Search - Narada Michael Walden :: I Cry I Smile

Pure Narada

Cath | St. Louis, MO United States | 11/12/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After losing custody of "I Cry, I Smile," it dawned on me that I'd lost my anthem. I e-mailed Narada pleading for the source of another copy -- I even would have bought a turntable if it turned out to be an LP. Sweetheart that he is, he answered; but unfortunately, there were no copies available, and no plans to re-release it on CD. I couldn't be more thrilled that someone, somewhere, had a change of heart! Hearing this collection again was like hearing it for the first time. Narada gathered other wonderfully gifted artists (Hiram Bullock, Norma Jean Bell, Ray Gomez, Herb Alpert), and put his whole, pure Soul into every track. My heart took flight. The songs I missed most(the title track and "So Long") were there, of course, but I was touched to hear all the others again 'for the first time.' Narada, if you read this review, "THANK YOU!!" I have my anthem back."

Not What I Expected!

Jeffrey G. Stevenson | F.W.B.,FL | 10/19/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, I must be straight-forward here....I could do with or without the couple of albums I have aquired lately from NMW. I really don't have any reason to write a review, other than to warn/ prepare the prospective buyer what to expect (something I wish more of the reviews I read had had). I had long been exposed to Narada's supreme drumming on the great albums "Visions of the Emerald Beyond" and "Wired", so when I stumbled upon his solo works here @ Amazon, I immediately ordered this release and "The Best of". From the first few bars of the opening track, I knew this was not quite what I was hoping for. Now please don't get me wrong----this is nice music...with great musicians. The compositions from Narada proves he is a worthy writer/arranger....and the songs have nice melodic structure and inspired, uplifting lyrics. There is no denying what artists have inspired NMW.....the proof is all over this and his "best of" releases---- Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, (Carlos) Santana, Aretha, etc. Best I can tell, ALL of his works are 'drenched' with R+B, Soul, funk and dance/disco sounds (sprinkled ever so slightly with a bit of fushion). I knew he had gone a different direction since the days of Mahavishnu and J. Beck, but wasn't prepared for just how drastic his change was....I mean I could count only two or three times (on both albums!) where he unleashed a drum 'barrage' even remotely reminiscent of his blazing fushion days. Now that in itself does nothing to spoil things for me, and matter of factly, his drumming is very tasteful and very "serving" to the music....but I can get that "fix" many other places, and quite frankly will. On the other hand, I will ocassionally give his albums a listen with an open mind (despite those sometimes super cheesy vocals).....but will personally always associate NMW with the great fushion he helped make.

P.S. BTW, didn't he produce Starship's "We built This City"....I guess that should have hinted at his changing musical direction----truly one of the worst songs ever associated with american music...sorry, I had to say it!"

Is there such an animal as "Jazz-Pop fusion"??????

Peppino | 12/26/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"ahhhhhh, LABELS LABELS LABELS!Narada Michael was making some nice musics before he settled in to a more financially rewarding and musically vacuous role as a producer of pop/disco records.This cd is very nice, a really fun mix of genres, as Narada tempered his spiritual side ("Oneness-Cry", a Caravanserai-Santana period style composition) with the silly("Mango-Bop", a faux-calypso funky tune that grows on you). The centerpiece songs, however are the more loping doo-wop meets jazz songs --Better Man" , "I Remember", and "Soul Bird", which harmonically have more in common with Todd Rundgren(!!!) than fusion jazz or "pure" funk/ R&B. Narada also plays keyboards besides being a top flight drummer, and his choice of chord voicings and the harmonic solutions are uncanny in that they evoke memories of Rundgren's more "progressive" works, noteably "A WIZARD , A TRUE STAR".Narada is a better vocalist though(NEITHER gets award for crooner of the year, however............).Nice guitar from Hiram Bullock, a blues based musician with a jazz feeling. Norma Jean's sax is nice in that Motown- bag.I dont know, if the sampling generation samples mediocre works(MY OPINION< MY FRIENDS) like Eugene McDaniels "Headless Horsemen...", WHY then arent you guys picking Narada dry, THERE ARE SOME GREAT SAMPLES HERE, I THINK!As for us mouldy figs who dont sample, the musics are enjoyable, nothing for a space time capsule, but sure worth the effort to hear! Viva Narada Micky.............."