Slow

by Ann Hampton Callaway

Overview

Slow may be the best example of singer Ann Hampton Calloway’s versatility as an artist. Calloway’s voice is a stunning instrument that can caress a ballad: the evergreens “You Belong to Me” and “Never Let Me Go”; the Carole King–Gerry Goffin pop standard “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”; bossa boss Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Someone to Light Up My Life"; and Calloway’s own outstanding originals -- “I’ve Dreamed of You,” the jazzy “Lullaby in Blue,” and the seductive, Bacharach-esque “Slow.” Yet Calloway can also enter contemporary smooth-jazz territory with style. “Tonight, You’re All Mine” (a Calloway–Carole King collaboration) and Calloway’s “My Answered Prayer” sound like hits Anita Baker missed out on, while a duet with sister Liz on Van Morrison’s “Moondance” confirms the song’s secure place as a modern standard. Throughout, Calloway sounds outstanding, her pipes in prime shape and her attentiveness to lyrics never more in evidence. A triumph.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/24/2004
Label:	Shanachie
UPC:	0016351511829
catalogNumber:	5118
Rank:	64079

Tracks

1. Slow
2. You Belong to Me
3. Will You Love Me Tomorrow?
4. Tonight You're All Mine
5. Someone to Light Up My Life
6. I've Dreamed of You
7. Lullaby in Blue
8. Moondance
9. Never Really Mine to Lose
10. Love Dance
11. Never Let Me Go
12. My Answered Prayer

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ann Hampton Callaway   Primary Artist,Vocals,Background Vocals,String Pads
Carole King   Background Vocals
Robin Eubanks   Trombone
Rodney Jones   Electric Guitar
Ted Rosenthal   Piano,Keyboards
Victor Lewis   Drums
Mark Sherman   String Pads
Everett Bradley   Background Vocals
Randy Brecker   Flugelhorn
Jay Leonhart   Bass,Background Vocals
Romero Lubambo   Acoustic Guitar
Emedin Rivera   Percussion
Liz Callaway   Vocals,Background Vocals
Dave Mann   Saxophone

Technical Credits

Ivan Lins   Composer
Carole King   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Audio Production
Vinícius de Moraes   Composer
Fred Hersch   Arranger
Bill Mays   Arranger
Ted Rosenthal   Arranger
Gene Lees   Composer
Gerry Goffin   Composer
Pee Wee King   Composer
Redd Stewart   Composer
Ann Hampton Callaway   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Richard Rodney Bennett   Arranger
Ray Evans   Composer
Antonio Carlos Jobim   Composer
Jay Livingston   Composer
Vitor Martins   Composer
Van Morrison   Composer
Paul Wickliffe   Engineer
Liz Callaway   Arranger
Alex Rybeck   Arranger
Rolf Lovland   Composer
Paul "Tubbs" Williams   Composer
Lindy Robbins   Composer
Danny Weiss   Producer
Chilton Price   Composer

Editorial Reviews

The sultry, sweet-molasses voiced veteran singer/songwriter has an impressive pedigree as an entertainment Renaissance woman, with a Tony nomination for Swing!, the theme song to TV's The Nanny, and some 40 CDs as a soloist and guest artist to her credit. Best of all, she lives up to her promises, most notably, the vibe she hints at in the album title. Her goal was to make a dreamy "make out" album and she succeeds, creating a lush, moody, sparsely arranged atmosphere-rich collection of sweet originals played at very slow tempos. Those arrangements are geared towards allowing her voice to stand out and ultimately caress the listener, but the drawback is that there's not a great deal of variety in rhythm and movement from track to track. Those who love the original version of Carole King's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" may be maddened by its languid pace (despite its shimmering beauty), but King loved it so much that she wrote the following track, the much more engaging, AC radio-accessible "Tonight You're All Mine," with Callaway co-producing and singing backup on the track. Callaway also picks up the pace to joyous effect, singing beautifully with her sister Liz (with whom she performs cabaret shows) on a lightly swinging version of "Moondance." Other familiar tracks include a thoughtful reading of Ivan Lins' "Love Dance," and "I've Dreamed of You" (Callaway's song which Barbra Streisand sang at her wedding to James Brolin and later included on three albums.)

All Music Guide - Jonathan Widran