Written by George Michael

During his tenure as president of Verve Music Group between the end of 2011 to 2016, David Foster produced successful records for superstars including Rod Stewart, Diana Krall, Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli. Foster also showcased new talents with releases by The Voice Season 9 winner, Jordan Smith, R&B vocalist and American Idol Season 2 winner, Ruben Studdard and Malaysian singer, Yuna. Another great new talent that Foster signed on Verve was American  jazz and R&B songbird Brenna Whitaker. Her self-titled debut cd saw the light of day in 2015. The Hitman produced the record with his right-hand man and engineer supreme, Jochem van der Saag.

Brenna Whitaker showcased clever reworkings of classic and contemporary hits plus a couple of interesting originals, a well-dosed blend of traditional pop and R&B with strong blues and jazz overtones. Ms. Whitaker’s voice was  perfect for that kind of material and atmospheres. Her powerful and expressive articulation, under Foster’s expert guidance, totally stole the show as she delivered one great performance after another. There were many catchy moments on Brenna Whitaker which contained tasteful instrumental tracks delivered by the Hitman and his usual A-list of musicians and arrangers.

This week’s pick is “One More Try,” a song that is initially left off of Brenna Whitaker’s original release. The release of “One More Try” eventually surfaces as an iTunes bonus track.

“One More Try” was a cover of the incomparable George Michael’s (1963-2016) #1 hit from his 1987 multi-platinum smash, Faith. Whitaker’s classy performance echoes legends like Etta James (1938-2021) and Peggy Lee (1920-2002) who were among the young singer’s main influences. Foster’s arrangement gave the song a strong bluesy feel enhanced by Michael Thompson’s guitar work. The prominent horns were arranged by Chris Walden and gave the song a Blood Sweat & Tears flavor, especially on the intro.

Brenna Whitaker makes for a pleasant listen for the lovers of traditional pop, jazz and blues with a modern twist. The listener will also hear more than a bit of the fabulous Amy Winehouse (1983-2011).

Listen

• Lead Vocal: Brenna Whitaker
• Keyboards: David Foster
• Bass: Carlitos del Puerto
• Drums: Lyndon Rochelle
• Guitar: Michael Thompson
• Horns: Alex Iles, Bill Reichenbach, Brandon Fields, Chris Bradio, Chris Gray, Chuck Findley, Dan Higgins, Greg Huckins, Jeff Driskill, Jon Papenbrook & Paul Young

• Horns Arranged by Chris Walden
• Produced & Arranged by David Foster
• Co-Produced by Jochem van der Saag

Lyrics

I’ve had enough of danger
And these people on the streets
I’m looking out for angels
Just trying to find some peace
Now I think it’s time
That you let me know
So if you love me
Say you love me
But if you don’t
Just let me go…

When you were just a stranger
And I was at your feet
I didn’t feel the danger
Now I feel the heat
Now I feel the heat

That look in your eyes
Telling me “No”
So you think that you love me
Know that you need me
I know you’re wrong, I wrote the song
Just let me go…

And teacher
There are things that I don’t want to learn
Oh the last one I had
Made me cry
So I don’t want to learn to
Hold you, touch you
And think that you’re mine
Because it ain’t no joy
For an uptown boy
Whose teacher has told him goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

So when you say that you need me
That you’ll never leave me
I know you’re wrong, you’re not that strong
Let me go

And teacher
There are things that I still have to learn
But the one thing I have is my pride
Oh, so I don’t want to learn to
Hold you, touch you
And think that you’re mine
Because there ain’t no joy
For an uptown boy
Who just isn’t willing to try
So cold inside
But maybe just one more try

David Foster and Burt Bacharach have been friends for many, many years. Foster has always considered the legendary songwriter a point of reference and master of his craft. The Hitman’s most sophisticated pop music which would have sounded different without the maestro’s influence.

There’s a lot of respect and mutual esteem between these two music legends. They co-wrote a few songs together including “Girls Know How” for the late Al Jarreau (1940-2017) that’s been reviewed in the archives. Foster played on Bacharach’s big hits of the eighties including “On My Own” by Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald, Neil Diamond’s “Heartlight” and “That’s What Friends Are For” with Dionne Warwick featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder. Years ago, the Kansas City-born Bacharach even declared that “After The Love Is Gone” was one of the songs he wished he had written and that’s not little praise coming from such a music genius. In the fall of 2015, Foster produced the debut cd of newcomer Brenna Whitaker. Among the material on Brenna Whitaker were two classics co-written by Bacharach and the late Hal David (1921-2012); “Anyone Who Had A Heart” and “A House Is Not A Home” with the latter being the Song of the Week.

