| I was present at the taping of Donna's VH1
Live and More, Encore concert. Out with the flu, I got a phone call from a co-worker informing me that he won tickets over the radio just for me because he knew how much of a fan I was. With the flu, fever, laryngitis and a friend, I went to the Hammerstein Ballroom that February evening seeking a surefire cure with my tea.
The audience was instructed to relax and enjoy. We guys were told to remove our ties. Easily, we complied.
That night we saw a beautiful Diva, the color of honey, with presence and style as natural and as sweet, work the entire Hammerstein Ballroom. With that emotive, and powerful voice, she had spun out this wonderfully warm and exciting energy that filled the Hammerstein and spilled out into the New York City street.
She was so theatrically and vocally superior that, believe it or not, she didn't have to repeat any songs for the purpose of producing a quality video or CD like many artists do. They (VH1) asked her (and she asked us) to do
Last Dance once more. I didn't see anything wrong with it the first time. But, anything to spend moments more with the Diva was fine with me that night. When it was all sung and done, I had the "Honey" for the flu...who needed tea?
- Barry Atkins, audience member |
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This is the kind of project that has the power to help the dance community as a whole. Perhaps other labels will see this as a call to develop dance artists. Let's face it, there have been too many talented singers who have been misguided in terms of artist development.
- Frank Ceraolo quoted in Billboard, February 13, 1999
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BONUS AUDIO CLIP: Donna talking about why they used the Hammerstein Ballroom for the taping in a 1999 syndicated UK interview.
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When
[Donna took the stage], looking fit and trim and elegant as all get out, the crowd lit up. In splendid voice, she moved through a comprehensive set, including her high-disco classics, her guitar-festooned early 80's work and her late '80s and '90s comeback hits, as well as a few inspirational songs and a couple of tunes from the musical based on her life that she's been writing down in Nashville.
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HX Magazine February 19, 1999 |
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It's days after Donna Summer's February 4 performance at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom and, quite honestly, we're still reeling. To say that the artist served would be an understatement. To paraphrase one of her many cherished songs, she worked hard for her clamoring fans.
Walking onto the stage wearing a flowing black gown and a Whitney-by-way-of-Faith wig, Summer, who recently signed to Epic Records, looked ever the consummate artist. Standing center stage, she followed the band's lead as it introduced the opening notes to
MacArthur Park. Midway through the song, she burst into a wide smile. By the time she arrived at
On The Radio, the fourth song of the evening, her face was glowing. In the sparkling eyes of her fans, La Summer could do no wrong - and she didn't.
- Michael Paoletta, Billboard February 20, 1999
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On February 4, Donna Summer gave an explosive performance at the Manhattan Center in New York City.
She was energetic, enthusiastic and with a disco ball hanging from the ceiling - the 70's came rushing back. Donna Summer didn't disappoint her fans either, singing all the classic songs we’ve come to know on the radio, clubs and parties today - including
MacArthur Park, Bad Girls and Hot Stuff.
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Tara Tzoucalis,
VH1.com
1999 |
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"I can't tell you how wonderful and exciting this entire experience has been," noted Summer, who was initially approached to perform on VH1's second
Divas Live show starring Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Chef, LeAnn Rimes, Brandy and other top artists. Ironically, Summer reveals that after further negotiation VH-1 wisely decided that she should do her own concert special has drawn advance critical raves.
- Charles E. Rogers,
New York Amsterdam News, June 24, 1999 |
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BONUS AUDIO CLIP: Donna talking about
Live & More Encore
on the Rosie O'Donnell Show June 24, 1999. |
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BONUS AUDIOCLIP: Donna talking about nailing the show in one take in a 1999 syndicated UK interview.
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| Fast-forwarding to 1999, in essence
Donna Summer: Live & More --Encore is an historic album from a legendary artist who clearly opened the door for many determined to follow in her footsteps, and thus is making an impact. Of her impressive latest achievement, Summer, who is also the subject of an outstanding
VH-1 Behind the Music special, said, "We worked hard to make this album and TV special event that my old and new fans would totally enjoy and appreciate." So once again it's Summer time and the listening is easy, exciting and entertaining. Indeed, Donna Summer is one
Bad Girl who no doubt will always be Hot Stuff.
