 Save Our Soul Artist of the Month, Dec 2002
Soul
Express' Album of the Month!
Manifesto Dec 2002 Review
Togetherness Magazine
24-7 Soul Review
24-7 Soul's Peggi Blu Competition
Blues & Soul Summer 2002 review
Amazon U.K. review |
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| Blues
& Soul - Album Picks |
"Blu
Blowin'", her debut album for Capitol
back in 1987, was the result of winning the 1986 Star
Search contest after appearing in four shows for two
minutes each. Those eight minutes netted her $100,000 and the
Grand Champion Female Vocalist title. Who says
that making it in this game is difficult, eh? What nonsense. Anyway,
that album's sleeve-notes revealed that all the guitars played
by a certain Ted Perlman. Fifteen years on, Pearly's
not only in charge of the production chores, but plays all the
instruments and is responsible for the programming as well. All
but one track, anyway, but we'll come to that. It's not the one
track on this new set that I feel a little uncomfortable with
wither, because that's where she sounds so like Tina Turner
you think it might be time for the human dynamo to move over and
give someone else a chance. But let's not go there, because Peggi
Blu is a much better singer than Tina
ever was, if not slightly less well off. Her range and control
is awesome, and she has not become a household name is another
mystery. All you need to know is that this album is one of the
best releases of the year so far, and contains so many good cuts
it would take far too long to list them. I will mention though,
the one that Pearly missed, the sublime knee-trembler version
of Marlena's "Go Away Little Boy".
If you're going to cover a record this enormous as this, you've
got to do it justice. She does.
Blues
& Soul Chart
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| Blues
& Soul - Album Review |
It's
been a staggering 15 years since singer Peggi Blu
last issued a solo record. That was 1987's "Blu Blowin'"
for MCA, which attracted attention in the UK
largely on account of the suburb Nick Martinelli-produced
groove ballad, "Tender Moments." In
the intervening years, Peggi has been busy doing
session work for the likes of Quincy Jones, Burt
Bacharach, Phillip Bailey and even she
of the peach-pert derriere, Kylie Minogue. But
finally the dynamic Ms. Blu's back with a fine
12-song set on Expansion. With sympathetic production
by her husband, guitarist/songwriter Ted Perlman,
Peggi's distinctive voice shines on an engaging
mixture of fast and slow material. The sensual mid-tempo "Uh
Oh" showcases Blu's expressive,
gospel-reared voice to good effect, along with ballads like "Long
After Midnight." the heart-rendering title track
and a sax-laced sultry remake of the Goffin/King
number. "Go Away Little Boy" (as famously
cut by Marlena Shaw). On the uptempo front, the
infectious"Can't Go Back" is bound
to fill the floors on the Modern Soul scene.
Overall, a solid, enjoyable set - but let's hope we don't have
to wait another 15 years for Ms. Blu's next opus.
****
[cw]
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| Dusty
Groove review |
Peggi's
one of those singers who've been around for years -- doing studio
work, singing in various settings, but never getting the chance
to cut that one strong album -- until now. This set may be Peggi's
best ever -- a well-honed batch of tracks recorded with backings
by Ted Perlman -- smooth, soulful, with plenty
of tracks that show off Peggi's roots in gospel,
yet translate that energy to a more modern R&B idiom.
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| Assorted
reviews from around the world ... |
| UK
Review | Misc
Review |
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One of Soul music's best kept secrets. Amazingly deep, rich and
sultry voiced lady has only recorded three albums, including this
one. This 12 track CD mid 80's style album provides a minimalist
background for Peggi's powerful voice. Standouts
are the midtempo "I Can't Wait", the
dead slow ballad "Uh Oh" or the mid
tempo groove led "Can't Go Back". Her
voice however carries the day on an album that contains several
nice tunes like the catchy "Secret Garden".
One of the best "indie" 80's style Soul.
It took 15 years for Peggi Blu to release a follow-up
to her excellent Blu Blowin' album, but it was
certainly worth the wait. Expansion Records already put out a
track by Peggi on the Soul Sauce Volume
One compilation back in 1992, but this track (Love is
the Magic) is not included on this CD. Instead, the brand
new CD contains some excellent, 80's sounding soul songs like
the emotional title track, the smooth flowing Long After
Midnight, the respectable cover of Go Away Little
Boy, and the mellow mid-ballad Uh Oh.
An
imminent release for UK Expansion label is the
'Livin' on Love' set from Peggi Blu.
Yes! The Peggi Blu 'Tender Moments'
etc. The tracks 'I Can't Wait' and 'Can't
Go Back' bring back pure nostalgia and make you think
of labels like Manhattan, Hush
and Geffen, etc ... If you went for the 80's
in a big way, you will love this!
Renowned
soul vocalist who has sung backgrounds with such artists as Luther
Vandross, Stevie Wonder and Barbra
Streisand; best known for her Capitol
recordings in the '80s including the critically acclaimed LP "Blu
Blowin'"; this is her first brand new album since
then.
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