Elaine Dame – “Reminiscing”
Chicago-based singer Elaine Dame‘s cover of Donna Summer’s disco classic “Last Dance” is worth the trip alone here. The way she phrases the first words is simply stunning. And she keeps the vulnerability and the strength and the longing of the song for a total of six and a half minutes. She tackles the disco stomper as a full-blown ballad. Kudos for the bravery. At times, and at the perfect moment, her voice crackles just a tiny little bit after the elegant piano solo by Tom Vaitsas when she sings “I need someone right by me…”. The despair here is genuine, raw, refined, and just beautiful. “Reminiscing” is only her third album in 20 years and this time, she turns nine songs from the 70s upside down.
Rufus & Chaka’s “Tell Me Something Good”, the Stevie Wonder-penned soul/funk anthem from 1974, gets a lively mambo treatment where Elaine opens up to some crazy looseness, retaining the funkiness of the original, yet making it her own statement. Very cool trumpet solo by Victor Garcia here, including a “Stormy Sweather” quote. The funk continues for the Bill Withers classic “Use Me” (1972). I like the way Neal Alger’s guitar is thrown into the mix here. It’s a pretty dry and driving version and never loses the original’s perkiness. After her convincing belting, which she never overemphasizes, maintaining a surefire restraint which makes her style all the more sympathetic, she turns down the tempo for the bossa-themed title track of the album, a song originally by the Little River Band from 1978. There is a very nice change in pace and sound here, with Rhodes by Tom Vaitsas, a muted trumpet by Art Davis, and beautiful guitar solo. Elaine gently flows over the track, charmingly telling the story of days gone by.
You might think on first glance at the song list on the album that Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” might be an odd choice. But once again, Elaine manages to actually move the 1975 prog rock tune into some sentimental territory that actually never really came across in the original, at least to these ears. (Maybe it’s because of the instrumentation on the original). We get some deep bass solo by Sam Peters and a somber soprano sax by Chris Madsen, who also co-arranged the album with Elaine. The heartbreaking Bonnie Raitt tune “Nothing Seems To Matter” (1972) is also included here. Elaine totally nails it (the hurt, the pain) in the second verse when she sings “And tonight I just can’t help but think about you”. Oh and then we’re also treated to Maria Muldaur’s “Midnight At The Oasis” (1974) with a slightly slower version. I like the fact that there is enough room for the brilliant musicians to shine on the album, too. Neal Alger does a wonderful job on this particular track.
This is an exciting release, full of refreshing moves and bold steps. And some swinging finale on the Pablo Cruise song “Love Will Find A Way” (1978). Now can we have a Volume 2 please and a vinyl version too?
