Before Me
| Before Me | |
|---|---|
| Studio album by Gladys Knight | |
|
Publication |
|
| Label (s) | verve |
|
Format (s) |
CD |
|
Title (number) |
12 |
|
running time |
52:51 |
| occupation |
|
Before Me is a pop-jazz album by Gladys Knight that was released on Verve in 2006 .
background
Gladys Knight, who had a long career as a soul singer, first recorded an album in 2006 at the age of 62 of ballads and jazz standards that had influenced her throughout her career. The album can be seen as an homage to their musical role models. The standards are interpreted by Knight on a high vocal level and on a high musical level by well-known jazz musicians such as Joe Sample and Roy Hargrove.
reception
Rob Theakston wrote on Allmusic : [Before me] is wonderfully relaxing, stylish and enjoyable, devoid of vocal theatrics, another important chapter and climax in a career full of them.
Samuel Chell wrote on allaboutjazz: Gladys Knight has an excellent voice (and not just "for her age"), and trades some of her usual earthiness for a smoother, more spirited, shinier tone. Certainly, if energy and enthusiasm, sincerity and abundant goodwill are worth much, she deserves high marks for her impressive, irrepressible performance on this collection of indestructible standards .
Other participating musicians
- Soprano saxophone , flute : Charlie Pillow
- Alto saxophone : Steve Wilson
- Alto saxophone , alto flute : Jeff Clayton
- Alto saxophone , flute : Charles Owens - Dave Mann
- Tenor saxophone : Keith Fiddmont - Rickey Woodard
- Baritone saxophone , bass clarinet : Lee Callet
- Trumpet , flugelhorn : Bijon Watson - Brian Schwartz - Gilbert Castellanos - James Ford - Jeff Kievit - Kyle Palmer - Sal Cracchiolo - Tony Kadleck
- Trumpet : Bill Reichenbach junior - George Flynn - Ira Nepus - Jacques Voyemant - Jim Pugh - Maurice Spears - Ryan Parker
- Drums : Jeff Hamilton - Mark McLean
- Percussion : Joe Porcaro
- Piano : Billy Childs - Tamir Hendelman
- Guitar : Jeffrey Mironov
- Violin : Armen Garabedian - Berj Garabedian - Joel Derouin - Mari Tsumura - Mario De Leon - Michell Richards - Peter Kent - Ron Clark - Sid Page - Yvette Devereauz
- Cello : Larry Corbett - Dan Smith - Rudy Stein - Eugene Moye - Mark Shuman - Richard Locker
- Viola : Carrie Holzman-Little - Crystal Garner - Denyse Buffum - Evan Wilson - Matt Funes - Roland Kato - Sarah Adams - Desiree Elsevier - Vincent Lioni
- Bass : Christoph Luty - David Finck - Gail Kruvand Moye - John Clayton - Larry Glazener
Track list
- Do Nothing till You Hear from Me ( Ellington , Russell ) - 3:56
- The Man I Love ( Gershwin , Gershwin ) - 4:22
- Good Morning Heartache ( Drake , Fisher , Higginbotham ) - 4:25
- Since I Fell for You ( Johnson ) - 3:51
- God Bless the Child ( Herzog , Holiday ) - 4:55
- This Bitter Earth ( Otis ) - 4:06
- I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (Ellington, Webster ) - 4:24
- Someone to Watch over Me (Gershwin, Gershwin) - 4:54
- But Not for Me (Gershwin, Gershwin) - 4:00
- I'll Be Seeing You ( Fain , Kahal ) - 3:58
- Stormy Weather ( Arlen , Koehler ) - 4:26
- Come Sunday (Ellington) - 5:34
Individual evidence
- ↑ Review at jazzreview ( Memento from October 16, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Review at Jazztimes
- ↑ Review at focus.de
- ↑ Wonderfully relaxing, classy, and pleasantly void of vocal histrionics, Before Me is another important chapter and highlight in a career that is chock-full of them.
- ↑ Gladys Knight is also in excellent voice (and not simply "for her years"), exchanging some of her customary grit and earthiness for a smoother, sultrier, more lustrous sound. Certainly, if energy and enthusiasm, sincerity and abundant good will count for much, she deserves high marks for her commanding, irrepressible performance on this collection of resilient standards.
Web links
- Using Her Gifts for Good ( Memento from September 28, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- Review at allaboutjazz
- Before Me at Allmusic (English)