This posthumous anthology is the perfect introduction to the astonishing vocal talents of Eva Cassidy, a young, relatively unknown singer who died of cancer at 33, just as her career was beginning to gain steam. Cassidy, a native of Washington D.C., gained local favor with her pure, straightforward tone and her lovely, tasteful interpretations of everything from standards to gospel to contemporary pop.
SONGBIRD is a definitive best-of selection that picks from Cassidy's studio albums and shows the depth and breadth of her skills. SONGBIRD's perfection as a compilation is in its song choice, which covers Cassidy's takes on gospel ("Oh, Had I A Golden Thread"), soul (Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready"), pop (Sting's "Fields of Gold"), and well-known standards ("Over the Rainbow"). Cassidy's own perfection stems from her ability to bring the same precise, inventive phrasing and crystalline tone to each individual song, regardless of genre, making it indelibly her own. This collection became a best-selling number-one album in the U.K., and with good reason.
Songbird is a posthumous anthology culled from the album Live At Blues Alley and her other solo release, Eva By Heart, along with one track from her 1992 duet album with Chuck Brown titled The Other Side. Blix label.
Personnel: Eva Cassidy (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Chris Biondo (guitar, drum programming); Keith Grimes (guitar); Dan Cassidy, Mike Stein (violin); Chris Walker (trumpet); Lenny Williams (piano); Kent Wood, Hilton Felton, John Gillespie (organ); Larry Melton (upright bass); Raice McLeod (drums).
Arranger: Eva Cassidy.
Rolling Stone (8/30/01, p.125) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...She effortlessly shuffles styles and the song selections are astute...Cassidy comes across as a bluesier version of English folk singer Sandy Denny....she melts her personality into the fabric of each melody..." Q (3/99, p.93) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "Eva Cassidy had the power to leave the nerve-centre tingling. She possessed a rare emotional honesty and a knockout voice (closest relation: Roberta Flack) and applied them to whatever material took her fancy..."
Top ten album One of the ten albums I'd bring going to that island. Most covers are better than the originals. Can't bė? Listen! Submitted by martyvanderstaak (Best, Netherlands) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 2 of 2 found this helpful.
Great Range Fantastic range of singer of such a young age. Shame she died so early and this album is wonderful. Her version of Songbird has a slight blues edge to it, and it works.
The other songs range from Ballads to Jazz/Blues numbers and showcase her fabulous range.
Submitted by james-karyn (Darwin, Australia) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Eva Cassidy will blow you away With her soulful tones, Eva just took my breath away. Any cover she did, she now owns. Whether reflecting or sharing, Songbird is timeless. Submitted by lucindazink (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Hauntingly beautiful I have never heard Fields of Gold, Songbird, and Over the Rainbow sung with such a beautifully clear interpretation. Her voice haunts me even when I'm not listening to this beautiful disc. The whole album is among my all-time favorites, but these three songs are unmatched. Submitted by a reviewer (Neligh, NE USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Eva Cassidy Ranks with Streisand, Ronstadt, Eder I didn't discover Eva Cassidy until long after her death, but even now, after listening repeatedly to "Songbird," I am astonished that none of the tracks in this compilation CD ever made it to "hit" status.
Eva's work isn't for you if you're into head-banging, boy bands, rap music (that oxymoron again!) or top 40 rock/pop. Her voice is pristine, bell-clear, and as expressive as an American voice has ever been. When the title track comes up (a Christine McVie song), I hit the Repeat button...and float away into the mature romantic music we don't hear much anymore. NOT elevator music; this is the real thing for grown-up lovers. Submitted by a reviewer (Central Texas) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Great Range
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