Comments on: CARON WHEELER / “Another Star” http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2005/12/04/caron-wheeler-%e2%80%9canother-star%e2%80%9d/ a conversation about black music Thu, 09 Sep 2010 03:27:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5 by: Qawi http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2005/12/04/caron-wheeler-%e2%80%9canother-star%e2%80%9d/#comment-359 Mon, 05 Dec 2005 19:10:01 -0600 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2005/12/04/caron-wheeler-%e2%80%9canother-star%e2%80%9d/#comment-359 I appreciate other artists covering Stevie's songs, but NOTHING...and I MEAN NOTHING can replace the original. The original "Another Star" is hip enough that it transcends Genre's. While Caron Wheeler is an excellent singer, this "Hip-Hop"-ish treatment of the song, aka background shout-outs, etc. detracts from the lyrics. BTW, I also purchased Natural Wonder. To say that this CD was released without fanfare (underpromoted) is being still too kind. It was anti-promoted. Even the CD case (paper) was ecclectic and worth a keeper. But, I will say this, the Patrice Williamson version is soooooo smooth, almost like a lullaby that I could listen to her version multiple times. Her version though excellent cries for this song to be a duet. I appreciate other artists covering Stevie’s songs, but NOTHING…and I MEAN NOTHING can replace the original. The original “Another Star” is hip enough that it transcends Genre’s. While Caron Wheeler is an excellent singer, this “Hip-Hop”-ish treatment of the song, aka background shout-outs, etc. detracts from the lyrics. BTW, I also purchased Natural Wonder. To say that this CD was released without fanfare (underpromoted) is being still too kind. It was anti-promoted. Even the CD case (paper) was ecclectic and worth a keeper. But, I will say this, the Patrice Williamson version is soooooo smooth, almost like a lullaby that I could listen to her version multiple times. Her version though excellent cries for this song to be a duet.

]]> by: Ken http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2005/12/04/caron-wheeler-%e2%80%9canother-star%e2%80%9d/#comment-370 Sun, 11 Dec 2005 22:16:59 -0600 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2005/12/04/caron-wheeler-%e2%80%9canother-star%e2%80%9d/#comment-370 I do like the Caron Wheeler cover of "Another Star" (the Williamson interpretation wasn't my cup of tea), although I thought she and her instrumentalists struggled with the bridge. Because of the way Stevie composes, singing his songs requires an uncommonly good ear, particularly on his ballads--and musicians don't know until they get caught out there, trying to make it work. And the up-tempo numbers are so dynamic--forget it. I was tickled watching a singer from some pop band trying to hang with Stevie and his band on "Singed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" this summer at Live-8. Young boy was hanging on for dear life --when Stevie sings live, it ain't no studio cover--as the band put made that tune jump. Besides the social consciousness, the incredible musicianship and virtousity, the thing so compelling, moving about Steve is that you know that in his songs, he is singing about black love--black people loving, dealing with, truly seeing each other. You just feel it. What was (I believe) my first concert: Stevie Wonder w/ Gil Scott Heron opening! Peace, Ken I do like the Caron Wheeler cover of “Another Star” (the Williamson interpretation wasn’t my cup of tea), although I thought she and her instrumentalists struggled with the bridge. Because of the way Stevie composes, singing his songs requires an uncommonly good ear, particularly on his ballads–and musicians don’t know until they get caught out there, trying to make it work. And the up-tempo numbers are so dynamic–forget it. I was tickled watching a singer from some pop band trying to hang with Stevie and his band on “Singed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” this summer at Live-8. Young boy was hanging on for dear life –when Stevie sings live, it ain’t no studio cover–as the band put made that tune jump.

Besides the social consciousness, the incredible musicianship and virtousity, the thing so compelling, moving about Steve is that you know that in his songs, he is singing about black love–black people loving, dealing with, truly seeing each other. You just feel it.

What was (I believe) my first concert: Stevie Wonder w/ Gil Scott Heron opening!

Peace,

Ken

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