Description

Life is full of surprises, especially when rare gems such as "Blue" are discovered in those vast vaults at Motown. If it wasn't for Shelly Berger - one of Diana's managers at the company - the album may not have seen the light of day.

From a historical point of view, "Blue" is fascinating; like the "Lady Sings the Blues" soundtrack, many of the musicians played for the real Lady Day herself, Billie Holiday. The exquisite arrangements are courtesy of Gil Askey, who also produced the album.

Diana's nuanced vocal delivery is stunning. It was as if she had been transported back in time to amore… bygone era of those decadent supper parties of the 40's. Diana's sense of timing - and sense of `knowing' - places her comfortably among the likes of Lady Day, Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington - that was quite a feat, especially when you consider that "Lady Sings the Blues" and "Blue" were recorded so early on in her solo career.

While a couple of the tracks lack the intensity of the versions from "Lady Sings the Blues" (namely "You've Changed", which is sung in a higher key), the overall package is very impressive indeed. Diana seemed so relaxed and at one with the rhythms and lyrics. Tracks that stand out are:

"WHAT A DIFF'RENCE A DAY MAKES" - utterly sublime!
"NO MORE" - delightfully ambiguous, and a personal favourite
"SMILE" - there's a subtle glimmer of hope in Diana's voice that's uplifting
"BUT BEAUTIFUL" - I love the way Diana caresses the lyrics. Nothing's overdone.
"LITTLE GIRL BLUE" - this is an alternative version to the track on the "Touch Me in the Morning" album. This take seems a tad more melancholic and poignant.
"MY MAN (MON HOMME)" - a glorious torch song
"EASY LIVING" - it doesn't get much better than this. It's such a cool track.

One wonders how Diana's career would have panned out had Berry Gordy released "Blue" instead of "Touch Me in the Morning". I guess we'll never know. One thing is abundantly clear, though - "Lady Sings the Blues" and "Blue" must rank as two of the most emotionally satisfying and important projects of the diva's long career. The fact that "Blue" shot to the #2 slot on the Billboard Jazz charts - some 34 years after it was made - is testament of Diana's lasting appeal. More importantly, "Blue" proved that behind the sequins and gloss is an artist with depth.

Diana Ross and Gil Askey should be showered with Grammy's for this outstanding, timeless masterpiece.

Tracks

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Info:

Category:

Music > Albums

Case Type:

CD

Release Type:

Retail

Comments:

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Cover Info:

Title:

Diana Ross - Blue (2006) Retail CD

Part:

Front

Dimensions:

1417 x 1390 px

Size:

517 KB

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Report a Problem Wrong Cover Duplicate Image Bad Quality Wrong Info

05/06/07 by rabthescot

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