rev_m_bacharachisley

RON ISLEY and BURT BACHARACH
Here I Am

as reviewed by Jack Crompton at Amazon.com, November 17, 2006

Masterful songs exquisitely expressed...

Anything Burt Bacharach gets involved with is worth checking out, and so when this surprising combination of talent appeared on ITunes, I couldn't hit the 'buy' button fast enough! Burt seems to have taken to offbeat collaborations in the last decade, beginning with that wonderful 'Painted by Memory' album around 1998 in which he collaborated with Elvis Costello on all new original material. That album is a gem and one of the most powerfully emotional recordings I own.

Here, he enlists the vocal stylings of Ron Isley of the Isley Brothers' R&B fame. Quite a departure, but then again, not really. Isley seems to fit perfectly at home in his very original interpretations of Bacharach's material. The set includes many old Bacharach favorites, as well as a contemporary gem: 'Still the Answer' -a very timely and heartfelt statement of hope and one of Burt's best, which is really saying alot.

The arrangements here strike me as strongly Burt's, with all his signature' sensibilities fully intact, but they seem to follow Isley's very personal vocal interpretations in mood so well, I have to consider this a truly collaborative effort between these two unlikely partners. The result here is a true work of art. Make no mistake, this is a 'swooners' record, and a great soundtrack for making love. It has alot of 'space' between the notes, and is richly imbued with that romantic, sensual ambiance.

I've been listening to this album for a couple of years and just love it. I'm not tired of it. It never fails to put me in a relaxed, and very 'feeling' space. There is not a song here that fails to move me. Take ‘Alfie’, as a prime example. Admittedly, I am a huge fan of Bacharach... but these renditions are among the best that have been done with these exquisite songs. And they are so different and unique from the originals that they almost stand alone as different songs altogether.

Another important note here: One shouldn't forget the immense contribution of lyricist Hal David here. He was so gifted in fusing Burts complex melodies into statements that perfectly match the mood of the music. This becomes VERY apparent in Ron Isley's sensitive treatment of the songs. You really notice what is being said, and it's a powerful statement.

Music of this high caliber is few and far between. This one deserves to be searched out. Highly recommended.

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