Contante & Sonante presents "Somebody New" by Urs Wiesendanger featuring Warren Wiebe, Bill Cantos, Michael Sembello...
October 27, 2005
Swiss songwriter and producer Urs Wiesendanger strikes gold with his second solo effort. An eleven track album that will take you on an amazing journey through sophisticated rhythms and sounds in the musical zone where pop, jazz and R&B converge.
The album kicks off with the enchanting title track, a gorgeous ballad sung by the unforgettable late Warren Wiebe together with newcomer Courtney Blooding. Blooding is currently the production assistant for David Foster and she wants to follow the footsteps of her mentor working behind the console. However, she is also a first class singer, and here she offers the listener a great performance. Jay Graydon, the legendary songwriter and producer, adds a spectacular guitar solo to the mix. The title song is also offered again at the end of the record with a different, jazzy arrangement co-produced by Tomi Malm, one of the best new talents out of Finland. The album is rich in haunting ballads like the bittersweet, acoustic "Your Love Was Special," beautifully sung by Michael Sembello, or the smooth, sultry, R&B number "Tell Me Where The Days Have Gone" with Thierry Condor on lead vocals. Bill Cantos, the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, leaves his mark on the record singing the delicate "The Final Reason Why," a love song that could be a winner on the Adult Contemporary charts. This song features session master Michael Landau on guitar and the extraordinary Robbie Buchanan on Fender Rhodes and piano. If you're looking for jazzy, refined stuff, listen to "If Only For A Day" and "If You Still Care For Me." "If Only For A Day" is an up-tempo jam with some great vocals courtesy of Swedish singer Frank Ådahl. This track is enhanced by the incredible work of Urs on the acoustic piano and Robbie Buchanan on Fender Rhodes, plus the incredible Porty on the guitar solo. "If You Still Care For Me" offers another outstanding vocal performance by Thierry Condor. "After We Make Love" and "Morning Light" are two numbers that find the Swiss producer in smooth jazz territory with soft rhythms and vocals underlying his superior keyboard playing. "I Remember" is a magic ballad with an evocative mood and atmosphere, sung by singer-songwriter Jeff Pescetto. Warren Wiebe is indisputably the star of "Hold Me," another wonderful love song with Robbie Buchanan on keyboards and James Harrah playing all the guitars.
Tracklist:
Somebody New
lead vocals by W. Wiebe and C. Blooding
Your Love Was Special
lead vocals by Michael Sembello
Tell Me Where The Days Have Gone
lead vocals by Thierry Condor
The Final Reason Why
lead vocals by Bill Cantos
If Only For A Day
lead vocals by Frank Adahl
After We Make Love
lead vocals by Chris Muzik
Morning Light
lead vocals by Urs Wiesendanger
I Remember
lead vocals by Jeff Pescetto
If You Still Care For Me
lead vocals by Thierry Condor
Hold Me
lead vocals by Warren Wiebe
Somebody New
lead vocals by W. Wiebe and C. Blooding
Here's an interview with Urs Wiesendanger about his new album. He's talking about the entire list of L.A. Cracks playing on this amazing CD, about hiring Jay Graydon for the guitar solo of "Somebody new", asking Michael Sembello about singing "Your love was special" and many more.
The Interview is in German, but feel free to mail, I'm gonna send you a translated english version.
Greez Frankie
Posted by: Frank Schuckelt | April 25, 2006 at 08:11 AM
Hi. I am very happy here. I think that I will stand here for a long time.
Posted by: Scooniushbons | September 03, 2007 at 01:56 PM