Madonna goes Philly

[SandraDee]

Originally Posted by JussiK

Well, boring old Madge will rob any idea and capitalise on everything her production team can think of.

Oh yes, she's a magpie. She should be named business woman of the century.

[Cory Ander]

I listened, and I didn't think it was so awful...I sure prefer it to the cold, emotion-less electronic sound of some of her more recent records (especially "American Life"). She said she wanted the "Bedtime Stories" album to have more of an R&B vibe, which is why she hired TLC and Soul 2 Soul's producers Dallas Austin, BAbyface and Nellee Hooper. If she REALLY wanted to challenge herself and make some authentic soul music she'd work with some producers who wouldn't let her "coast"...maybe Gamble and Huff, Ashford and Simpson, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones....she always picks producers with one foot in the pop world.

[FranceJoliFan]

Originally Posted by Cory Ander

If she REALLY wanted to challenge herself and make some authentic soul music she'd work with some producers who wouldn't let her "coast"...maybe Gamble and Huff, Ashford and Simpson, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones....she always picks producers with one foot in the pop world.

Would love to see what Ashford and Simpson could do with her.

It's funny because she started off working with Reggie Lucas and Nile Rodgers, and they created some great sounds with her. But she's obsessed, like many artists, to only work with the newest and freshest.

I think her best work is with Stephen Bray, Shep Pettibone, and Patrick Leonard. Leonard got a great performance out of her on Like A Prayer, although he still had to add a gospel choir to up the legitimate "soul" quotient. Madonna could never create those sounds on her own. Pettibone got a smooth jazzy sound out of Madonna on Bad Girl. And Keep It Together with Bray is probably her most effortless sounding r&b-flavored song (and it doesn't hurt having Niki Haris sing back up.)

[Cory Ander]

Originally Posted by FranceJoliFan

Would love to see what Ashford and Simpson could do with her.

It's funny because she started off working with Reggie Lucas and Nile Rodgers, and they created some great sounds with her. But she's obsessed, like many artists, to only work with the newest and freshest.

I think her best work is with Stephen Bray, Shep Pettibone, and Patrick Leonard. Leonard got a great performance out of her on Like A Prayer, although he still had to add a gospel choir to up the legitimate "soul" quotient. Madonna could never create those sounds on her own. Pettibone got a smooth jazzy sound out of Madonna on Bad Girl. And Keep It Together with Bray is probably her most effortless sounding r&b-flavored song (and it doesn't hurt having Niki Haris sing back up.)

it's funny you mentioned the "Like a Prayer" album, because few people seemed to take notice of her duet with Prince on that album....I'll bet both he and she were expecting it to attract more attention. But the song seemed so spare and minimal (just like "Sticky Wicked", his song with Chaka Khan).....maybe that's why so few noticed it.