Who's your favorite female A&M artist?

[Harry]

Lani Hall's solo material doesn't have that same MAGICAL effect as her work with B66. I have 5 Lani Hall albums, and there is not one album that I can listen to the whole way thru. My favorite Lani CD is CLASSICS.

Purely a matter of personal taste, I suppose. I've always found Lani's solo work to be quite magical -- though perhaps not to the degree she reached with Brasil '66, but different. Her early solo albums, SUN DOWN LADY and HELLO IT'S ME have a mellow, personal quality.

She strayed a bit on SWEET BIRD and moreso on DOUBLE OR NOTHING, the latter veering into disco at times, something that really didn't suit her style. Still, I absolutely love "To Know".

BLUSH had some interesting tracks, like "I Don't Want You To Go" and her duet with hubby Herb, "Come What May", but overall the album just didn't have 'it.'

Lani really found her solo 'stuff' with the album that was never released here in the US, her 1981 effort A BRAZILEIRA. Issued in Brazil, it harkens back to her best work with Sergio and is even a collaboration with former bandmate, Oscar Castro-Neves. Virtually all in Portuguese, with sparse instrumentation, Lani really shines on this one.

She did one more album in English, an energetic effort called ALBANY PARK, that features a few gems, but her ability to weave her magic again appeared on a trio of albums released for the Spanish Market, LANI, LANI HALL, and ES FACIL AMAR, the latter one winning her a Grammy. The first is a stellar effort, a collaboration with the magnificent Juan Carlos Calderon and Jose Quintana, the pair responsible for Herb's FANDANGO album.

As for BRASIL NATIVO, I like her take on these tunes. Others have said they're too slow and dirge-like, and there are a few tracks on the CD I could've done without, but overall I thought it was a great comeback album, and I like her rapport with Dori Caymmi. Again, her best comes shining through in her non-native language.

I find that most of the time I'm in a 'Lani' mood, I'll grab one of these 'foreign' albums moreso than her English-language efforts.

A full Lani Hall album discography can be found here at the A&M Corner at:

http://www.amcorner.com/lanihall/

Harry
NP: LANI - Lani Hall

 

[mr J.]

Favorite A&M singers?that one's easy!Karen Carpenter,Rita Coolidge,Lani Hall.I agree with MSTAFT-Karen should have done alot more standards and jazz material.I always felt that Karen was the EQUAL of Ella Fitzgerald,Sarah Vaughan,Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra.There's no reason why she should have been relegated to "70's pop singer" status.I was listening to Diana Krall's CD "When I Look In Your Eyes" a few days ago,and was thinking-"Karen Carpenter should have done this album!"Anyway,A few Karen favorites:"This Masquerade","One More Time","Little Girl Blue","Little Altar Boy","Ordinary Fool","Crescent Noon","Somebody's Been Lyin".
Rita Coolidge is probably the most underrated singer in history.Gorgeous contralto and perfect pitch-best suited for singing Jazz and Blues(which she did alot of on her early albums).The problem with Rita is that most people judge her by her late-70's "hit-single" period,which is actually her worst material.I would recommend(albums)"Nice Feelin","The Lady's not for sale" and her final A&M album from 1984(great work):"Inside The Fire".Rita favorites: "All Time High","Fever","My Crew","Something said Love","Nice Feelin".
Lani Hall-I only like her Brasil "66 material.I would recommend "Equinox" and "Ye -me-le".Lani's all-time best:"Like a Lover".

 

[Mr Bill]

My fave A&M female vocalists:

1 & 2-Lani Hall & Karen Carpenter - 'nuff said!
3-Letta Mbulu - if you're not singing along by the second chorus of "Rainy Day Music" or "Music Man" there's something wrong with you!
4-Claudine Longet - like some beers, an acquired taste. When I was a young teen she was part of the "French Trio" that "did it for me" (Genevieve Bujold and Brigit BArdot being the other two)
5-Toni Tennille - great voice and "girl next door" personality.
6-Lucile Starr - sounded like Dolly Parton before Dolly Parton became a household name.

There's plenty more, but those are tops in my book.

--Mr Bill

 

[cam89]

I think that the number one singer of the A&M Record company would definately be Karen Carpenter. What a voice she had! She definately was underrated as a singer. Everyone thought she was a good singer, but if you actually listened to her complete body of work, well it is astounding. She could sing bluesy material...Ordinary Fool, Rainy Days and Mondays, I've Got Rhythm...standards...When I Fall In Love, Without A Song, Catch A Falling Star, My Funny Valentine...Disco...My Body Keeps Changing My Mind, Don't Try To Win Me Back Again...Motown...Dancing in the Streets, Jimmy Mac...and Broadway type tunes...Because We Are In Love, Someday, I Could Have Danced All Night Long etc. She had a stunning repetoire, along with her talented brother Richard Carpenter. They performed a winning combination. They sold approx 110 million records last I heard, if not more now. Her voice was amazing and filled with such feeling. She really had talent, as well as an amazing drummer. I wish Richard could release more of her solo songs. 12 of them were released, but there are at least 11 more songs left over and not released...

My thoughts,
Cameron
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