DIANE SCHUUR
Friends For Schuur (Concord)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

---

Like many vocalists, Diane Schuur has had trouble keeping her music in a mode that can be strictly called jazz. That's reflected by her Grammy nominations moving from the Best Vocal Performance - Jazz category (which she's won twice) to the Best Vocal Performance - Traditional Pop category. Which all serves to show how incredibly stupid the practice of categorizing music can be sometimes.

I don't know if Diane Schuur is a jazz singer at this point in her career, although there's no doubt she can sing jazz. She can also sing almost anything else she cares to. All I know is that whatever Diane Schuur wants to sing, I want to listen.

You'll want to listen to her debut release on Concord, Friends For Schuur. The title is drawn from the star-studded supporting cast the label collected for the disc. Opening with an electronically produced pairing with Stan Getz (who introduced Schuur to his Monterey Jazz Festival audience in 1979 and later took her to the White House to perform) and including performances with Dave Grusin, Ray Charles, Stephen Bishop, Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder, Schuur's performances are as impressive as her list of performing friends.

Track List:

Easy Living * I'd Fly * For The First Time * It Might Be You * Love Like Ours * Red Cab To Manhattan * The Heart Never Learns * Never Take That Chance Again * It Had To Be You * I Just Called To Say I Love You * Finally

© 2001 - Shaun Dale