Vanessa Fernandez "When the Levee Breaks" Zeppelin tribute on triple-LP and SACD (June 2016)

Re the listing under "musicians" (first post): Tim Pierce, guitars

I don't know whether many of you have heard of him, but he is a "a top of the food chain" session guitarist": Session Guitarist Tim Pierce - Tim Pierce Guitar »


He has extraordinary ability and is widely known within the industry, having played with many artists. Don't judge him by the fact that he is "short on tattoos" and isn't scary lookin'. His playing is scary great!

 

Got ours and they're wonderful

 

This is a great release, worth every cent!

 

Reference Quality

 

Got the SACD of this last week, I can't get enough of it (-;

The sonics and performance are outstanding!!

 

Listening to the vinyl now. Killer sound!

 

Cant get past her voice. Nice enough, but simply doesnt fit the music.

Audiophile shmaudiophile

 

Yes, nothing special about her voice and not the best voice to go with the music. I admit that I got this because of the exceptional sound quality and I am a LZ fan!

 

I'll pile on and agree with the reviews about the incongruity of her voice. I think it's a good demo disc for audiophiles, but for actual quality of the music, I also think her voice and delivery is "weird" (or maybe "un-sophisticated," or "amateurish" are better descriptors?) and doesn't match the material. I give her credit for hitting on a marketable idea, though. Got me to buy a copy of the SACD. Listened to it once. Filed it away.

 

Her first SACD, Use Me, is better. Her voice fits the material better, and I have no problem with her performances.

As for the Led Zeppelin covers album, I think she had the right idea as far as the late 60s/early 70s era goes. But she should have expanded to more artists. In other words, she should have considered Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Free, Three Dog Night, Rod Stewart, Janis Joplin, CSNY, James Taylor, Carly Simon, etc.

 

Hate to rain on the parade, but after listening to this Lp for several sessions now...I can say that it is in one word....WEAK!
The problem lies with the song selection, the inability of Vanessa Fernandez to bring anything like the power needed to the vocals and amazingly...
the recording quality. While there are a few tracks that sound decent, the majority are just so totally devoid of life like tone that I have to question what the heck where they listening at the session?
Instruments blending into each other in the studio ( BTW, it is so blatantly obvious that this is a studio recording with the musicians just going through the process) resulting in minimal depth of image, poor resolution and on and on! Now, I played a copy of Tropic Affair on the Reference Recording label to compare..( thinking that it may be my system..it isn't ). The RR is recorded by Keith Johnson and mastered by Stan Ricker....and it
KILLS the pathetic Levee Breaks in all areas. Wish I hadn't sprung for this utter POS.

 

For anyone interested, Vanessa has a new album available now, entitled "I Want You":



Fabulous All Analogue Sonics!

'I Want You' sees Vanessa return to the '70s R&B classics and modern soul catalogue that was delivered so very well on 'Use Me' but with the addition of more recent hits from the likes of Radiohead and Rag & Bone Man.

Vanessa's third session for Groove Note features a collection of classic and old school soul and RnB classics with more recent songs included in the mix. Vanessa covers artists that include Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Gloria Gayner, Amy Winehouse, Hall & Oates, Radiohead and More!.

The album was recorded at United (former Oceanway) in Hollywood and mixed at Sphere in Burbank. All tracking and mixing was done 100% all analogue. Michael C Ross recorded the album in United Studio B over four days on a 24 track Studer using 2 inch analogue tape running at 30 ips. The final 30 ips 1/4 inch stereo master was used by Bernie Grundman to cut the 45 rpm LP and create the SACD.

Tim Pierce handled all the arrangements as on the first two Vanessa albums. Musicians include former Michael Jackson bassist Alex Al, current Jimmy Kimmel show band keyboardist Jeff Babko, top LA-based horn player Ricky Woodard as well as returning musicians from 'When The Levee Breaks'. Needless to say, Vanessa and the band deliver some truly exceptional performances on this session and with fabulous all analogue sonics!

Features:
• 180g Audiophile Vinyl
• 45rpm Double LP
• Cut by Bernie Grundman on all analogue tube cutting system using all upgraded and modified vintage Sculley cutting lathes
• Mastered directly from the original 30 ips 1/4 inch analogue master
• Pressed and plated by RTI
• Gatefold jacket
• 100% Analogue LP
• Absolutely NO Autotune was used in the making of this album
• Made in the USA

Musicians:
Vanessa Fernandez, vocals
Tim Pierce, guitars, arrangements
Alex Al, bass (ex-Michael Jackson)
Victor Indrizzo, drums
Jeff Babko, keyboards
Luis Conte, percussion
Charlie Bisharat, violin
Ricky Woodard, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone

Selections:
Side A:
1. Right On For The Darkness
2. I Want You
3. Human
Side B:
1. Every Time You Go Away
2. Hey Stranger (Album Mix)
3. Angel Dust
Side C:
1. Tripping Out
2. Billie Jean
3. Creep
Side D:
1. I Will Survive!
2. Back To Black
3. Hey Stranger (Alternate Mix)

Vanessa Fernandez I Want You 180g 45rpm 2LP-Elusive Disc

 

After the pathetic Levee album, I would have to say...Buyer beware on this release as well.
Best to see if one can hear tracks, or the complete album somewhere first, before committing to a purchase.

Unfortunately, I think there are a number of releases that are coming to market, or have recently come to market, that are simply sub par...but that hasn’t stopped the press from singing their praises to the heavens...only to retract that praise at a later time. Typically by then the public has footed the bill, made the enterprise a success and allowed the vendor to continue bringing trash to the market...and fill their pockets at the gullible a’philes expense.

 

I really liked her cover of the great Curtis Mayfield's song, "Here But I'm Gone." The song was on Curtis' last album and he was ailing- as I recall, he had to track the singing parts in small segments because of his difficulties in breathing.
Granted, that track got typical audio show 'overplay' a few years ago, but it has a great beat and she hits it pretty hard. Ying can make a good record. The challenge is always the material. The audiophile houses rely on a steady diet of proven warhorses. For good reasons - business. But, do I need the 20th audiophile reissue of the same record? I applaud Ying for at least reaching beyond the standard canon of classic rock and jazz staples.
I wind up buying new vinyl on "non-audiophile" record labels- they are willing to put out the more obscure stuff that is unobtanium as original pressings. Most are derived from digital masters even if the original recording was analog and some sound great, some not so good. But, a lot of them don't have quite the mojo of these fancy audiophile house issues. ORG is an interesting label.

 

I really like the work Vanessa has done for Groove Note. I like the production, arrangements and Vanessa's vocals. I thought the "Levee" project was something out-of-the-box for the audiophile labels and I loved it -- the song selection on the other albums is also pretty varied, so I applaud Groove Note for not being stuck in "standards" mode (I also loved their recent Jacintha project devoted to James Taylor).

 

IMO the Holt's law applies in the case of Vanessa Fernadez, the better the recording the worse the performance and vice versa....