Big Al Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Bar none, for me, Album of the Year. Yes, better than the latest Sonic Youth blast of fury. Yes, better than Brian Wilson’s much-deserved classic. Yes, IT IS THAT GOOD. And the beauty of this album lies deeper than just a wonderfully multi-talented young lady showing off more of her talents. No, this album reveals a true honest-to-God SINGER. And WHAT a singer!!! If her version of “Lush Life” doesn’t move you to tears, then may you be spared a smackdown from the ghost of Billy himself. And you KNOW something’s goin’ good when she dusts off the oldie “California Dramin’” and makes you FEEL the loneliness in that song. Then there’s “The Same Love That Made Me Laugh” which proves she could do an entire album of Al Green songs and make it WORK! But the kicker, the centerpiece, THE VERY REASON TO SHELL OUT THE GELT TO GET THIS ALBUM NOW DAMMIT is the way she wraps/raps her R&B-honed chops around “Moody’s Mood for Love.” Complete with luscious alto solo from Papa Moody hisself! Then there’s that cover. DAMN sho’ is FINE!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 I've been meaning to check this one out, especially since I found out that Arif Mardin produced it. This type of music is more up his alley than Norah was, and he's got a bag of tricks that's as mighty as it is unrecognized by the "general public". That good, is it, Al? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted December 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 That good, is it, Al? Yup Yup Yup Yup Yup Yup Yup Uh huh uh huh uh huh uh huh I listened to it all day at work, and it just gets better with every listening. The groove gets good & funky on "Hello Stranger." Oh YES it is that good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 (edited) I saw her on Saturday Night Live when the album first came out. She did a couple of songs, I thought both were very good. I noticed Rodney Jones was in her backing band for that performance. Does he play on the album? Edited December 10, 2004 by Sundog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 Nevermind, answered my own question. Review courtesy of CD Universe THE DANA OWENS ALBUM is Queen Latifah's first non-rap vocal album. Personnel include: Queen Latifah (vocals); David "Fathead" Newman, Al Green (vocals); John Goux (guitar); Dan Higgins, Joel Peskin, Pete Christlieb, Brandon Fields (saxophone); James Moody (alto saxophone); Gary Grant, Larry Lunetta, Charles Davis (trumpet); Dick Nash, Bryant Breyers, Bruce Otto (trombone); Herbie Hancock, Jim Cox (piano); Peter Erskine, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Luis Conte (percussion); Mervyn Warren. Producers: Arif Mardin; Ron Fair; Mervyn Warren. Throughout a career that started in the early days of hip-hop, Queen Latifah has consistently proven herself a woman of kaleidoscopic talents. The ultimate evidence of her versatility came in 2002, when she took on the role of "Mama" Morton in the film version of the musical CHICAGO, displaying acting chops polished enough to earn her an Academy Award nomination. In that movie, Queen Latifah also revealed an exquisite and powerful singing voice. The latter is put to good use on her 2004 record THE DANA OWENS ALBUM, a collection of (mostly) standards given full orchestral treatment. To Latifah's credit, THE DANA OWENS ALBUM is an immense success, boasting her tremendous voice and an intelligent, provocative song selection. To put things in perspective, on "Simply Beautiful," she duets with the song's writer, the incomparable Al Green, and not only holds her own, but plays off him in the most natural of styles. On the most precarious cover on the record, she re-arranges the Mamas & the Papas' "California Dreamin'" into a breathy torch song, while retaining just a touch of the folk-imbued original. Queen Latifah closes the set with a masterful performance of the classic "Lush Life," a fitting ending to an entirely anachronistic record Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrome Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 David "Fathead" Newman, Al Green (vocals); John Goux (guitar); Dan Higgins, Joel Peskin, Pete Christlieb, Brandon Fields (saxophone); James Moody (alto saxophone); Gary Grant, Larry Lunetta, Charles Davis (trumpet); Dick Nash, Bryant Breyers, Bruce Otto (trombone); Herbie Hancock, Jim Cox (piano); Peter Erskine, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Luis Conte (percussion) So Newman sings but doesn't play on this? That seems kind of odd ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted December 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 David "Fathead" Newman, Al Green (vocals); John Goux (guitar); Dan Higgins, Joel Peskin, Pete Christlieb, Brandon Fields (saxophone); James Moody (alto saxophone); Gary Grant, Larry Lunetta, Charles Davis (trumpet); Dick Nash, Bryant Breyers, Bruce Otto (trombone); Herbie Hancock, Jim Cox (piano); Peter Erskine, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Luis Conte (percussion) So Newman sings but doesn't play on this? That seems kind of odd ... “Fathead” on vocals? Nah, it’s a typo on the part of the reviewer! He plays alto on “If I Had You.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 Wow, I didn't know that this album had jazz cred. Now I'll have to check it out. Damn you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted December 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 And James Moody, too. Don't foget that! B-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Skid Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 If b3-er got a 0.01% cut of every CD purchased because of this board, he'd be an extremely rich man. (just added it to my list, as I'm sitting here listening to Frank Hewitt!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Skid Posted December 14, 2004 Report Share Posted December 14, 2004 Yup Yup Yup Yup Yup Yup Yup Uh huh uh huh uh huh uh huh Up Up Up Up Up Up Up My man Al is not exaggerating here -- this is a great CD! This is one of those CDs that makes you feel good just to be alive. Go Ms. Owens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted December 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2004 This is one of those CDs that makes you feel good just to be alive. Go Ms. Owens! Amen brother!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 check out the over head shot of the hammond organ on the new video with the rev. al "grits" green it is bad ass video, shot on b & w film ss1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chandra Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 (edited) I've been meaning to check this one out, especially since I found out that Arif Mardin produced it. This type of music is more up his alley than Norah was, and he's got a bag of tricks that's as mighty as it is unrecognized by the "general public". Yeah, I agree what you say about Arif Mardin. I don't even know what he did with Norah other than providing adult supervision and possibly have some major input on one song in her first album. Her second album does not reveal much Mardin influence. I heard a few cuts from the Dana Owens album at a late night talk radio station ( as bumps between segments ). It sounded very good. Especially, 'I put a spell on you'. I just finished reviewing a 5 CD box set on Blues music and this song sounded Blues to me. Is it? Actually, I was a bit taken aback by how good she can sing. I knew Queen Latifah from a silly sitcom and a few bad movies ( I have never heard her rap ), so this much quality out of her came out of nowhere for me. From what I read, every time she appears in public and sings, the sales of the album go up a lot. But she could not devote much time promoting the CD because she is busy filming her next movie. But expect much more press and high profile appearances late March onwards in support of this album. Edited February 22, 2005 by chandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Weellll....it's a very good album, and I've enjoyed it a lot, but let's don't make out Queen Latifah to be the next Dinah Washington or something. I mean, yeah, it's cool, but it's not a classic or anything. Believe me, I don't mean to knock it; it's a solid effort from a newcomer (so to speak), but it ain't 'desert island' material or anything... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Yeah, I agree what you say about Arif Mardin. I don't even know what he did with Norah other than providing adult supervision and possibly have some major input on one song in her first album. From what I've heard of the demos vs the final album, Mardin's role was pretty transparent, but still crucial in terms of production subtleties and arranging nuances. Like I said, he's got a big bag of tricks, some of them obvious, some of them not. He's sorta the "unsung hero" of a lot of classic Atlantic pop-soul records over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 For me, the greatest Mardin-produced album is "Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway" which was actually co-produced by Joel Dorn! Talk about a clash of the titans! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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