The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Have just seen Rumer at Glastonbury .. her voice reminded me of Karen Carpenter .. she was brave being up there on the Pyramid Stage. Few years ago I saw Joan Baez on a smaller stage at Glastonbury. It was one of the best evenings of music I have had in my life!

She sang at the John Barry Memorial Concert last Monday at the Royal Albert Hall. Made a mistake but a great perfomrmance anyway. She sang 'We Have All The Time In The World'

Dear friends, i know that you can not believe me, but during the several times that i met Burt in the four Italian concert i see, he told me about Rumer, " i don't like her voice ". Thinking at " Some lovers " was a little bit strange. But is true. After the contacts in Lucca and Rome, soon many news for the 2012 will be communicated......

Well, that may explain why Burt didn't work direclly with Karen Carpenter as well...she and Rumer sound a lot alike although I believe I prefer Rumer...I have always maintained that Karen had a beautiful tonality to her voice and such a smoky alto;it was clear also. But, Karen lacked range, and dynamics. Karen, in my opinion was a "one-note" singer who could be quite bland at times and many times was bland in concert. Oh, but what a note! Her voice was maddening, in a way. I believe that's why Burt preferred working with Dionne more than any other and may explain Burt's remark about not liking Rumer's voice...Dionne provided an incredible instrument to have at his disposal! Although Dionne's voice is only a shadow of what it once was, it was everything he wanted it to ever be in their heyday and Dionne could be the torch singer, the pop singer, the r&b singer, the soul singer, etc...can't think of any other singer who could pull off things like Check Out Time and The Green Grass Starts to Grow on one album!!!

Well, I don't understand it because in her EPK (see www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7XDrQFA65I), Rumer says Bacharach loved her voice and how impressed she was... Personally I think she is one of the singers around who could do some Bacharach songs and make it. (I don't understand the "Keating" move, on the other hand).

I hear what you are saying B2B .. I think it's all about sex! Dionne had this yearning sound which the other ladies don't quite reach .. as fabulous as their voices are. Dionne still has it at 70. It's a quality of loss, yearning and love which is very appealing to listen to. Plus she always has the best musicians which round it off. In the early days Whitney Houston's Dad said that she needed to get a 'cry' in her voice which would instantly appeal to listeners and Dionne , Cissy, Aretha have got that edge. I've listened again to the Sammy Kahn songs Dionne has recently recorded and, unless they are digitally remastered, which I don't think they are, her voice doesn't remotely sound as if it's the state of collapse you imply. Sure, the Sammy Kahn songs are 'softer' songs but to me Dionne doesn't sound as if she is straining at all .. but having a ball! I absolutely hope she records more of these classic songs. If I were part of her management I would have her in the studio each day to sing the entire American songbook because in my opinion she has a genius and an intuitive interpretation of most songs which we are unlikely to see again. I was amazed by her recent set of songs because I didn't think we'd get to hear them as it took her a long time to get them out .. hopefully we won't have to wait that long again.

Don't put words in my mouth Gill, I never said Dionne's voice was on the verge of collapse. I said it was a shadow of what it once was...I don't imply anything...I come out and state it clearly. That's my opinion...it's also my opinion that as great as Aretha and Whitney were, Dionne had them both beat hands down vocally...Aretha was versatile to a point and certainly had range and a powerhouse voice...have you ever listened to Aretha's version of Walk On By? Not compelling or involving at all...Whitney was all dramatic technique and lacked subtlety. Dionne was compelling, could belt like Aretha when she chose to and had the range of Whitney but Dionne had a versatility and a way with any type of song that neither Aretha or Whitney could pull off...Love all those women but Dionne had uniqueness that has never been duplicated...when I first heard Natalie Cole's "This Will Be", I swore it was Aretha...how many singers sound like Dionne...none come to mind although she's influenced many...and doesn't get credit for that.

The great Chuck Mangione introduced a vocalist by the name of Esther Satterfield on his album entitled "Chase The Clouds Away" on which she sang the title track. She released two (2) solo albums, one for A & M Records and the other one for another company. Her voice sounds STRIKINGLY CLOSE to Dionne's as no other! I would put one of the records on when company would come over and I would get responses such as: "Is this Dionne's latest?" or "I just LOVE Dionne, turn it up!". I wish those albums would show up on CD as I have yet to check YouTube to see if she happens to be on. If you've not listened to her, check her out and you will hear the closest thing to Dionne that exists!

Bruce, I am familiar with Esther Satterfleld and although she does have some similarities to Dionne. I never mistook her for Dionne although I can understand why someone might. Her phrasing is what reminds me of Dionne the most. She's a very talented vocalist.

cipus wrote:Dear friends, i know that you can not believe me, but during the several times that i met Burt in the four Italian concert i see, he told me about Rumer, " i don't like her voice ". Thinking at " Some lovers " was a little bit strange. But is true. After the contacts in Lucca and Rome, soon many news for the 2012 will be communicated......

That's odd, 'cause he flew her from London to his home in LA and wrote a new song just for her!