PHYLLIS HYMAN or ANGELA BOFILL

[Blooeyz2001]

Here's two very versatile ladies who recorded on Arista Records in the 80's. They could both do justice to ballads, jazz, disco, soul, rhythm & blues, & dance music. My fave would be Hyman because of her husky vocals & way with a ballad. My favorite Hyman disco record would be "You Know How To Love Me". Bofill is good, though she tends to not have total control over her voice at times. I love her ballad "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" & the uptemp tune "Call Of The Wild".

[Ida Sessions]

I would take Phyllis Hyman, only because I'm more familiar with her work. I do love Angela's "Too Tough" though.

[discopsycho]

This is really tough for me since I am a huge fan of both ladies and have seen both in concert. Phyllis was a diva in every sense of the work, whereas Angela seems a little more down to earth. Phyllis's voice was perfect, but I actually like that Angela's isn't at times. Phyllis was worldly, and Angela always seemed a little innocent.

However, I have to say Angela is my fasvorite, because she sometimes sings in Spanish and because she seemed to be much more into singing in public than Phyllis was (at least when I saw them). Phyllis kept complaining about the sound. Sure, perfection is great, but it kind of ruined the mood when during the musical interlude of a ballad she was bitching at someone into a walky-talky. I've seen Angela several times, and she is always upbeat and responsive to the audience. The last time I saw her, she noticed I had a copy of her cd, and she walked across the stage to sign it!

[remicks]

*****

Originally Posted by discopsycho

Phyllis kept complaining about the sound. Sure, perfection is great, but it kind of ruined the mood when during the musical interlude of a ballad she was bitching at someone into a walky-talky.!

Funny you'd mention something like this . In 1980 I saw Diana Ross perform at The Circle Star Theatre in the south bay .... a great venue with a revolving stage that rotated the performing stars in a circle. Diana kept complaining that the sound wasn't good and that the piano was out of tune . That and some queens in the third row repeatedly hollering out a request for "GOD BLESS THE CHILD " :roll: are two parts of the concert I still clearly remember all these years later ....

*****

[keefelc]

Oh my, I saw Phyllis at the Circle Star! She came out and sang with Roy Ayers and his band backing her. She sang a terrific jazzy version of "My Funny Valentine" with Roy on the vibes. During a vocal interlude, when the spotlight was off her, she turned around and started bitching at Roy (loud enough for us to tell she was not pleased!). Roy hand signalled to her that there was something wrong with one of his keyboards and then you saw him making some kind of adjustments. Whatever he did worked because they all sounded incredible.

A couple of years later, we saw Phyllis at the Paramount Theatre (along with Jean Carn and several others, but Phyllis was the headliner!). We had to wait for about an hour before Phyllis started. She even came out at one point to let us know there were some technical difficulties. After the show, I talked to a friend who attended the show with Sylvester. When they went backstage to talk to Phyllis, she excused herself for a few minutes and went outside of her dressing room. The next thing they know, they could hear Phyllis having a well let's just say heated and loud discussion. Then she came back in and told them she paid alot of money for special lighting effects. She was furious that the technicians couldn't get them set up correctly and she let them know it!

But, you know what? We all thought her show was worth the hour wait (and the lights did look fantastic that night!). I wonder if all the people waiting to get in for the second show that night felt the same?

[eddie]

I would have to say Phyllis by a hair. I enjoy the music of both ladies. Phyllis suffered from depression throughout her life. Sometimes shear artistic brilliance can shine through the frequent lows. People who have depression know themselves more and are less trusting and demand more from others.