Gwen McCrae Sings TK
September 6th, 2006
Title: Gwen McCrae Sings TK
Artist: Gwen McCrae
Label: Henry Stone Music
Year: 2006, 1983
Catalog No.: HSM 6001-2
Let’s go back, way back, as they say, back in the day to take a stroll down memory lane. And the person to take us there is Gwen McCrae as she sings 14 of the biggest hits from the best selling albums of TK Records and its founder Henry Stone.
This diva’s interpretations of some of TK’s classic disco-flavored songs provides for a complete make-over of the originals. Accompanied by most of the studio musicians and artists from the original recordings (Latimore, Timmy Thomas, Little Beaver, and George “Chocolate” Perry), McCrae adds her sensuous, sultry, smoky, alto voice to songs ranging from “Rock Your Baby” to “Clean Up Woman.”
Standout tracks are “What you won’t do for love” and “Please don’t go” which clearly show that McCrae’s voice is still strong and full of fire, and demonstrate that over time she has developed a much fuller sound. Some of the songs are performed as duets with the original recording artists. The best of these is the teaming of McCrae with Latimore on his blues classic “Let’s straighten it out” and the duet with Timmy Thomas on “Why can’t we live together.”
Gwen McCrae became an international star in 1975 with the chart-topping success of the Grammy-nominated song “Rockin’ Chair” (reinterpreted on this CD). Her self-titled 1981 Atlantic album reached the top of the R&B and pop charts and yielded the smash single “Funky Sensation.” Now, three decades later, she is still enjoying worldwide fame for her sensuous voice and classy brand of soul. So if we want to go back, back in the day, the best person to take us there is Gwen McCrae.
Posted by Clark D. Whitlow
Review Genre(s): Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Funk
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