Isley Meets Bacharach

[markydefad]

Picked up this CD last night and am listening as I type. Ronald Isley of the Isley Brothers sings all Bacharach compositions. It's as smooth as silk. Highly recommended.

AMG says:

While the collaboration between soul singer supreme Ron Isley and composer and arranger Burt Bacharach does not have the adventurous scope of Burt's with Elvis Costello—in that the tunes featured here are mostly Bacharach classics—it is every bit as satisfying. At 62 Isley's voice is sweeter and more resonant than ever. Bacharach's new charts for these songs take into consideration the singer of "Harvest For The World," "Fight the Power" and "For The Love Of You." Inside these towering, lush harmonic architectures, shimmer's Isley's golden throat, adding just that sultry hint of deep soul to the proceedings. It might be difficult to picture Isley fronting a full studio orchestra for "Raindrops Keep Falling ON My Head," but his version of the tunes is an altogether different animal than the B.J. Thomas version. The chart is a smoky, Jimmy Scott-styled jazz chart and Isley makes it the last song in the world. Likewise, "The Look Of Love," is slightly more uptempo and the horns are warmer, more up front than on the original. The long instrumental interlude is followed by a sweet moan from the singer who falls into the faux bossa tune as if it's three in the morning. ON "This Guy's In Love With You," the pleading at the heart of Isley's vocal takes the listener into a brand new context. The humble, dry delivery of Herb Alpert has been washed away by Bacharach's pianism and a stuttered backbeat that allows the singer to float above the arrangement. "Count On Me," co-written with Tonio K, is the lilting vehicle for Isley in that it contains space for his gospel voice to open just enough to color the cut with altruism. But it's the album opener that's worth its weight in gold, "Alfie," no matter who has sung it has always been a deeply moving, and evocative song. Between Isley and Bacharach it leaves the realm of nostalgia and becomes its own aching, confessional of disillusionment and heartbreak. The spare electric guitar that introduces the theme and the hushed strings behind the singer's voice underscore the conviction. When Isley moves up in his register, he does so all at once, there is no slide; there's just pure conviction in the grain of his sublime voice. This is a winner, a beautiful effort that combines the give and take of the pop song with the emotion of great American soul singing. — Thom Jurek

1. Alfie (Bacharach/David) - 3:49
2. Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head (Bacharach/David) - 5:16
3. In Between the Heartaches (Bacharach/David) - 3:36
4. Make It Easy on Yourself (Bacharach/David) - 5:35
5. A House Is Not a Home (Bacharach/David) - 4:40
6. The Look of Love (Bacharach/David) - 5:44
7. Count on Me (Bacharach/Tonio K.) - 3:57
8. This Guy's in Love With You (Bacharach/David) - 4:34
9. Close to You (Bacharach/David) - 3:45
10. Anyone Who Had a Heart (Bacharach/David) - 4:29
11. Love's (Still) The Answer (Bacharach/Tonio K.) - 4:06
12. Here I Am (Bacharach/David) - 4:22
13. Windows of the World (Bacharach/David) - 4:34

Burt Bacharach - Arranger, Conductor, Producer
Ronald Isley - Vocals, Singer, Producer, Executive Producer
Ted Perlman - Producer
John McClain - Executive Producer

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...rniesdiscomusi

2003 CD DreamWorks 000100502

[zeca azevedo]

Hi MARKY, how are ya?

I can't wait to put my dirty hands on this record - I heard some songs from the record on the NET and liked it very much. It's is a lovely, romantic record, full of classic songs (they don't write songs like THESE anymore, do they?) and beautiful vocals by RON. BTW, I'm sure this record will redeem RONNIE ISLEY from his recent "gangsta" impersonations and his hip-hop incursions. The whole MR. BIGGS thing is just annoying and embarassing for a veteran artist like RONALD ISLEY. With his BACHARACH collaboration, RONNIE is doin' MUSIC again. Better late than never...

Other record I'm waiting: AL GREEN's I CAN'T STOP, recorded with WILLIE MITCHELL and released by BLUE NOTE.

zeca azevedo, I can't stop either

[K-Bee]

Oh yeah! Finally Ronald goes back to what he does best....singing quality tunes (as opposed to walking around with a gangsta style outfit in R. Kelly videos :evil: :lol: )

If they ever bother to release this album over here, it's definetely gonna be on my shopping list!

[efunk_adelic]

Although it's been a while since they had Isley Brothers had a bonifide hit.... You guys might have overlooked a song that came out around 2 years ago... Secret Lover.

Man!!! that song has elements of several songs they did all in 1 song! Have any of you heard it?

