According to Sandy

Listened again to “The Ultimate Luther Vandross“. It contains great classics from the 80’s and 90’s that are still staples of “soul”, “smooth listening” radio stations around the country:
“A House Is Not A Home”, “Power of Love”, “Here and Now”, “Superstar”, “Give Me the Reason”, “Never Too Much. There are also some more recent songs like, “Dance With My Father” (which won the Grammy for “Song of the Year” 2004).

Starting off as a back up singer and writer of jingles, Vandross’ solo career began in 1981 with the hit album “Never Too Much”. He went on to win 8 Grammys and sell over 25 million CDs.

Saw Mr Vandross (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) only once in concert and like the rest of the audience, was in the “Luther” zone throughout his terrific performance. Warm, personable and soooo talented, you were pulled right in and ya loved it.

BTW: There were several tribute albums after his death, I liked: “So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross“ , with Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Alicia Keys, Elton John Patti LaBelle, etc.

She sings the music of Cape Verde, an island off the west coast of Africa which declared independence from Portugal in 1975. 

Singing both in Portuguese, and in the language of her small country, Lura mixes some of the musical traditions, like “Morna”, with a more contemporary, urban sound.  Different from the better known tragic, emotional Portuguese “Fado” songs, the music from the Cape Verde interior catches you up in its smooth, jazz-like rhythms.

Lura Albums:

“Di Kopu ku Alma” (Of Body & Soul)

“M’Bern di Fora” (I come From the Country)

I seem to be going thru a stage where I’m admiring “longevity”. Artists, entertainers, anyone who just keeps going (like that obnoxious TV bunny).  I look at people of a certain age and think, “still doing good work, still chasing”. One of my favorites, Chaka Khan, is still out there taking risks.

Like the name of one of her biggest hits from the 70’s, “Once You Get Started”, once Chaka Khan started pursuing her dream or need to be, she never really stopped. There have been ups and downs in her career, but, she keeps “reaching” with new people, new things.

She did something different and joined a Prince tour a few years ago, (one of her biggest R&B hits from 1984, “I Feel For You”, was a Prince song). She debuted on Broadway in January ‘08 when she took over the role of “Sofia” in the play “The Color Purple” and her latest album is called “Funk This”.

It’s been awhile since the successful “Chaka Khan and Rufus” 70’s – 80s hits, “Ain’t Nobody” “Tell Me Something Good “, etc. but, her music – whether ballad or dance tune – is still fun and soulful.

Chaka Khan – “I’m Every Woman” indeed.