Like many Bacharach/David gems, “A House Is Not A Home” was first popularized in 1964 by Dionne Warwick. Among the innumerable covers of this song, the definitive one was sung in 1981 by the late, great Luther Vandross (1951-2005). Alternately, Foster’s arrangement for Ms. Whitaker had a charming, jazzy flavor that keeps an understated sense to the song. The young pop/jazz singer delivered a great, warm performance with a delicious retro feel.

If you’ve never heard Brenna Whitaker, give this cd a chance. Needless to say, the production is immaculate and the instrumental performances are right on target. The real treat here is Ms. Whitaker’s voice. She ranks in the best tradition of singers including the late Dusty Springfield (1939-1999), the late Patsy Cline (1932-1963) or the aforementioned Ms. Warwick. The music world really needs these kinds of singers today.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/A-House-Is-Not-A-Home.mp3|titles=A House Is Not A Home|artists=Brenna Whitaker]

Lead Vocals: Brenna Whitaker
Keyboards: David Foster
Bass: Carlos Del Puerto
Drums: Lyndon Rochelle
Programming: Jochem van der Saag
Strings Arranged by David Foster & Chris Walden

Produced & Arranged by David Foster
Co-Produced by Jochem van der Saag

Lyrics

A chair is still a chair
Even when there’s no one sitting there
But a chair is not a house
And a house is not a home
When there’s no one there to hold you tight,
And no one there you can kiss good night.

A room is still a room
Even when there’s nothing there but gloom;
But a room is not a house,
And a house is not a home
When the two of us are far apart
And one of us has a broken heart.

Now and then I call your name
And suddenly your face appears
But it’s just a crazy game
When it ends it ends in tears.

Darling, have a heart,
Don’t let one mistake keep us apart.
Whatever I’m not meant to live alone.
Turn this house into a home.
When I climb the stair and turn the key,
Oh, please be there still in love with me

Written by David Foster, Jochem van der Saag, Maureen McDonald & Brenna Whitaker

The 2016 Grammy nominations were announced on December 7th.One of the welcomed surprises was the nod for Jochem van der Saag, David Foster’s right-hand man, for his engineering work together with Jorge Vivo on Diana Krall’s Wallflower. Van der Saag has been a key element in Foster’s camp for the past fifteen years, first as a programmer and, eventually, as an engineer and co-producer. Recently, Foster productions like We Love Disney and Wallflower greatly benefit from the fine tuning, fresh sounds, superior drum and synth programming and great mixes created by the Netherlands-born talent. Another great example of van der Saag’s artistry can be heard on Brenna Whitaker’s debut cd.

Whitaker is a young American singer with an impressive voice that breathes jazz and blues influences of legends like Etta James and Peggy Lee. She was signed by Foster on Verve Records and Fall 2015 saw the release of her self-titled record. Produced by Foster and co-produced by van der Saag, Brenna Whitaker is a fine collection of classic pop and jazz covers with a few original songs written for the occasion. The cd is perfectly crafted and beautifully executed by Whitaker and her world-class team. Whitaker’s voice is pure joy to listen to on soulful evergreens like “Misty Blue,” “A House Is Not A Home,” “It’s A Good Day” and “My Heart Cries For You.” She masters the classic repertoire previously sung by legends like Ray Charles and Dionne Warwick with confidence, grace and power. All those classic melodies are delivered with elegant strings and horns arranged by Foster and his collaborators Chris Walden and Dan Higgins who cleverly fused the classics with modern backing tracks. The result is extremely hip musically and has a strong radio-friendly appeal. The new songs are also quite interesting. Van der Saag’s original “Sayonara” is utterly irresistible yet the big band rendition of Sam Sparro’s hit “Black & Gold” is worth the price of admission. Another highlight is the pop ballad, “When I’m Gone.” Co-written by Foster, van der Saag and Whitaker with new pop hitmaker Maureen “Mozilla” McDonald, “When I’m Gone” is excellent proof that the Kansas City-born singer could easily become the next big thing on top 40 radio. The track was all played and programmed by van der Saag and Foster plus the song features a catchy melody and powerful refrain. Whitaker’s performance is a knock-out as she perfectly transmits the bittersweet feel of the tune while showcasing her impressive palette of vocal colors. Here, Foster’s unique gift to get the best vocal performance from an artist plus his unmistakable pop sensibility is greatly appreciated.  Van der Saag’s aforementioned top-notch value for his fantastic programming and sound design is also held in high esteem.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/when_im_gone.mp3|titles=When I’Am Gone|artists=Brenna Whitaker]

Lead Vocals: Brenna Whitaker
Keyboards, Programming & Sound Design: Jochem van der Saag
Additional Keyboards: David Foster

Produced & Arranged by Jochem van der Saag & David Foster

Lyrics

No Lyrics