“Strangers"～Sweet Soul Review

“Strangers"~Sweet Soul Review

1.Strangers In The Dark Corners
from “Strangers" by Johnny Bristol (1978)
2.Tonight's The Night For Love
from “Back For More" by Al Johnson (1980)
3.Your Love Is
from “Behold The Mighty Army" by New Birth featuring Leslie Wilson (1977)
4.I Need Love
from “It's All About Love" by Persuaders (1976)
5.I Don't Wanna Leave You
from “I Don't Wanna Leave You" by Debbie Taylor (1975)
6.Special Occasion
from “Once Moore With Feeling" by Dorothy Moore (1978)
7.Looks Like Rain
from “Looking For You" by Alzo Fronte (1971)
8.Rainin' Through My Sunshine
from “Step Into Our World" by Real Thing (1978)
9.It Couldn't Hurt
from “After Midnight" by Manhattans (1980)
10.Beware,She's Pulling My Strings
from “Flashlight" by Flashlight (1978)
11.Looking Up To You
from “Love Conquers All" by Michael Wycoff (1982)
12.It Must Be Love
from “It Must Be Love" by Alton McClain & Destiny (1978)
13.Have Some Fun
from “1980" by B.T.Express (1980)
14.Inside Out
from “Happy Together" by Odyssey (1982)
15.Never Knew Love Like This Before
from “Sweet Sensation" by Stephanie Mills (1980)
16.Never Had A Love Like This Before
from “Madam Butterfly" by Tavares (1979)

“Take Your Time"~ A.O.R. Best Collection Excerpt

“Take Your Time"~ A.O.R. Best Collection Excerpt Vol.2

1.Come To Me
from “Bobby Caldwell" by Bobby Caldwell (1978)
2.Savin' It Up
from “Fool's Paradise" by Randy Goodrum (1982)
3.Take Your Time
from “Who's Foolin' Who?" by Frankie Bleu (1982)
4.I Just Wanna Stop
from “Brother To Brother" by Gino Vannelli (1978)
5.Stop For Love
from “Miracles" by Change (1981)
6.You're Breakin' My Heart
from “NiteflyteⅡ" by Niteflyte (1980)
7.Never Gonna Let You Go
from “Sergio Mendes" by Sergio Mendes featuring J.Pizzulo,L.Miller (1982)
8.The Other Side of Midnight
from “Waters" by Waters (1977)
9.Who's That Look In Your Eye
from “No Man's Land" by Rick Bowles (1984)
10.Makin' Millionares
from “An Appointment of" by The President (1983)
11.Stranger In Paradise
from “Stranger In Paradise" by Dwayne Ford (1981)
12.If Love Doesn't Find Us
from “Over The Line" by Greg Guidry (1982)
13.Once In A Time
from “The Riper The Finer" by The Joe Chemay Band (1981)
14.I Just Can't Let Go
from “Anywhere You Go" by David Pack (1985)
15.This Night Won't Last Forever
from “The Right Direction" by Bill LaBounty (1978/1991)
16.Diary of A Fool
from “Sleepless Nights" by Alan Gorrie (1985)
17.The Fool Is All Alone
from “Runaway" by Bill Champlin (1981)
18.Remember Me
from “Gotta Have The Real Thing" by Rick Riso (1985)
19.This Love That We've Found
from “Heat" by Heat featuring J.Pizzulo,J.M.Arnold (1980)
20.Another World
from “All Dressed Up" by David Roberts (1982)

このｺﾝﾋﾟﾚｰｼｮﾝは70年代後半から80年代にかけて流行した
ﾎﾟｯﾌﾟ･ﾐｭｰｼﾞｯｸ､“AOR(ｱﾀﾞﾙﾄ･ｵﾘｴﾝﾃｯﾄﾞ･ﾛｯｸ)"の名曲を集め､
ﾃｰﾏごとにCD4枚にまとめたものです｡

これはその2枚目にあたり､AORの魅力のひとつである
“ﾊﾞﾗｰﾄﾞ"に焦点を当て､徹頭徹尾ﾊﾞﾗｰﾄﾞというかなり“甘め"の
ｺﾝﾋﾟﾚｰｼｮﾝになっています｡

いろいろCDを買いあさった結果､とにかくいいﾊﾞﾗｰﾄﾞだったら
有名無名を問わず選曲していったので､
自分の好みがもろに出てしまったようです｡
特にFrankie Bleuの③､Changeの⑤､Presidentの⑩がそれで､
無名な曲ではありますが､良い曲だったので収録することにしました｡

しかし当時ﾋｯﾄした曲も入っていてGino Vanelliの④と
Sergio Mendesの⑥はともに全米4位､

Bobby Caldwellの①は1988年にﾀﾊﾞｺのCMに､

Bill LaBountyの⑮は1990年のﾄﾞﾗﾏ挿入歌に使用されてﾘﾊﾞｲﾊﾞﾙﾋｯﾄしています｡

そして後半は⑯はAverage White BandのヴｫｰｶﾙのAllan Gorrie､
そしておなじみBill Champlinの⑰､Rick Risoの甘さたっぷりの名曲⑱､
そして今回最もｵｽｽﾒしたいのはHeatの⑲｢This Love That We'veFound｣です｡

Earth,Wind & Fireを彷彿とさせる非常にﾄﾞﾗﾏﾃｨｯｸな曲で､
これも埋もれた存在ですが､ものすごくいい曲です｡

そして最後はDavid Robertsの⑳です｡このｱﾙﾊﾞﾑは長らく廃盤で手に
入らなかったのですが､この度奇跡の再発!ようやく聴くことができました｡
嬉しさのあまりﾗｽﾄにこの感動的なﾊﾞﾗｰﾄﾞを｡

ということで全20曲｡静かなｺﾝﾋﾟﾚｰｼｮﾝになるかとも思いましたが､
ﾒﾛﾃﾞｨに力があるので意外と落ち着かなかったかもしれませんね｡
お耳に適えばこんなに嬉しいことはありません｡

“Just The Two of Us"~AOR Best Selection Excerpt

“Just The Two of Us"~AOR Best Selection Excerpt Vol.1

1.If You Want It
from “Niteflyte" by Niteflyte (1978)
2.Take It Easy
from “Black And White Raven" by Archie James Cavanaugh (1981)
3.What You Won't Do For Love
from “Bobby Caldwell" by Bobby Caldwell (1978)
4.Livin' It Up
from “Bill LaBounty" by Bill LaBounty (1982)
5.Hip-notic Lady
from “Future Flight" by Future Flight (1981)
6.Him
from “Partners In Crime" by Rupert Holmes (1979)
7.Cool Night
from “Cool Night" by Paul Davis (1981)
8.It Will Be Alright
from “Airplay" by Airplay (1979)
9.Smile Again
from “Mecca For Moderns" by The Manhattan Transfer (1978)
10.We Both Tried
from “Singles" by Bill Champlin (1978)
11.Like Yesterday
from “Another Night" by The Wilson Brothers (1979)
12.Not Like This
from “Jarreau" by Al Jarreau (1983)
13.Come On Home
from “Pages" by The Pages (1981)
14.Sit Down And Talk About It
from “Part of It All" by Stylus (1978)
15.The Biggest Part of Me
from “One,Eighty" by Ambrosia (1980)
16.The Light Is On
from “Christopher Cross" by Christopher Cross (1979)
17.Just The Two Of Us
from “Winelight" by Grover Washington Jr. featuring Bill Withers (1980)
18.When This Love Affair Is Over
from “Bi-Coastal" by Peter Allen (1980)

このｺﾝﾋﾟﾚｰｼｮﾝは70年代後半から80年代にかけて流行したﾎﾟｯﾌﾟ･ﾐｭｰｼﾞｯｸ､

“AOR(ｱﾀﾞﾙﾄ･ｵﾘｴﾝﾃｯﾄﾞ･ﾛｯｸ)"の名曲を集め､

ﾃｰﾏごとにCD4枚にまとめたものです｡

これはその1枚目にあたり､誰にでも取りつきやすく有名な曲を中心に選曲しました｡

題して｢Greatest Hits of AOR｣｡
Bobby Caldwellの③､Paul Davisの⑦､Ambrosiaの⑮､

そしてｸﾞﾗﾐｰ賞にも輝いたGrover Washington Jr.の⑰などの

ﾋｯﾄ曲も入っています｡

それとBill LaBountyの④､Rupert Holmsの⑥､
Pagesの⑬というようなAORの代表的な曲も収録しています｡

そしてAORといえばDavid FosterとJay Graydonの二人を欠かすわけにはいきません｡

二人が組んだ唯一のｱﾙﾊﾞﾑ｢Airplay｣からはﾊﾞﾗｰﾄﾞの⑧､

続いてManhattan Transferの⑨､Bill Champlinの⑩の3曲を選びました｡
しかしそれだけでは芸がないので､無名な曲も同時に聴いてもらおうということで､

驚愕のCD化Archie JamesCavanaughの②､Stylusの⑭､

そして数あるﾋｯﾄ曲を有するChristopher Crossは

あえてｼﾝｸﾞﾙになっていない⑯にしました｡

おそらく知らない曲ばかりでしょうけれども､

ぜひ気に入っていただけたら､と思います｡

それでもやはりｺﾝﾋﾟﾚｰｼｮﾝというのは1曲目と最後の曲が肝心で､
いろいろ迷ったあげく､ｵｰﾌﾟﾆﾝｸﾞはNiteflyteの①､
あまりにﾍﾞﾀすぎかなとも思いましたが､このｲﾝﾄﾛに勝るものはない､
という結論に達しました｡

それとｴﾝﾃﾞｨﾝｸﾞはAORの数あるﾊﾞﾗｰﾄﾞの中でも

最も甘く切ないPeter Allenの⑱にすることにしました｡

全18曲､どの曲もおそろしく完成度が高く､この演奏､
このヴｧｰｼﾞｮﾝでなければならないものばかりです｡
お耳に適えばこんなに嬉しいことはありません｡