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Post by rick on Jan 15, 2023 23:41:53 GMT -5
'Eva Cassidy and the London Symphony Orchestra' " A day after the 60th anniversary of Eva Cassidy’s birth (February 3, 2023) I Can Only Be Me will be released. On this new album the singer is posthumously accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra.
The new orchestral arrangements are composed by Christopher Willis (Veep, Death of Stalin) and William Ross (Star Wars, Harry Potter). I Can Only Be Me features redefining orchestral versions of classic repertoire including ‘Songbird’, ‘Time After Time’, ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’. The album’s title track is a radical reworking of a Stevie Wonder penned song, Eva Cassidy’s musical idol.
‘Songbird’ serves as the lead single from the album. Eva Cassidy’s classic rendition has been given a stunning, spine-tingling makeover. As achingly intimate as the original, now with widescreen grandeur courtesy of the London Symphony Orchestra, the new version offers a fresh take on the song.
Originally released in 1998, two years after Eva’s tragic death at the age of just 33, the title track from her breakthrough album boasts new arrangements by the classical composer Christopher Willis (The Twilight Saga, X-Men, The Death of Stalin) and vocals beautifully restored and enhanced using newly available A.I. technology (similar processes to those used in last year’s ground-breaking The Beatles: Get Back film and recent Revolver album reissue).
The London Symphony Orchestra’s stately, immersive accompaniment elevates a song that became an instant Christmas staple when it appeared in the Richard Curtis blockbuster Love Actually in 2003 to spectacular new heights. Incredibly, Eva sounds as present and hypnotic within the sweeping orchestration as she did on her original acoustic take on the Fleetwood Mac favourite which she made entirely her own.
“The wonderful, resonant truth about this song is that Eva is the Songbird, singing naturally from the heart – no ego,” says Christopher Willis. “The goal with the orchestral version was to complement her pure vocal essence with a simple, yet broader instrumental arrangement – a lush musical landscape with Eva’s voice at the centre.”
It is the latest chapter in a remarkable, posthumous career that has turned Eva Cassidy into a household name with sales of more than twelve million albums, a plethora of famous fans including Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Adele and Songbird’s writer Christine McVie and seen her songs feature in countless films and TV shows.
Already a fan of the orchestral remake of Songbird is Richard Curtis: “Eva’s original ‘Songbird’ is one of my favourite songs,” says the writer/director. “Now it has an equally beautiful, exquisitely different twin.” Adding: “I’ve known Sting and Trudie Styler for almost forty years and, you know, I think he’s a great singer songwriter but, when I heard Eva Cassidy’s version of ‘Fields of Gold’, it has never ceased to reduce me. It’s the best interpretation of his song that I’ve ever heard.”
--------- All album tracks will be available in high-definition stereo along with Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 immersive audio formats, a first for Eva Cassidy recordings. Comments: " Sadly, I never heard Eva perform live, but I was a fan from the moment a friend pressed a cassette into my hand in 1998. I’ve bought every CD since. Eva’s one-of-a-kind rich soprano and impeccable singing style still reduce me to tears. I consider her the greatest. " " She was so wonderful and a wonderful way to remember her. " " Can’t wait for it to be in my CD player. She was IMNSHO the greatest sprano of the 20th century that no one had ever heard of. "
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Post by rick on Jan 18, 2023 1:11:37 GMT -5
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Post by musedeva on Jan 18, 2023 17:59:15 GMT -5
WOW!!! really looking forward to hearing all this!! (will listen to above soon) I love Eva so so much.... or "Evaretha" as she used to sign her name......but I am really really disappointed they DIDN'T GIVE CHRISTINE MCVIE the "Symphony Treatment" on her Songbird!!!
just heard two of the tracks....just wonderfull.....a loverly tribute to a purrfect voice!! I love to see the orchestra back at work and imagine all the folks who will hear these songs for the first time
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Post by alyn on Jan 19, 2023 6:14:56 GMT -5
I have to say I prefer the simplicity of the originals, just my opinion, I'm just not a fan of orchestrated works after the fact whether it be Elvis, new Sinatra arrangements or whoever, fake duets, and so on as seems to be the nodern way. Eva's voice shone out of those songs back then, now drowned in orchestra. I prefer things to be left as they are. Much more poignant.
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Post by rick on Feb 4, 2023 3:59:07 GMT -5
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Post by rick on Feb 4, 2023 4:35:20 GMT -5
This interview with Christopher Willis, the person responsible for arranging this album, features an audience member who feels the sound is similar the Ronstadt/Riddle albums (Time — 21:02) —
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Post by MokyWI on Feb 4, 2023 9:54:41 GMT -5
I have to say I prefer the simplicity of the originals, just my opinion, I'm just not a fan of orchestrated works after the fact whether it be Elvis, new Sinatra arrangements or whoever, fake duets, and so on as seems to be the nodern way. Eva's voice shone out of those songs back then, now drowned in orchestra. I prefer things to be left as they are. Much more poignant. I am not fan of after the facts. I am also not a fan of 95% of biopics of vocalists. |
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Post by alyn on Feb 6, 2023 5:06:19 GMT -5
I have to say I prefer the simplicity of the originals, just my opinion, I'm just not a fan of orchestrated works after the fact whether it be Elvis, new Sinatra arrangements or whoever, fake duets, and so on as seems to be the nodern way. Eva's voice shone out of those songs back then, now drowned in orchestra. I prefer things to be left as they are. Much more poignant. I am not fan of after the facts. I am also not a fan of 95% of biopics of vocalists. We are on the same page... this weird desire to f*ck about with the past baffles me, it's like desparation because there is nothing these days to match the quality of singers and musicians from the past. Let it stand. Love it for the performances as they were. Move on. |
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Post by rick on Feb 6, 2023 5:24:09 GMT -5
I am not fan of after the facts. I am also not a fan of 95% of biopics of vocalists. I love Eva’s voice and, because some of the tracks on this volume and a future one are ones previously unheard I will likely get it. Mike, I agree with you about most biopics. Kaley Cuoco is supposedly set for a biopic on Doris Day. I’ll pass. I’ve never liked Renee Zellwegger so I had no interest in seeing her portray one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century — Judy Garland. Most of these that I have seen leave me cold because I can hear and see the actual person in my mind’s eyes and ears. If they ever do a biopic of Linda, I highly doubt I’d see it. But back to Eva, this is her voice and it captivates me. |
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Post by MokyWI on Feb 6, 2023 11:29:19 GMT -5
I am not fan of after the facts. I am also not a fan of 95% of biopics of vocalists. I love Eva’s voice and, because some of the tracks on this volume and a future one are ones previously unheard I will likely get it. Mike, I agree with you about most biopics. Kaley Cuoco is supposedly set for a biopic on Doris Day. I’ll pass. I’ve never liked Renee Zellwegger so I had no interest in seeing her portray one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century — Judy Garland. Most of these that I have seen leave me cold because I can hear and see the actual person in my mind’s eyes and ears. If they ever do a biopic of Linda, I highly doubt I’d see it. But back to Eva, this is her voice and it captivates me. She was hired to sing at my sisters wedding reception in VA. back in the summer of 1996 but unfortunately Eva was too sick at that point but her band still performed. My sister and brother in law had been fans for a long time. Going to see her perform around DC any chance they got. |
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Post by alyn on Feb 6, 2023 12:20:02 GMT -5
In the UK no one had heard of Eva Cassidy before a BBC Radio 2 DJ Terry Wogan (much loved, sadly died a few years ago) started playing Fields of Gold on his breakfast show and I think the whole country (including me) fell in love with her version of that song. I have a feeling it was his Producer Paul Walters who actually latched on to it originally.
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Post by fabtastique on Feb 7, 2023 3:06:35 GMT -5
I have to say I prefer the simplicity of the originals, just my opinion, I'm just not a fan of orchestrated works after the fact whether it be Elvis, new Sinatra arrangements or whoever, fake duets, and so on as seems to be the nodern way. Eva's voice shone out of those songs back then, now drowned in orchestra. I prefer things to be left as they are. Much more poignant. Me too! |
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Post by rick on Feb 7, 2023 5:53:55 GMT -5
In the UK no one had heard of Eva Cassidy before a BBC Radio 2 DJ Terry Wogan (much loved, sadly died a few years ago) started playing Fields of Gold on his breakfast show and I think the whole country (including me) fell in love with her version of that song. I have a feeling it was his Producer Paul Walters who actually latched on to it originally. Back when ABC here in the U.S. used to air "Nightline" opposite "The Tonight Show" and "Letterman," its reporter Dave Marash (not Dave Marsh!) devoted a whole episode of "Nightline" to Eva and that's when I learned about her. I lived in Washington, D.C. in the mid-80s but not sure that Eva was performing there then. Anyway, I can't find the original "Nightline" episode on YouTube, but this re-broadcast. I believe that "Nightline" reported that the most requested episode viewers asked to have re-broadcast was the one on Eva -- |
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Post by alyn on Feb 8, 2023 3:56:29 GMT -5
I am not fan of after the facts. I am also not a fan of 95% of biopics of vocalists. I love Eva’s voice and, because some of the tracks on this volume and a future one are ones previously unheard I will likely get it. Mike, I agree with you about most biopics. Kaley Cuoco is supposedly set for a biopic on Doris Day. I’ll pass. I’ve never liked Renee Zellwegger so I had no interest in seeing her portray one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century — Judy Garland. Most of these that I have seen leave me cold because I can hear and see the actual person in my mind’s eyes and ears. If they ever do a biopic of Linda, I highly doubt I’d see it. But back to Eva, this is her voice and it captivates me. I agree about the biopics although I guess my distaste for them is already in my head so I just don't go near them and that indicates that I may be missing out... probably not  To me they are like Tribute Acts elevated to a higher level and I'm just not interested. In recent years (slightly off-piste) the one I did watch and enjoy was Man On The Moon :-) But let's go back to The Glenn Miller Story which was great, but very much James Stewart :-) James Cagney doing the Lon Chaney story? That was a good film.... I digress, as ever!
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