Search - Renee Olstead :: Skylark

Skylark
Renee Olstead
Skylark
Genres: Jazz, Pop, Broadway & Vocalists
 
  •  Track Listings (13) - Disc #1

Nine days after her seventeenth birthday, singing sensation Renee Olstead and her stunning bluesy jazz voice take flight with her second major-label album, Skylark. Backed by esteemed producer/arranger David Foster (Josh G...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Renee Olstead
Title: Skylark
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Reprise Records
Release Date: 1/27/2009
Genres: Jazz, Pop, Broadway & Vocalists
Styles: Traditional Jazz & Ragtime, Vocal Jazz, Oldies, Vocal Pop, Traditional Vocal Pop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 093624424727

Synopsis

Product Description
Nine days after her seventeenth birthday, singing sensation Renee Olstead and her stunning bluesy jazz voice take flight with her second major-label album, Skylark. Backed by esteemed producer/arranger David Foster (Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Celine Dion) on strings, piano, horns and often keyboards, Olstead stamps her mark on standards and modern classics and premieres four originals she co-wrote, including one with Foster. Following her 2004 #1 Jazz self-titled album, Olstead soars on Skylark.

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Member CD Reviews

Katcha S. (Jain) from FORT JONES, CA
Reviewed on 3/14/2014...
Sadly disappointed with this collection of songs and how Renee Olstead chose to sign standards. I have enjoyed her singing, voice style and previous collection. Unfortunately the arrangements and timing are off on these. If she would like an example of how to better 'target' her singing I offer the a song used in the movie An Education CD - Your Heart Is as Black as Night and A Sunday Kind of Love. Renee's voice would be excellent for those too.

CD Reviews

Pretty Young White Girls..........
Robert C. Hufford | Hopewell, VA USA | 02/15/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"....aren't supposed to sing this repertoire this well. Well...there's Jane Monheit, but, great as Jane is, Renee is the new head of the list. (Diana Krall is a pretty white girl, but not young; Madeleine Peyroux is young and white). This record took too long to make, but I forgive whoever slowed it up...it is FABULOUS. Yes, I like gorgeous redheads, but that's irrelevant with singing this good.....



As to specifics...13 tracks...4 original compositions, of which I liked "Midnight in Austin, Texas" the best...9 old standards, that every girl and her sister has done before (some more than others, naturally). Well...it's like hearing them for the first time. "Stars Fell on Alabama"..."When I Fall in Love"..."Ain't We Got Fun"...Renee makes them her own. With Jazz, that's OK...in fact, it's the idea. (If Anna Netrebko did that in "Lucia", it would be a different matter). The Hoagy Carmichael/Johnny Mercer standard "Skylark", the title cut, has been done over and over, but NEVER better (the late Eileen Farrell did it for Reference Recordings ~20 years ago, but she was of an entirely different order of magnitude). Ray Charles recorded "Hit The Road Jack" at least 45 years ago; it's written for a man, but Renee did fine, and was smart enough not to mess with the lyrics.



If you get the idea that I believe this to be a REALLY special album, you're right. In a couple of tracks, including "Stars Fell...", the sound mimicked a 1930s broadcast...that's OK, it wasn't overdone. I do see the earlier reviewer's caveat about the engineering; my sub-woofer got a work-out. That aside, this is one of the greatest Jazz albums I've ever heard. (Yes, Diana, I still love you). The little girl from her self-titled recording is growing up very nicely. Don't fail to grab this....ten stars, at least."
Simply the Best!
David Lind | Coupeville, WA United States | 02/09/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"'Skylark' is remarkable! Renee Olstead has a voice that is Sophisticated, Sexy and Beautiful! I can't stop playing 'Skylark'. Every song on this album belongs here and my favorites are; 'Hold Me Now', 'Skylark' and 'You've Changed'! This album is classy & fun and Renee makes every song a joy to listen to! Truly Beautiful! (Skylark and Renee Olstead)"