clivilles & Cole produced the first single, a cover of the Barry White classic, “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love” that was a #1 dance single and a top twenty entry on Billboard’s Hot 100. Wake produced the bulk of the record including a couple of good Diane Warren ballads but the best moment on the album was another ballad, “Send Me A Lover,” co-written by Rich Hahn and George Thatcher and helmed by Gatica. This song was originally recorded by Celine Dion in 1992 but didn’t make the final track of her self-titled album so Gatica kept the same backing track and gave it to Dayne who did a very good job with it. Another key element of the song is the gorgeous performance on the acoustic piano by David Foster. The Hitman’s unmistakable touch gently accompanies Dayne’s performance of this song that became the second single off “Soul Dancing.” It was another minor chart entry for the singer and a top twenty adult contemporary hit. Eventually Dion’s version was also made available on various compilations and also charted as an adult contemporary single in 1996.
Finally we’d like to remember the late, talented Claude Gaudette who collaborated with Foster for many years and who beautifully arranged this song.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/send_me_a_lover.mp3|titles=Send Me A Lover|artists=Taylor Dayne]

Lead Vocals: Taylor Dayne
Acoustic Piano: David Foster
Guitar: Michael Landau
Bass: Neil Stubenhaus
Background Vocals: Warren Wiebe

Arranged by Claude Gaudette
Produced by Humberto Gatica

Lyrics

I wasn’t searching to end this hurting
But out of nowhere you made me feel
I cried about it, I lied about it
And tired to doubt this could be real

You’ve touched me far too much
I’m letting go of all the pain
I’m into you in every way

Send me a lover someone to believe in
Please send me someone that I can hold
Baby now
Send me a lover a new beginning
Someone to take away the cold

And give me back
What I’ve been missing
All the love that lays
And waits inside your heart

It still astounds me the way you found me
It’s almost too good to be true
From our first meeting I had the feeling
The rest of my life I’d spend with you

Now I can’t just turn my back
On everything I’ve heard you say
I’m into you in every way

Send me a lover someone to believe in
Please send me someone that I can hold
Baby now
Send me a lover a new beginning
Someone to take away the cold

And give me back
All that I’ve been missing
All the love that lays
And waits inside your heart

I thought that love was only a word
I’d never feel
All the pa*sion I hold inside
Was simply just a dream, yeah

‘Cause out of your heart you gave to me
I know it’s real
And I’ve fallen so in love with you

Send me a lover someone to believe in
Please send me someone that I can hold
Send me a lover a new beginning
Someone to take away my cold

And give me back
All that I’ve been missing
All the love that lays
And waits inside your heart

written by David Foster & Linda Thompson

This 2012 holiday season brought to David Foster fans a wonderful surprise from Korea. It’s a gorgeous cover of Foster’s classic, “My Grown-Up Christmas List.” With lyrics written by the gifted Linda Thompson, “My Grown-Up Christmas List” has become a modern-day evergreen with countless renditions by legendary names like Barbra Streisand and Aretha Franklin.

This new version is part of a special work entitled “Hitman Project,” the brainchild of a very talented group of Korean music-makers, that will release in the near future more goodies from Foster’s unique songbook. This first fruit of their hard work  is beautifully sung by Ailee, a young and absolutely gifted singer, also from Korea. The arrangement is irresistible with lush orchestration, jazzy changes and clear references to Foster’s trademark work on the acoustic and electric piano. Big kudos to the producer, Hwang, Chan Lee for the top notch result. “My Grown-Up Christmas List” can be found on I-Tunes so why don’t you make yourself a gift and go and buy it? There’s also an instrumental version that showcases even more all the musicians’ noteworthy job.
Merry Christmas!

