Diane Schuur: Midnight

By C. MICHAEL BAILEY
August 25, 2003
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Diane Schuur has always been a durable presence on the music scene. She has skirted the periphery of the jazz genre, never fully making her way in due to her penchant for popular music. Her Basie album was prime Schuur to be sure and should be taken seriously. She is above all a great performer. On Midnight, Ms. Schuur joins forces with Barry Manilow, who interestingly enough recently joined the ranks of Concord Jazz. Mr. Manilow fielded the compositional and arranging duties, and if the listener is expecting something like "Copa Cobana" she will be disappointed.

Manilow and Schuur have conjured up a recording that lies somewhere between big band, '40s popular, and adult contemporary. The charts are all well played and Ms. Schuur is in good voice on the date. She has three duets on the recording, with Karrin Allyson, Brian McKnight, and Manilow, and the Karrin Allyson piece "Stay Away From Bill" is being the best of the bunch. What makes this recording special is the craftsmanship provided by all. This disc will offer certain appeal to those listeners inspired by June Christy and Peggy Lee.

For more information, please see Concord Jazz and Diane Schuur .

Track Listing

Meet Me, Midnight; When October Goes; Stay Away from Bill; I'll Be There; Consider the Point from Both Ends; What Is Love?; He Loved Me; Southwind; Our Love Will Always Be There; No Heartache Tonight; Good-Bye My Love; Life Is Good; Anytime

Personnel

Diane Schuur (vocals and piano), Alan Broadbent or Randy Kerber (piano), Chuck Berghofer or Abraham Laboriel (bass), Peter Erskine or Harvey Mason (drums), Anthony Wilson, Eddie Arkin or Oscar Castro-Neves (guitar), Dan Higgins (alto sax), Bill Liston (tenor sax), Warren Luening (trumpet or flugelhorn), Andy Martin (trombone), Paulinho DaCosta (percussion), Alan Estes (percussion and vibes), Tommy Morgan (harmonica), and strings, with Karrin Allyson, Brian McKnight, and Barry Manilow (guest vocals), and Yvonne Williams and Phillip Ingram (background vocals)