PHILIP BAILEY
Dreams (US Heads Up, 1999)
1) Waiting for the Rain 2) Moondance 3) Dream Like
I Do 4) Something 5) Make It with You 6) Sail Away 7) Masquerade
Is Over 8) Are We Doing Better Now 9) Something to Remind You 10)
Something to Remind You 10) Strength to Love You
Philip Bailey has decided to spring to
CDs at us in the space of a year! This time he pops up on the
much acclaimed Heads Up label with a soulful set that utilises
more session musicians instead of programmed backgrounds, and
there is a slight jazzy setting, too, which isn't surprising when
we consider the label and its artist repertoire. The guest list
of musicians is way too long to fully quote, but to name a few
there is Gerald Albright, Grover Washington, Joe McBride,
George Duke and Robert Brookins.
Mr. Bailey still possesses a superior set of vocals and he sounds
superb on every track. If you purchased his Life and Love
set it is a dead cert that you will want to own this, too. Waiting
for the Rain is a top-drawer material featuring keyboards,
acoustic guitar and other full arrangements that render it
essential listening. The following song Moondance, more
uptempo, really shows the man's falsetto off rather well, and the
lyrics are rather eloquent - combined with the soulful and lush
backing this can't be missed either.
Kirk Whalum's distinctive sax graces the ballad
Dream Like I Do and fist the flow of the CD perfectly,
melting into a real classy '90s beat driven number, Something
that is more akin to his material on the 1994 Philip Bailey set
for Zoo Records.
For the more jazzier there is the GORGEOUS ballad Make It
with You which cannot be faulted on any point. Another '90s
sounding quality cut is the Maurice White penned
Sail Away and couldn't be more different than the
straight dinner club jazz of Masquerade Is Over which is
different, but works very well. The tempo of Are We Doing
Better Now is more programmed yet is still essential, and Something
to Remind You more akin to a Joe McBride ballad.
Finally, the slow grind of Strength to Love You adds a
real dirty bassy love groove to complete this most ESSENTIAL CD.
The review by Barry Towler exclusively for RECORD CORNER, which is one of the leading soul shops in the world. The review is not featured in our printed issue.
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