pain put me off for a couple of days.
But there`s no way I was going to put her off for long, because she really is God`s gift to singing.
Eva Cassidy died at the age of 33 from melonoma cancer in 1996, while she was alive the big record companies completely ignored her, because she didn`t fit the mould as it were and wasn`t cliche enough for the robotic record company executives who have no respect for eclectic musical artistic freedom.
Eva came from the Washington DC area, she was hardly known outside this tiny little pocket of the world, and despite being rejected by the major record companies she kept herself very busy by recording enough material in the early 1990`s to fill seven albums of posthumous material that only saw the light of day after she died thanks to Blix Records, a record label that was established by Eva`s family to get her music out there like it should have been before she died.
Every one of Eva`s albums is basically a bootleg compilation, each one has songs that were recorded at completely different time intervals, there does seem to have been some effort made to compile each album based on the predominant musical style on a song by song basis, meaning some albums are more folksy than others, some are more bluesy than others, and a couple are more soulful and influenced by gospel than the others.
There was one thing about Eva Cassidy
which I dont normally take a real liking to - she could not write her own songs.
which I dont normally take a real liking to - she could not write her own songs.
She was a complete "covers girl". But when you can sing as good as what this woman could, even songwriting purists like me have to recognise sheer amazing talent when we hear it, and most of Eva Cassidy`s music, as far as singing goes, is totally out of this world.
I wont attempt to break the albums up song by song, but I will tell you the name of every
album released and elaborate on what I consider to be Eva`s absolute gems.
album released and elaborate on what I consider to be Eva`s absolute gems.
The album list goes like this, `Eva By Heart`,
`American Tune`, `Imagine`, `Time After Time`, `Live At Blues Alley`, `Somewhere`, and one album she made with obscure R&B crooner Chuck Brown called `The Other Side`.
`American Tune`, `Imagine`, `Time After Time`, `Live At Blues Alley`, `Somewhere`, and one album she made with obscure R&B crooner Chuck Brown called `The Other Side`.
There is also the album `Songbird`, which was mostly a best of album which packaged songs off three of her albums to try and cash in on her new found commercial appeal after she died.
This included a rendition of `Over The Rainbow`, and it is well known that hardened heavy metal man Ozzie
Osbourne publicly admitted that he was moved to tears after listening to this heavenly lullaby.
Osbourne publicly admitted that he was moved to tears after listening to this heavenly lullaby.
Not every song of Eva Cassidy`s is a gem or a must have, but the one thing which is consistent about her albums is that even the more mediocre songs are salvaged by better than average singing in instances where maybe the instrumentation is a litte tedi-
ous and mundane.
ous and mundane.
I`d have to say that I like Evas`s blues,
soul and gospel side more than I like her folk flavoured output, simply because I think the latter took her soulful voice to a whole new level.
soul and gospel side more than I like her folk flavoured output, simply because I think the latter took her soulful voice to a whole new level.
My favourite tunes, the cream of the crop so to speak, would have to include Christine McVie`s `Songbird`, you can listen to that song above by clicking on the link, the brilliant and hauntingly beautiful gospel chant`How Can I Keep From Singing`, two diva performances to die for are the much covered `Fever` and the sultry `Blues
in the Night`.
Her version of Dolly Parton`s `Coat of Many
Colours` makes Dolly sound mediocre, even though it was in my opinion her best song.
Colours` makes Dolly sound mediocre, even though it was in my opinion her best song.
Dolly simply isn`t as good as the best female singer ever on earth. Her interpretation of Patsy Cline`s `Walking After Midnight` is sheer awesome rhythm, the stark and mesmerising vocal that she put to `A Bold Young Farmer` showcases Eva at her very best in the folk ballad mode.
Her version of songs like`It Doesn`t Matter Anymore` by Buddy Holly, Cocker`s`The Letter`, John Lennon`s immortal `Imagine`, Cyndi Lauper's `Time After Time`, as well as Simon and Garfunkle`s `Bridge over Troubled Water` and Sting`s `Fields of Gold` off the live album `Live at Blues Alley` are not copycat performances in any way.
They are all stamped with Eva`s individual musical genius while at the same time remaining respectful of the songs in their original form.
Her blistering performance of `Stormy Monday`and `Take Me to the River` off Blues Alley, with the help of her much underated band, is super white hot rhythm and blues.
The swinging `Hallelujah, I Love Him So`, and her second go at a Cyndi Lauper tune,
`True Colours`, are highlights off the album named`American Tune`.
`True Colours`, are highlights off the album named`American Tune`.
I would nominate Eva Cassidy`s best song as being Stevie Wonder`s `I Can Only Be Me`. Not too much stuff gives me goose bumps and makes me teary eyed, but I have come close after listening to this song.
The rocky blues of `Easy Street Dream` and the instrumental-less gang choir chant`Way Beyond the Blue` are two highlights off Time
After Time.
After Time.
I would be neglectful in my duty to not mention who comprised Eva Cassidy`s band, Chris Biondo on bass should definitely still be playing in a band in 2010 if he isn`t, I`m not a musician so I cant say I know what makes a good bass guitarist but one thing I do know is that you can hear the bass in Eva`s recordings.
Biondo was also very close to Eva on a totally personal level and I know it knocked him around big time after Eva passed away.
Keith Grimes on guitar and Raice McLeod on drums made up her band at least for the Blues Alley record.
Her brother Dan Cassidy, a quite talented violinist, also contributed on the odd occasion to her recordings. There were many other bit players here and there, it`s a bit too ambiguous for me to list them because they come and go on each of the seven albums.
Make it easier for me and just go and buy them OK, and you will then have one of the truly great singers as part of your music collection.
Which is the best album? Well I think it is a tie between three,`Imagine`, `Eva By Heart` and `Live At Blues Alley`.
Which is the best song of Eva`s? Well again I`d have to say it`s a tie between three (almost), `I Can Only Be Me`, `Songbird` or `Take Me To The River`, and if I was going to say four I`d have to include `How Can
I Keep From Singing`.
If I had to chose one it would
have to be I CAN ONLY BE ME by Stevie Wonder.
have to be I CAN ONLY BE ME by Stevie Wonder.
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