- Charles E. Rogers,
New York Amsterdam News, June 24, 1999 |
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The audio version of Donna Summer's special VH1 television show might not strike the same emotional chord as seeing the former disco diva's valiant performance, but make no mistake, Summer does indeed shine.
- Joseph Patel,
CDNow, 1999
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Unlike the many divas who save their best vocal tricks for the safe confines of a recording studio, Summer is doubly vibrant in a live setting. She adds a host of fresh twists to old faves like
Dim All The Lights (which she reveals here was originally penned for Rod Stewart),
She Works Hard For The Money , and I Feel Love. She has truly never sounded better.
- Larry Flick,
Vibe, August 1999 |
| And she doesn't hold back on the opening number,
MacArthur Park. Exactly why the cake was left out in the rain remains a mystery, but Summer's sob makes it sound like a tragedy on a par with Jesus hanging off the cross. Only a damn bit funkier. Always a fine interpretative singer, Summer's vocal chords have aged like malt whisky, and ballads like
No More Tears - where Tina Arena takes on the Barbra Streisand role - and
Last Dance seem to have been earned as much as written for her. That's the mark of a great singer. Of the hits here, the only one that gets short-changed is "I Feel Love," whose six minutes of throbbing glory is abruptly truncated. If
Live & More climaxes too soon, call it a testament to Summer's ability to make you crave more.
- VH1, 1999
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For example, live versions of songs like MacArthur Park,
She Works Hard For the Money, and Last Dance are infectious because of Summer's energy, which even seems to eclipse her younger days. With the beats of contemporary club music echoing those of the disco era, sans the arrangements, Summer's disco classics -- like
Bad Girls and
I Feel Love (a favorite of today's hippest house DJs) -- don't sound so temporally displaced.
- Joseph Patel,
CDNow, 1999
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| But there are some songs that will always be in every show, like
Bad Girls, Hot Stuff, No More Tears and Last Dance. I gotta do them or they'd stone me before I left the stage." - Donna Summer,
Cable Guide, 1999 |
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I wrote [Dim All The Lights] for Rod [Stewart]
originally and I'd walk around the house singing it in his way. My husband said to me 'Why don't you do it on stage like that.' So I started doing it and I got a node on my vocal chord for my trouble. Sure I was a little concerned, after all my voice is my career. My doctor told me that I could sing part of the song but not the whole thing. It would have proved just too damaging to my voice. I wasn't about to argue with him.
- Donna Summer,
Blues & Soul, November 1999 |
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BONUS AUDIOCLIP: Donna talking about Tina Arena in a 1999 syndicated UK interview.
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Summer valiantly squeezes in three new tunes. There's My Life, a tingly Last Dance-esque anthem from her forthcoming stage musical,
Ordinary Girl; I Will Go With You, a grand English-language interpretation of a revered Andrea Bocelli/Sarah Brightman ballad replete with new lyrics and time-sensitive house beats; and
Love Is The Healer, on which Summer chants with earth-mama conviction over an insinuating tribal groove.
- Larry Flick,
Vibe, August 1999 |
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Summer also previewed two songs from Ordinary Girl, her first musical theater effort.
My Life, which segues from a ballad into a peak-hour club stomper (à la
Last Dance) has "hit" written all over it. In fact, so infectious is this song that, days after the show, we still find ourselves singing its chorus ("This is my life/This is my song/Standing right here/Out on the stage/This is my life").
- Michael Paoletta, Billboard February 20, 1999
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My Life is an equally shinning VH-1 concert and CD moment, composed by Summer, Peter Waterman, Paul Berry and Gary Miller. It's gleaned from the forthcoming musical
Ordinary Girl -- created by Summer and based on her incredible life story. "The 'My Life' project is a 'conthearto,'" advised Donna, further explaining, "That's a name I coined describing a combination of a concert and theatrical music piece."