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/my_grown_up_christmas_list.mp3|titles=My Grown up Christmas List|artists=Ailee]

Lead Vocals: Ailee
Guitar: Hong, Joon Ho
Bass: Choi, In Seong
Drums: Ha, Hyung Joo
Strings: Yung Strings
Percussion: Lee, Su Hyeok
Acoustic Piano: Hwang, Chan Hee & Hong, So Jin
Electric Piano & Organ: Hong, So Jin
Chorus: Yang, Geun Young

Strings Arranged by Park, In Young

Produced by Hwang, Chan Lee

Lyrics

Do you remember mer
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies

Well, I’m all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I’m not a child
But my heart still can dream

So here’s my lifelong wish
My grown up Christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up Christmas list

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree

Well heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up Christmas list

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth
(there’d be)

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, oh
This is my grown up Christmas list
This is my only life long wish
This is my grown up Christmas list

written by David Foster, Rod Stewart & Amy Foster

The fall of 2012 saw the release of Rod Stewart’s first seasonal album ever entitled “Merry Christmas Baby.” Produced & Arranged by The Hitman, David Foster, “Merry Christmas Baby” is the perfect soundtrack for this upcoming holidays. Foster, like he did on previous multi-platinum Christmas releases by Josh Groban, Michael Bublè and Andrea Bocelli, worked his magic on a number of evergreens adding his  smooth and elegant touch to Stewart’s unmistakable voice.

The UK superstar’s vocal performances are really impressive throughout the collection while the overall mood of “Merry Christmas Baby” is jazzy and lush with spectacular orchestrations and superior instrumental performances. There are several irresistible moments like the opener, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” a virtual duet with Ella Fitzgerald, the gorgeous “We Three Kings” with special guest, Mary J. Blige and an acoustic, stripped down version of “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow” that already skyrocketed to the top of the Adult Contemporary chart. Stewart’s R&B side comes out on a couple of goodies like the title track and the newly written, “Red-Suited Super Man.” The first is an amazing duet with Cee Lo Green packed up with horns, guitar and an infectious beat in the best Motown tradition. The same retro feel is present on “Red-Suited Super Man” co-written by the singer with Foster and lyrics written by Foster’s daughter Amy. This tune also has strong echoes of the best soul music of the sixties. Both tracks feature the great Trombone Shorty while other big names like Chris Botti, Dave Koz, Dean Parks and Peter Erskine appear on various moments of this top notch recording. “Merry Christmas Baby” is already on its way to platinum status in the US but also selling like hot cakes in the UK and worldwide thus becoming the absolute winner of this holiday season.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/red_suited_super_man.mp3|titles=Red-Suited Super Man|artists=Rod Stewart]

Lead Vocal: Rod Stewart
Feat. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews on trombone & Trumpet
Keyboards: David Foster
Guitars: Dean Parks
Percussion: Matt O’Connor
Baritone Saxophone: Dan Oestreicher
Tenor Saxophone: Tim McFatter
Saxophone Solo: Jimmy Roberts
Background Vocals: Bridget Cady, KimberlyJohnson & Dieyelle Reed

Strings Arranged by David Foster & Chris Walden
Horns Arrangement by David Foster
Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

Listen!
The tree is ready and the stockings are all hung
The fire is blazing and the carols are all sung
Everybody’s waiting for a miracle, so
Santa bring some joy to us all

It’s the season to leave our troubles behind
How amazing if the world was giving and kind
It might be crazy, It might take a miracle
Santa bring some peace to us all

If anyone can do it, it’s Santa who can
He’s red suited super superman
He knows everybody, ‘got a list with all our names
And he rocks the whole world in that old fashioned sleigh

Come over here baby, let’s watch the snow fall
Check out the North star, didn’t it start it all?
It’s still shinin’,that’s a miracle
So Santa bring some hope to us all

He’s a red suited super superman
And he rocks the whole world in that old fashioned sleigh

I look around me, what else could I need?
All my friends and family, so I gotta believe
Life is a blessing for every boy and girl
So Santa bring some love to us all

I said Santa bring some love to us all
I mean Santa!,I said Santa!
Bring some love to us all

Oooh bring us, bring us
Just a little peace and love on this Earth

Santa, Santa, I believe in Santa
Oh yes I do, oh yes I do

written by Carole King, Gerry Goffin & Jerry Wexler

The professional relationship between international superstar, Celine Dion and super-producer, David Foster has been a milestone in both their fantastic careers. Foster was the first big-name music-maker promoting her talent outside Canada and since the late Eighties to this day they have crafted an impressive number of modern day classics.

