When Luther Vandross died on July 1, 2005, soul music lost one its preeminent exponents. An incomparable vocalist as well as a consummate songwriter, producer, and arranger, Vandross instilled his gifts into songs that will forever symbolize authentic romance.
Released on October 16, a superb four-disc box set highlights every phase and facet of the late legend’s career. Appropriately, it’s entitled, Love, Luther.
Quite possibly the finest male vocalist of his generation, Vandross possessed one of music’s most unaffected, inherently brilliant voices. His resonated with astonishing depth and range while, at the same time, serving as a masterful instrument of intricate and intelligent phrasing.
Listen to how his voice soars and descends in measured tones on songs like “Never Let Me Go” and “Wait For Love”. On up-tempo tracks like “Never Too Much” (which comes in an extended version here) and “Stop To Love,” you can hear how Vandross reins in his vocal might to favor each of their dominant grooves. And to behold a flawless confluence of technical skill and intuitive soul, look no further than the stunning live medley of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David classics, “Windows Of The World/What The World Needs Now.”
Indeed, Vandross interpreted other artists’ material so well and with so much conviction that, in many cases, his renditions surpassed the quality of the original versions. With some covers, he even wound up delivering the definitive versions.
“Always And Forever,” a popular hit for Heatwave, reached an even wider audience once the Vandross version hit the airwaves in 1994. The rendition included here, recorded live at London’s Royal Albert Hall, makes one almost forget that this wasn’t his song to begin with.
Undeniably, though, the full force of his interpretive ability was demonstrated on “A House Is Not A Home.” Dionne Warwick, the song’s prior most-familiar interpreter, lost her primary claim to it once Vandross released what ultimately became his signature song. Two renditions of this classic are featured in this collection, the original studio version and a heart-wrenching live performance recorded at Radio City Music Hall in 2003.
Perhaps because of his interpretive and vocal prowess, Vandross often found his own songwriting abilities overshadowed and vastly underrated. Nevertheless, he wrote (or co-wrote), produced, and arranged the majority of his material as well as doing the same for several other artists.
Article comments
1 - Connie Phillips
Congrats! This article has been forwarded to the Advance.net websites and Boston.com.
2 - Donald Gibson
Thank you very much, Connie.
3 - Darren Giles
Luther Vandross, a man who inspired a brand new generation of soul music lovers aswell as his uptempo funk numbers.
To me Luther is the complete artist in every sense, a man who has bought together so many friends to be lovers with his pureness and sweet delivery.
To all Luther fans this collection of his lives work is a must.
This is the best ever collection of songs i have ever heard and something i will forever treasure.
Forever, For Always, For Luther.
Rest In Peace Luther.
Darren Giles