Eva in tears because of what they did to her face (Sensual Embrace Vol.1: The Soul Ballads - Pieces Of A Dream)

Member Name: sirg0508

Product:	Sensual Embrace Vol.1: The Soul Ballads - Pieces Of A Dream
Date:	25/02/05 (210 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Vocalless tracks saying something to everyone

Disadvantages: None

Sensual Embrace: The Soul Ballads

Sensual Embrace by Pieces of a Dream now comes in 2 CDs - 2001 release and 2004 release. Both a produced by Blue Note jazz labels but both contain different tracks (The second is called 'More Soul Ballads). I'm actually quite surprised that Amazon.co.uk have decent prices for these CDs - £7.99 and £12.99 respectively.

This is the only other PoaD album that I own - please see my other review of 'Loves Silhouette' if you are interested in more details. When I first heard of the group through Eva Cassidy, there were a few tracks I downloaded to make sure I liked the band before buying any of the CDs. I was lucky enough to be sent Loves Silhouette for free (you can get a free CD too if you read my other review!) but Sensual Embrace is one that I love. Of course, the reason for this being is Eva is featured on two of the track. Unfortunately, she had a very bad experience and I’ll include some quotes from her biography 'Songbird: By those that knew her' (pages 83 and 84) but some of these songs are my favourites and can be quite emotional at times.

Pieces of a Dream emerged on the Philadelphia music scene in 1976 while still in high school! The group consisted of Keyboardist James Lloyd and Drummer Curtis Harmon (the founders) basing their name on Pieces of Dreams, a cover tune by Stanley Turrentine that the group performed. Apart from Eva Cassidy, other guest vocalists include, Grover Washington, Jr. on "Sittin' Up In My Room", Maxi Priest on "Pieces" and Maysa on "You And I."

The tracks Eva is featured on actually appeared in the earlier album 'Goodbye Manhattan' which was recorded back in 1992 but were then re-released on Sensual Embrace.

Track Listing:

1 Took So Long (from Head To The Past)
2 The Cool Side (from The Best of Pieces Of A Dream)
3 How Do You Keep The Music Playing? (from In Flight)
4 Have A Little Faith feat. Eva Cassidy (from Goodbye Manhattan)
5 Sittin' Up In My Room feat. Grover Washington, Jr. (from Pieces)
6 Pieces feat. Maxi Priest (from Pieces)
7 My Love (from The Best of Pieces Of A Dream)
8 It's You That I Want (from Ahead To The Past)
9 Goodbye Manhattan feat. Eva Cassidy (from Goodbye Manhattan)
10 You And I feat. Maysa (from Ahead To The Past)
11 Knikki's Smile (from Pieces)
12 Club Jazz: Quiet Storm Mix (from Goodbye Manhattan)



I'll start off with the tracks Eva features in... These are tracks 4 and 9. According to Eva's biography, Bruce Lundvall, the President of Blue Note jazz labels said he put her together with this 3-piece band. Goodbye Manhattan is described as being a "nice, commercial song... It was a nice ballad, with a big, big chorus and a funky feeling to it, and she nailed it". I would certainly have to agree. Because this is a smooth Jazz album, it is very strong and Eva's voice just completes it. It is about someone’s love of the Big City but I don't think Eva had such strong feelings towards it because she liked to be outdoors with nature... that isn't what you find there. The track was released as a single but it was not that successful. The second track is 'Have a Little Faith' which Eva thought sounded like she was singing in a "beauty pageant contest". When the recording was finished and she was sent it, she left it in the boot of her car. According to Eva's mother Barbara Cassidy, "There is a little picture inside the record jacket when they were trying to put make up on her and she said 'Mom, I was in tears because of what they were doing to my face'". Personally, I am a huge fan of this track. It is so strong but not quite Eva at her best - it seems as though she is more shouting down the microphone than singing e.g. Fields of Gold or Songbird. Her voice seems a little strained but certainly both tracks I would highly recommend to all Eva fans.

It just seems the Sax and the Keyboard make a perfect combination in Pieces' albums and feature prominently in the opening track 'Took So Long'. The track is quite relaxing and very smooth. The tempo is slow compared to some of the other tracks but is relaxing after a hard day and I have drifted off to a nice 'Pieceful' sleep at night with this track. The tempo begins to rise when the second track begins. A strong Sax melody with (what sounds to me) a flute accompaniment. The drums and bass also play a bigger part. Again (as with all Pieces' track) it is very smooth. When it moves onto 'Sittin' Up In My Room' I just imagine a person (sitting in their room) and this would be a track they would be listening to and just generally chilling out to. This is a great track for those of you that are fans of Grover Washington, Jr. I knew I recognised the vocalist in the track Pieces... it is Maxi Priest and I can actually say that this track is so smooth it's practically flawless! Here James has taken away the traditional piano sounding keyboard and added a little deeper and more organ sounding keys.

Knikki's Smile is my ultimately favouritest vocal-less track in the world... ok, I only have two PoaD albums and I know there are a lot more spanning from their almost 30 years of recordings but I love this the most out of the ones I have heard. When I found out the title of the track it did make me smile but I could just imagine this faceless person with a big beaming smile. The track actually does sound a little sad unless you know what it's called but it is a lovely slow tempo track which would be perfect on a romantic night in the arms of someone you love. Continuing with the romantic feel, Track 7 'My Love' is exactly this. Another vocal-less track which probably says more than love than words can.

I am going to completely insult the band here and say I feel track 10 sounds a little like a Take That track. I feel it's just the vocals as you would never expect to hear Take That singing along to such great Jazz artistry. I don't mean any offence to the band - they are great singers but when they sing 'Baby' it does sound a little like the song 'Babe'... sorry! From not so good vocals to brilliant ones is Track 10 - 'You and I' with Maysa. I have never heard about her until now so have just been finding out a little more info on her. She has also recorded with Stevie Wonder, Urban Species and Ray Hayden of Opaz. Compared to Tracy Hamlin (the vocalist on Loves Silhouette) she has a deeper voice, which is a little bluesier, but there is not really a big comparison.

There are samples of ALL these tracks found on Amazon.co.uk and I would highly recommend you listen to a couple of them.

Would I recommend the album? Of course - great for Eva fans, Maysa fans, Maxi fans, Grover fans, Pieces' fans, Jazz fans, fans of good music!..... The least you can do is check it out!

Eight of the fourteen tracks are over 5 minutes long (and none under 3:21) so you are getting a great length to the album. You get at least an hour of the Smmmooooooothest Jazz around!

More info:

Pieces of a Dream: www.piecesjazz.com
Blue Note Records: www.bluenote.com (go to search and click P for Pieces' info)
Maysa Leak: www. maysa.com

UPDATE:

Pieces Of A Dream Music (as of 9/2004):

1. Pieces Of A Dream - now on CD
2. We Are One - now on CD
3. Imagine This - no longer available
4. ‘Bout Dat Time - no longer available
5. Joyride - now on CD
6. Makes You Wanna - no longer available
7. In Flight - on CD
8. Goodbye Manhattan - on CD
9. The Best of….. - on CD
10. PIECES - on CD
11. Ahead To The Past - on CD
12. Acquainted With The Night - on CD
13. Love’s Silhouette - on CD
14. NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED - JUST RELEASED


Pieces Of A Dream Fan Club 1993
Member, National Association of Fan Clubs

Summary: