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BILL WITHERS

Bill Withers & Studio Rio

Lovely Day

    Last year whilst DJing with miche at Shapes festival in the snow- capped mountains of Switzerland, a breathtaking yet ominous Alpine sky suddenly became a picture postcard moment. The clouds parted and a double rainbow formed, as miche dropped Studio Rio's bossa nova remake of Bill Withers' all-time classic 'Lovely Day'. From there, the dancefloor shifted gears and morphed into full- swing feel- good vibes, in a beautiful, spontaneous moment nobody could have planned for.

    Mr Bongo now proudly presents a reissue of this brilliant, bossa-channelling Bill Withers reinterpretation from Studio Rio's 2014 release 'The Brazil Connection'. Masterminded by the German Grammy award- winning Berman Brothers , the project was born out of their deep love of Brazilian music. "Our goal was to bring the Brazilian joie de vivre to iconic performances by well- known artists. What would these classic songs sound like had they been recorded in the studios of Rio de Janeiro in the first place, with the best Brazilian musicians and arrangers?" the brothers reflect.

    Capturing the life force of Brazil, the beating heart that is its music, they set out to find the musicians who would fit best with their concept. Landing in Rio in 2013 a series of coincidences led to them being introduced to their idols Marcos Valle and Roberto Menescal, who both agreed to come on board. The Berman Brothers also wanted to find some of the musicians who recorded with one of Brazil's most influential composers Tom Jobim. "Fifty years after Jobim made the music that really defines bossa nova, we found that many of his sidemen were still active, including Paulo Braga of Jobim's famed rhythm section. It was magic; everything just fell into place."

    There's no question that the original of 'Lovely Day' is up there as one of the most feel-good, spirit-lifting anthems of all time. Here the brothers, with the help of a whole host of Brazil's finest musicians, rework Bill's soul- fuelled groove into a bossa nova slice of sunshine. With the blessing of Bill and Sony, they were given access to the original multitracks so they could incorporate Bill's vocals perfectly into the new arrangement.

    Joy-injected horns and bouncing double bass blend with the smile- inducing samba flavour of Pretinho da Serrinha's cavaquinho playing. Tying it all together Torcuato Marinao who worked with the likes of Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, completes the line-up as arranger of the songs. The perfect end-of-the-night track, mood lifter or soul warmer, remakes don't get much better than this.

    TRACK LISTING

    Bill Withers & Studio Rio - Lovely Day (Studio Rio Version)
    Bill Withers & Studio Rio - Lovely Day (Studio Rio Instrumental Version)

    Bill Withers

    Menagerie

      Bill Withers has been making a comeback since the release of the documentary "Still Bill", but there are many who would argue that, although he hasn’t recorded an album since 1985, he never really left. His musical legacy has found a place in our hearts and settled into our subconscious, none more so than "Menagerie"’s opening track “Lovely Day”. Every song as smooth as the next, this upbeat album is perfect for the summer to come. There’s a relaxed vibe running through every note - even in the more up-tempo songs - and a consistency here that shows Bill at his best. Now’s the perfect time to add this certified gold record that hasn’t been reissued on vinyl since 1978 to your ever-growing Bill Withers collection!

      In a career laden with highlights and hallmarks in the annals of soul history, 'Just As I Am' is rather overlooked as one of the best soul debuts ever issued. Beautifully remastered, 'Just as I Am' is presented to a new generation of listeners who may have missed out the first time. With this remastering comes an intimacy, warmth, and immediacy to the recordings that was only hinted at with previous versions; it's almost as if Withers is in a living room singing to a small group of people, rather than making a record.

      Of course, the instantly recognizable anthem "Ain't No Sunshine" gets all of the acclaim it so richly deserves, but also in tracks like "Harlem", "Grandma's Hands" and "Better Off Dead" you can hear the intensity and maturity of Bill's performances. Even when he's doing covers, Withers makes them sound as if they are his own compositions.

      Give this classic record a spin, and get ready to be submersed in the soul of one of the true masters of the genre!

      TRACK LISTING


      Side A
      A1. Harlem (3:23)
      A2. Ain't No Sunshine (2:05)
      A3. Grandma's Hands (1:59)
      A4. Sweet Wanomi (2:32)
      A5. Everybody's Talkin' (3:24)
      A6. Do It Good (2:52)

      Side B
      B1. Hope She'll Be Happier (3:50)
      B2. Let It Be (2:36)
      B3. I'm Her Daddy (3:18)
      B4. In My Heart (4:19)
      B5. Moanin' And Groanin' (2:58)
      B6. Better Off Dead (2:14)


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