It could be said that the debut album, ‘That’s What Love Is All About’ from vocalist Angie Whitney has been a long time coming. However, the wait for this excellent collection of sophisticated soul has been more than worthwhile and includes the added bonus of what are arguably two of the best ‘old school soul’ tracks of 2008.
Whitney learned her vocal trade in Los Angeles during the early seventies when Motown was king and girl groups like The Ronettes ruled the charts. Singing with her twin sister Rachel and cousin Yvonne she toured with the legendary Spinners and was managed by Cornelius Grant who at the time was the guitar player and musical director for The Temptations. When plans that Grant had to develop the trio into the next smash hit girl group floundered, Angie finally found time to work on her voice, develop her vocal range and do her own thing. In the 90’s she joined the Art Deco and His Society Orchestra with whom she stayed for 8 years and when the band finally split she joined with five former band members to become Easy Street. Although by early 2000 Angie had become first call singer for a whole host of groups, an enforced hiatus to care for her ailing husband (who now is sadly deceased) did nothing to diminish her passion for music. Now, in a new and exciting partnership with producer and song writer Michael B Sutton, ‘That’s What Love Is All About’ has put her career right back on track.
In fact the title track was originally recorded by Jerry Butler but is an original song written by Michael Sutton and Mack David. It’s a sensitive number which allows Whitney to evoke a ‘3-00 am’ kind of a mood and she remains in excellent form for her faithful reproduction of Billie Holliday’s ‘Now Baby Or Never’. The turned down ‘Black Rose Of Harlem’ is in complete contrast to Leslie Gore’s ‘Love Me By Name’ which Whitney uses to confirm she can handle huge dramatic productions as well as anyone and when, with ‘Excuse Me (I’ve Got A Life To Catch)’, Angie gets the chance to turn a little funky she carries it off with aplomb. The duet she shares with Sutton for ‘Sweet Love Affair’ carries with it a distinctly cinematic quality while the mid tempo ‘Flight’ is in the best traditions of great romantic ballads. However, truth to tell, the album contains two cuts that tower above all others and which in their own right makes the album a must for all lovers of stupendous soul.
‘Don’t Tease Me Now’ has all the credentials of timeless R & B. A compelling smoker that builds then finally ignites into a sultry sax driven crescendo it is surpassed only by the wonderful ‘Overnight Success’. Urban tinged yet classically soulful, the string arrangements are stunning, the vibe is intoxicating and overall it is certain to become one my top twenty tracks of the year.
‘That’s What Love Is All About’, which was recorded in early 2007 at the Jam Factory Studios in Sherman Oaks, CA is out on the up and coming on Little Dizzy Records. For more information go to www.littledizzyrecords.com