Recently, many of those goodies were released by Sony Music in a compilation entitled “The Best Of Celine Dion & David Foster.” This new collection includes # 1’s like “The Power Of Love,” “All By Myself” and “Because You Loved Me” plus masterpieces like “The Prayer,” sung with Andrea Bocelli, “To Love You More” and “Tell Him,” her amazing duet with Barbra Streisand. There are also precious album tracks like “I Hate Then I Love You” and “All The Way” respectively in duet with the legendary Luciano Pavarotti and Frank Sinatra.“The Best Of Celine Dion & David Foster” also presents a few tracks from special projects like “The Power Of The Dream” and a rousing cover of “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman,” this last song originally recorded in 1995 on a tribute album to the amazing  singer/songwriter, Carole King. This song isn’t as well-known as many others on this compilation but it’s a true show-stopper thanks to the singer’s fantastic vocal performance. Foster, once again, brought out the absolute best from the Canadian songbird. Dion’s cover of the Carole King classic was released as a single and had good success on the Canadian and American Adult contemporary charts. There’s also a true rarity on “The Best Of Celine Dion & David Foster.” It’s an unreleased, virtual duet with the late Elvis Presley on his song, “If I Can Dream.”  Foster produced, and in some occasions co-wrote, this stunning body of work with his peerless artistry that served perfectly Dion’s spectacular voice
The only major complaint about this interesting collection is the absence of “Listen To Me,” a gorgeous, rarely heard, duet with the late, unforgettable, Warren Wiebe, that would have been perfectly in place here.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/a_natural_woman.mp3|titles=(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman|artists=Celine Dion]

Lead Vocals: Celine Dion
Keyboards: David Foster
Guitars: Michael Thompson

Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

Looking out on the morning rain
I used to feel so uninspired
And when I knew I had to face another day
Lord, it made me feel so tired

Before the day I met you, life was so unkind
But you’re the key to my peace of mind

‘Cause you make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman

When my soul was in the lost and found
You came along, to claim it
I didn’t know just what was wrong with me
‘Til your kiss helped me name it

Now I’m no longer doubtful of what I’m living for
And if I make you happy I don’t need to do more

‘Cause you make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman

Oh, baby, what you done to me?
You make me feel so good inside
And I just wanna be close to you
You make me feel so alive

You make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman

You make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman

written by David Foster & Tom Keane

David Foster is recognized worldwide as The Hitman, the brilliant mind behind some of pop music’s most loved songs and top hits ever but Foster is also an outstanding, top notch musician.
From the old days when his keyboards graced countless sessions to his most recent platinum-plus productions, the Canadian wizard has always been one of pop music’s best piano players and his instrumental performances are an absolute pleasure to listen to.

Some of the best examples of his superior skills belong to an album, recorded in 1988, entitled “The Symphony Sessions.” That record includes classical inspired compositions all written or co-written by Foster and performed live on piano with the accompaniment of The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and a few selected special guests. The high level of the musical pieces, the full-force orchestral backing and Foster’s amazing piano performances result in an outstanding musical work. “Piano Concerto In G” is the opening number and sets the atmosphere of the recording. Co-written with the talented Tom Keane, it is an intense piece with strong echoes of Rachmaninov that builds a fantastic musical landscape with a magnificent orchestration courtesy of Jeremy Lubbock that gives Foster’s virtuoso piano playing the perfect place to shine. Lubbock’s spectacular work as co-arranger, orchestrator and co-producer was a key element on “The Symphony Sessions.” Foster gave such  amazing instrumental performances cause he knew that Lubbock was there backing him up in such a great way. “Piano Concerto In G” became the b-side of “Winter Games,” the official theme of the Calgary Winter Olympics and the most famous track on the album, that was released as a single with good chart success.
“The Symphony Sessions” presents a series of moving and romantic melodies like “Time Passing” and “Water Fountain” that are pure musical bliss and more sheer evidence of Foster’s incredible talent also as songwriter. This album also received a couple of Grammy nominations and stands out, to this day, as one of Foster’s most adventurous works ever.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/piano_concerto_in_g.mp3|titles=Piano Converto In G|artists=David Foster]

Acoustic Piano: David Foster
with The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Arranged by David Foster & Jeremy Lubbock
Orchestrated by Jeremy Lubbock

Produced by David Foster
Co-Producer: Jeremy Lubbock

Lyrics

No Lyrics