Paul Young "Chronicles"
Jude Johnstone "Quiet Girl"

Contante & Sonante "Highlights and Rarities"

Conatante

Highlights and Rarities is Contante & Sonante's long-awaited comeback release after the critically acclaimed triumph of 2009's Fly Away / The Songs of David Foster. Fly Away / The Songs of David Foster definitely marked a turning point for our label. Years of hard work produced a once-in-a-lifetime record that featured a who's who of quality pop like Bill Champlin, Jeff Pescetto, Arnold McCuller, Bill LaBounty, Warren Wiebe, Robbie Dupree, Bill Cantos, Joe Pizzulo and many more. Highlights and Rarities is a special album that showcases a collection of hits from our past catalogue that includes the previously mentioned David Foster tribute, Steve Dorff's magical 2004 release of Original Demos and two releases by Swiss music-maker Urs Wiesendanger, 2005’s Somebody New and A Christmas Eve in LA., originally issued in 2006.

The treat with Highlights and Rarities is that it also presents eight unreleased songs from the label's vaults, which come directly from those same recordings or have been especially produced for the occasion. Among these rarities you'll find many pleasant surprises like the never before heard ballad from Steve Dorff's private archive, "My Angel's Voice," beautifully performed by the late Warren Wiebe. "My Angel Voice" is another tender, moving performance by Mr. Wiebe that finally sees the light of day. Additionally, "A Little Thing Called Life", "Kindred Spirit" and "Somewhere In Time" are the selected numbers from the Steve Dorff original release added to the track listing.

Urs Wiesendanger's contributions to Highlights and Rarities include eight tracks, four of them heard here for the first time. The previously unreleased gems are "Luckiest Man", a smooth, sultry R&B number featuring world-renowned guitar player Chris Camozzi, plus great vocals courtesy of the talented Skyler Jett who was a singer for The Commodores. "When I Think of You" is an extraordinary ballad featuring great Swiss singer Rey Thomas, backed up by the incredible Robbie Buchanan on rhodes. Another couple of Wiesendanger's goodies are beautiful renditions of the Christmas evergreens "Silent Night" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". Both songs are performed by the fantastic singer and regular Weisendanger collaborator Thierry Condor.

Highlights and Rarities presents Bill Champlin's "In The Stone," from the Fly Away project, with an alternate-beginning version included only on the Limited Edition EP plus Arnold McCuller's refined take on “Jojo” and Ole Borud's "Through The Fire", which can only be found on the European CD release. You can also find three previously unreleased numbers from the same Fly Away sessions, which remained uncompleted and have been re-arranged for this special occasion. All of them are produced and arranged by the very talented Tomi Malm. Among these new songs, we have a haunting cover of "Forever", a ballad originally sung by Kenny Loggins who co-wrote it with Foster for Loggins’ Vox Humana album.

SunHo Lim, a fantastic new name from Korea, offers an outstanding vocal performance on this emotional take of the classic. Another remarkable rarity is a stunning rendition of The Tubes' rocking classic "She's a Beauty". Malm's inventive arrangement truly brings the famous song into another dimension. Bjarne Langhoff's amazing vocal, backed by a powerful rhythm section, add fire to the tune and takes it one step higher.

And best way to end this magnificent album is a new version of the David Foster and Boz Scaggs hit "Look What You've Done To Me". This adaptation of the song that Foster considers to be one of his best ever gives the listener a new, light bossa nova version that features a different piano performance by Foster and also a new, wonderful lead vocal by L.A.-based singer Cecily Gardner. The song also features renowned guitar player Mitchell Long and Danish drummer Lars Daugaard.

We guarantee that Highlights and Rarities isn't the typical compilation album. It's a superior release that will help you rediscover many familiar sounds from the past as well as new, fantastic secrets from Contante & Sonante's amazing world of music. This album is out as an exclusive 1000 copy limited numbered edition, so go and order your copy now before they're all gone!

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