- Charles E. Rogers,
New York Amsterdam News, June 24, 1999 |
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BONUS AUDIOCLIP: Donna talking about
My Life in a 1999 syndicated UK interview.
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Before easing into the heartfelt ballad If There Is Music There, Summer explained that the song arrives at a point in the musical when issues of "following your dreams" are confronted. As she hit the last note of the song, there wasn't a dry eye in the house - including hers.
- Michael Paoletta, Billboard February 20, 1999
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| I Will Go With You, a pulsating, fully orchestrated, semi-operatic dance track, is positive proof of Donna's ability to transcend musical eras, styles, genres and even language. It was originally a European hit entitled
Con Te Partiro, recorded by Andrew Bocelli and Sarah Brightman. Summer wrote new, English lyrics and recruited producer Hex Hector (Deborah Cox, Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton) to help give it new life. "It's a beautiful song that I'm very proud of and love to sing," said Summer, adding, "In essence it musically reflects where I've been, where I am and where I'm going."
- Charles E. Rogers,
New York Amsterdam News, June 24, 1999 |
| Scheduled for commercial release July 7,
I Will Go With You went to radio June 1, according to [Frank] Ceraolo, who envisions the single making inroads initially at dance-leaning rhythm-crossover and AC stations, and then spreading to mainstream top 50.pop formats. Rhythmic top 40 WKTU New York began playing the buoyant track May 13. "We've been getting great phone response," says Frankie Blue, the station's PD. "Donna's been a core artist for the station since day one, so people are really excited to hear something fresh and new from her." Retailers agree. "Donna always does great for us," says Tim Devin, GM of Tower Records' Lincoln Square location in New York. "I'm looking forward to this album. I see it immediately popping into the store's top 25."
- Michael Paoletta, Billboard, May 29, 1999
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| Produced by Hex Hector, and co-produced by Mac Quayle,
I Will Go With You -which is Summer's reinterpretation of Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's
Time To Say Goodbye- features incredibly fab remixes by Warren Rigg, Welcome Production, Rosabel, Messy Boys, Richie Santana, Trouser Enthusiasts, and club 69. Also included is an extended edit by Hector. Unfortunately, the single, with its dizzying array of restructuring, and bonus track (The Hector-remixed
Love On And On originally recorded by the UK's Lorraine Kato) won't be available commercially until July 6." But for those who just can't wait, the album will be in stores two weeks before that notes
[Frank]
Ceraolo. Of course, that doesn't help Summer's vociferous fans who want anything relating to the singer sooner rather than later, especially these highly coveted and much-in-demand mixes.
- Michael Paoletta, Billboard, May 29, 1999
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| For I Will Go With You, which was produced By Hex Hector and Mac Quayle, Summer reinterpreted
Time To Say Goodbye, an operatic ballad originally recorded in Italian by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman and included on Bocelli's
Romanza album. "I told Bruce (Sudano, Summer's husband) that I wanted to do the consummate dance recording of the century." explains the singer, who is an ardent Bocelli fan, and whose songs are published by Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP). "While we were talking, Andrea's version of the song was playing in the background. All of a sudden, Bruce said, Turn it off--that's the song'. So, since no official English lyrics exist, I decided to reinterpret it."
- Michael Paoletta, Billboard, May 29, 1999
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| The first single released from the new album,
I Will Go With You, was first a hit when recorded in Italian by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman. Summer wrote new English lyrics and transformed the ballad into a dance recording. The song retains much of the original lushness but is now unmistakably a Donna Summer song. The second studio track,
Love Is the Healer, blends a wide array of sounds and styles. The message, however, comes purely from her heart. About commercial appeal, Donna sighs, 'When it's successful, it's supposed to be, when it's not, it's not;' she says. "I don't read reviews."
- Genre, August 1999
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BONUS AUDIOCLIP: Donna talking about
I Will Go With You in a 1999 syndicated UK interview.
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Love is the Healer, produced by Nathan DiGesare, who co-wrote it with Donna, is another new song, hauntingly powered by sexy, floor-filling beats and Summer's soaring vocals.
- Charles E. Rogers,
New York Amsterdam News, June 24, 1999 |