Newsgroup: it.arti.musica.rock
Titolo: Solomon Burke

Sorprendetemente ho letto alcuni giorni fa che ci sarebbero dei postatori
che ascoltano pure questo genere di musica. Bene. Allora eccovi una
recensione presa da l'Observer dove parlano del disco che uscira' domani
mattina.
SOLOMON BURKE Don't Give Up On Me (Fat Possum, 503582.0129) 
The life of Solomon Burke, the 62-year-old Philadelphian behind soul
standards 'Cry To Me' and 'Everybody Needs Somebody To Love', reads like a
Chester Himes short story. Described by Jerry Wexler, the formidable
talent behind Atlantic Records, as 'the greatest soul singer of them all',
Burke has, over a 42-year career, led his own ministry, sold more than 17
million records, and had his material covered by The Rolling Stones.
Always a man of extremities - much like his voice - Burke has also found
time to raise 21 children, and has worked as a licensed mortician. 
It's a boundless enthusiasm that permeates all 11 songs on his latest
album, Don't Give Up On Me. Persuaded to strike an alliance with Matthew
Johnson, the rail-thin head of Fat Possum Records - the Los Angeles-based
label specialises in signing septuagenarian bluesmen such as R.L.
Burnside, T-Model Ford and Paul 'Wine' Jones - Don't Give Up On Me began
as a series of inquiries from Johnson, who set out to procure his latest
signing some new songs. The response was little short of overwhelming:
Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Van Morrison and Dan
Penn are among those who have contributed new songs. 
Don't Give Up On Me was recorded in only four days in a heritage studio
called the Sunset Sound Factory in Hollywood, and produced by songwriter
Joe Henry. 'The idea was a simple one,' writes Henry in the album's liner
notes. 'To surround Solomon with a small and soulful rhythm section, who
would be the ropes and canvas for a prize-fighter of great finesse and
surprising reach.' 
Henry's boxing analogy - it lends itself well to the rough and tumble of
soul music - neatly indicates the knock-out blows of Don't Give Up On Me.
On Wilson's 'Soul Searchin', Burke's voice, lean and versatile, reaches
pitch-perfect notes that the former Beach Boy can rarely attain these
days. And on 'None Of Us Are Free', a collaborative effort with The Blind
Boys of Alabama, the pairing conjures up the dustbowls, lynchings and
flatlands of the Deep South. 
But it's the Elvis Costello contribution, 'The Judgement' - a magnificent
crescendo of snare drums, analogue ambience and Burke's desperate,
lovestruck voice - that marks the album's centrepiece. It's a homage to
the great songs from Atlantic Records' heyday - a man stands in court,
awaiting sentence, after admitting to having betrayed his lover. 'He fell
to his knees/ And said "darlin' please",' yells Burke, before pleading,
'Don't send me down'. 
In the canon of soul ballads - some of the best examples include Marvin
Gaye's 'Desperate Situation' and Jimmy Ruffin's 'What Becomes Of The
Broken-Hearted?' - 'The Judgement', released in an era of
over-compensating sexuality, resonates with a certain poignancy. And it
appears the song is one of Burke's own favourites: 'It's like an opera,'
he admits. 'It takes you back to that time, it takes you back to Europe.'
The song, like most of its companions in Don't Give Up On Me , is an
awesome demonstration of Burke's vocal dexterity. And, in soul terms,
marks the return of a king from exile. 
-- 
questo articolo e` stato inviato via web dal servizio gratuito 
http://www.newsland.it/news
 segnala gli abusi ad 
ab...@newsland.it

 SOLOMON BURKE Don't Give Up On Me (Fat Possum, 503582.0129) 
Ne ho sentito qualche anticipazione a Fuorigiri e sembrava davvero molto, 
molto bello.... credo che non restera' a lungo fuori dalla mia discoteca! 
:-)
-- 
Remove UGO from my e-mail address if you want to contact me.
Elimina UGO dal mio indirizzo e-mail per contattarmi.
---
DMB Con-Fusion, the Italian DAVE MATTHEWS BAND Spotlight: 
http://con-
fusion.go.to