[K-Bee]

"Secret Lover" is on The Isley's "Eternal" set from 2001. Apparantly I have that album (just found out....guess I have to start listening to the stuff I buy instead of just filing it :lol: )
I'll give it a listen efunk and tell you if you're right about it....you probably are :) - we often seem to share the same musical taste.

[Keith RS]

The Isley Bros. have always been one of my favorite groups of all-time. I can't wait to get this cd, thanks for the info!

Ronald Isley has done soooo many great ballads over the years. Check out them doing James Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" from the 1973 lp "3 + 3", or Todd Rundgren's "Hello, Its Me", from the 1974 lp, "Live it Up".

I could go on and on because there are so many ballads on other cds, but those two are my favs. 8)

[markydefad]

OK, I've listened to "Here I Am: Isley Meets Bacharach" about 7 or 8 times now...and IT'S A WINNER!!!!

This project came about due to DreamWorks Record exec--John McClain. His love of Isley's voice and desire to work with Bacharach led to his idea of teaming the two artists. A large (40 piece) orchestra was hired to play LIVE in the Capitol Records recording studio where Frank Sinatra and Nat "King" Cole recorded. They did two takes on each track (a rehearsal and a first take--BOTH recorded just in case the rehearsal was better).

The liner notes struck a chord with me:

"For all McClain's intuition, there was another dynamism sheparding the Isley/Bacharach project forward: Music itself! And the times. In an age where ill manners are the norm, getting away with it is the goal and where the slacker has his own film genre, it comes as no surprise that the skilled musician is an endangered species. In the fabled words of Aretha Franklin, "Let's call this song exactly what it is": music today is an art form on life support. Generally speaking, it suffers from a scarcity of originality, sense of adventure and the impassioned craftsmanship that made hearts sing.

Systematically strangled by the demands of big time radio, corporate takeovers and music videos that rob listeners of the opportunity to imagine, the music, once free, inspired expression, is often now defined by contrived, phlegmatic vocal performances, funk-from-concentrate grooves and super-sized big pop ballads that take their cue from fast food, substance long lost on proportion and quantity.

However, basic etiquette is making a comeback, there is still honesty and patience in the world, and on their own Isley & Bacharach are the architects of an art that will never die."

I second that emotion.

[efunk_adelic]

Well I decided to take a trip to the record store.... and bought the CD for $13.99...

All I can say is WOW... :)


It is a very satisfying CD.... I will be playing on a boat this Saturday... and they want mellow piano music... I'm sure I will get some reaction. I'm expecting... "who is this?" and "gosh, whatever you are playing is awesome".

It's a great time for some great to come out... It's worth every penny... I highly recommend it.

[originalbigm]

The liner notes struck a chord with me:

"For all McClain's intuition, there was another dynamism sheparding the Isley/Bacharach project forward: Music itself! And the times. In an age where ill manners are the norm, getting away with it is the goal and where the slacker has his own film genre, it comes as no surprise that the skilled musician is an endangered species. In the fabled words of Aretha Franklin, "Let's call this song exactly what it is": music today is an art form on life support. Generally speaking, it suffers from a scarcity of originality, sense of adventure and the impassioned craftsmanship that made hearts sing.

Systematically strangled by the demands of big time radio, corporate takeovers and music videos that rob listeners of the opportunity to imagine, the music, once free, inspired expression, is often now defined by contrived, phlegmatic vocal performances, funk-from-concentrate grooves and super-sized big pop ballads that take their cue from fast food, substance long lost on proportion and quantity.

However, basic etiquette is making a comeback, there is still honesty and patience in the world, and on their own Isley & Bacharach are the architects of an art that will never die."

I second that emotion.

Truer words have never been spoken.Give that man an A+.I will be gong out this weekend to purchase the CD.Saw it being promoted last night on TV.

[markydefad]

BTW, I should have mentioned that the liner notes were by a guy named Steven Ivory.

I'm listening as I type--"In Between The Heartaches" is playing. It's an old Dionne Warwick song that Ron remembered her recording when he dated Dionne sometime in the 1960's; Bacharach had completely forgotten about it. Isley asked to sing it--and Burt had to be reminded of what it sounded like.

Isley said he alway envied Dionne for her access to Bacharach/David material and that once he tried to record "Make It Easy On Yourself" and someone changed some words and Bacharach stormed into the studio and took the charts. and walked...so they were left to record "Twist & Shout"!!!! Bacharach claims he doesn't remember this!!!

[K-Bee]

Pheew!! I finally managed to get a hold of this cd after months of looking around with no luck.

You were all right! This cd is nothing short of stunning - it's sitting comfortably in my cd tray and will not be removed! :) :lol: