Regina's beautiful, reflective album.
In the late eighties every "Quiet Storm" DJ on the planet was playing "Baby Come to Me," the bellowing slow jam by Regina Belle that seemingly seduced the charts overnight. Into the nineties, Belle manufactured numerous hit love songs -- "Is This Love?," "Make It Like It Was," "Show Me the Way," and "All I Want Is Forever" (with JT Taylor of Kool & The Gang) -- all well written and colored by her feminine tenor tones. Whether in a duet or alone, Regina was the embodiment of soulful grown folks music and one of the most recognizable and celebrated R&B vocalists of that period.
When well-known artists record an album in a genre different from the one for which they're known, it can often feel a bit forced. But for Jazz/Soul vocalist Regina Belle, a pastor's wife who has long been an outspoken believer, the move seems so obvious that it begs the question, Why didn't she take this leap of faith before?
"God says the time is right", says Regina. "He's transitioning me to do a work for him. It was opportune".
The new offering by the acclaimed songstress is a triumphant homage to God's faithfulness through it all, a testament to how His goodness and mercy followed the vocalist all the days of her life, from the cradle all the way through her decorated music career. Most importantly, the album is a tribute to the singer's gospel music heritage--14 songs that speak to the bedrock of Regina Belle's faith, never more evident in the disc's stunning centerpiece, the stirring traditional first single, "God Is Good"
Her contemporary and good friend Shirley Murdock who has walked a parallel path personally and professionally (both were leading ladies in R&B and are now first ladies in their husbands' churches), appears on the album in a duet entitled "I Call on Jesus".
Award-winning Gospel artist, Melvin Williams (Williams Brothers) duets with Regina on the song, "Good To Be Loved" as well Williams' vocals can be heard accompanying her on background on the first single, "God Is Good".
This album will undoubtedly build on Regina's success to date. Her voice embodies so much: wistful yearning, romanticism, sadness, joy and more.
Regina Belle, a noted songwriter in her own right, penned many of the songs featured on the project, while working alongside Chris Walker who produced and co-produced all but two songs on the CD. Musical talent seemingly runs in the family as her brother Bernard Belle, a well-known music industry songwriter, wrote, produced and arranged two of the album's tracks.
The tracks she wrote demonstrate her own writing ability, while her interpretations are fresh and personal.
There is very much the sense of Regina singing these absolutely as she wants, meandering and taking her time over the lyrics in a luxurious fashion.
That's the way I like it though, an artist who can effortlessly evoke feeling no matter what style she embarks on, and while her music all has her signature touch her albums never, and I mean never, falls into the rut of redundancy.
David (Letterman), Jay (Leno), Ellen (DeGeneres), and Oprah (Winfrey) : please, take note of this !
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