How the album "Never Too Much" was created: history and background, recording and track list
Содержание
Luther Vandross - American soul singerHe is a talented author and producer. His music bank is full of awards, big titles and famous works, and his worldwide circulation has long exceeded the mark. 25 million copies! Today, influential publications call him one of the best singers of all time, but this was not always the case. The path of this man was thorny and rutted, but Vandross managed to withstand all the trials of fate and become a source of inspiration for thousands of his followers. "You can never have too much." - This is the title of his debut solo album, the story of which we decided to recall.
History of creation: background and sources of inspiration
Vandross was a diligent student 60-х: like a sponge, he absorbed all the personality traits that shaped the sensitivity and sentimentality of his musical aspirations. His teachers were such notorious figures as Patti Labelle, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin.… "Never Too Much." was his solo debut and his ticket to global stardom. Filled with grandiose orchestral arrangements, the record takes us back to a time when black music was in transition: hip-hop was just forming, and people had no interest in what is now called disco.
History Vandrossa as an artiste began when he dropped out of university and started working. Collaborating with now legends such as David Bowie or Donna SummerLuther eventually joined the group. "Change" by Jacques Fred Petrus.. After the resounding success of the tracks "A Lover's Holiday," "The Glow of Love." и "Searching." his name was recognised by the whole world! And with that, Vandross decided to do away with "Change." and go on a solo voyage.
Working on a happy "Never Too Much." boiled over in the beginning 80-хwhen Vandross was actively selling his songs through record companies. And then a miracle happened: the then senior vice president of CBS Records. Larkin Arnold and a record executive jumped at the chance to sign the singer to subsidiary label Epic Records after hearing one song from his demo tape. And that song was called "Never Too Much.".
Recording
The recording of Vandross' solo debut featured musicians with whom the singer has previously collaborated. The pianist Nat Adderley, Jr. was the keyboardist and musical arranger for the entire album. He also played the role of Luther's chief musical advisor until his death in 2005-м.
Marcus Miller played bass, and the famous Motown arranger. Paul Reiser took on the orchestral duties. Together they realised the full power of Vandross's musical vision, weaving a lush tapestry of soul, funk, post-disco. и jazz!
Sound
As producer of the album, Vandross wrote six of the seven tracks. The recording sounds clean and organic, one can sense the maestro's particular musical aesthetic... The sequence and flow have been carefully coordinated, as if everything was recorded in one take. There is nothing out of place. Voice Vandrossa - a separate musical landscape full of passionate and dynamic tones.....
The album opens with the eponymous "Never Too Much."which refers the listener to the despair of early black romanticism. 80-х. The track is at once fresh and playful, then ambitious, as well as overtly emotional and reassuring. The pure innocence dramatised in the seven tracks conveys serenity... The grey gloom and melancholy that hovered in the atmosphere of the stunning horizon seems to have been imprinted here New York of those years.
Song list
One of the most notable numbers was the composition Dionne Warwick 1964 years "A House Is Not a Home"which ends the record. This cover is more than just Vandross's signature: it serves as a tribute to his past fascination with leading female singers 60-х, as well as a stunning portrait of his remarkable skill as a ballad singer. Enjoy all the songs from "Never Too Much." in person!
"Never Too Much."
"Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl)."
"Don't You Know That?"
"I've Been Working"
"She's a Super Lady"
"You Stopped Loving Me"
"A House Is Not a Home"
Graduation and success
The record saw the light of day in August 1981 of the year, and immediately marked the artistic triumph to which Vandross had been travelling for so long! The album reached number 12 Billboard Pop Albums and topped the chart R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It eventually went platinum twice, and Luther himself was nominated for two Grammy Awards.
