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RECORDINGS |
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| LABEL: |
WARNER ALLIANCE/WORD RECORDS |
| CATALOG NUMBER: |
26980 |
| UPC NUMBER: |
075992698023 |
| NUMBER OF DISCS: |
1 |
| RUNNING TIME: |
75:42 |
| YEAR RECORDED: |
1992 |
| CD RELEASE DATE: |
SEPTEMBER 29, 1992 |
| CONDUCTOR: |
QUINCY JONES |
| ORCHESTRA: |
UNKNOWN |
| CHOIR: |
UNKNOWN |
| SOPRANO: |
VARIOUS |
| CONTRALTO: |
VARIOUS |
| TENOR: |
VARIOUS |
| BASS: |
VARIOUS |
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DISC ONE
1 Overture: A Partial History of Black Music 5:13
2 Comfort Ye My People (Armstrong, Vanessa Bell, Daryl Coley) 5:47
3 Every Valley Shall Be Exalted (Lizz Lee, Chris Willis) 3:42
4 And the Glory of the Lord (Dianne Reeves) 3:56
5 But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming? (Patti Austin) 6:40
6 And He Shall Purify (Tramaine Hawkins) 4:36
7 Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive (Howard Hewett) 3:58
8 O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion (Stevie Wonder, Take 6) 3:53
9 For Unto Us a Child Is Born (Sounds of Blackness) 3:52
10 Glory to God (Boys Choir of Harlem, Michelle Weeks) 4:53
11 Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion (Smallwood, Richard Singers) 5:10
12 Behold, The Lamb of God [instrumental] (Yellowjackets) 4:35
13 Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates (Clark Sisters, Commissioned) 5:13
14 Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage? (Al Jarreau) 2:39
15 I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (Tevin Campbell) 6:00
16 Hallelujah! (Quincy Jones) 5:53
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SITE RATING: 9/10
SITE REVIEW:
Whereas certain Messiah reimaginings can leave me cold (see the cynical, reprehensible Messiah Rocks!)
this 1992 R&B recasting by pop impresario Quincy Jones, helped
along by a stable of hot artists (Stevie Wonder, Patti Austin, Take 6,
Al Jarreau) tackle Handel's two-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Italianate
oratorio, and manage to infuse it with not only joy, but a huge amount
of musical variety and humor. From the "A Partial History of
Black Music" which blends spirituals, ragtime, R&B and more into
it's brief introduction, to the fantastic vocal runs and
call-and-response and new-jack-swing blend found in every track, left
me breathless by the musical virtuousity on display. There's also
reggae, African, and Motown grooves to be found here, but the text and
musical heart of each movement is kept intact - a miracle considering
the diverse talents involved. It's a credit to Quincy Jones own
paticular brand of genius that despite the wide net cast, everything
maintains a unified whole, and if it all occasionally devolves into a
rapturous call-and-reponse jam at times, it's all tightly controlled,
and sparkling, and professional. The only reason this recording doesn't
rate higher with me is the dated nature of the arrangements - the
programmed synthesizers and drum loops are very much of their times,
but the joy and, yes, even reverence which is shown to the material
makes this one of my favorite non-traditional Messiahs.
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