Whitney Houston

[EdgeleyRob]

Whitney Houston has died.
Probably not got too many fans on here but her music obviously meant a lot to many people.
Very sad news. RIP.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

that bloody song ..... great voice and a seemingly miserable life ....

[Contre Bombarde]

A great shame and a voice that will be much missed. I often think fondly of the swimsuit photograph on the album cover...

I played a small tribute to her in my improvisation this morning - a few notes from that song rendered quietly on a flute stop. One or two, including the man in the big hat, noticed and commented that it was the right thing to have done after so short and partly sad a life.

[Beef Oven]

Very sad. A tragic life.

Her music was not my cup of tea, but she was a very good singer, no doubt about that. RIP.

[amateur51]

Very sad. A tragic life.

Her music was not my cup of tea, but she was a very good singer, no doubt about that. RIP.

A tragic life indeed

I'm just glad that she wasn't a neighbour

[Segilla]

I played a small tribute to her in my improvisation this morning -

A few years ago I tried returning to churchgoing, but it and me have moved on.
However, when a Christian friend came to stay last year I took her to my local church for the morning service, at the end of whch an improvisation of astonishing complexity was played by the young organist, following which we all clapped.
Times have indeed changed.

[Contre Bombarde]

However, when a Christian friend came to stay last year I took her to my local church for the morning service, at the end of whch an improvisation of astonishing complexity was played by the young organist, following which we all clapped.
Times have indeed changed.

That's good to hear. Good well-structured improvisation is a joy to play and an even greater joy to have appreciated by the audience (or should that be congregation)

I see that you're in Gloucestershire, Segilla. One of the greatest British improvisers, David Briggs, delighted audiences at the cathedral there for some years and still does so across the world.

[cloughie]

A great shame and a voice that will be much missed. I often think fondly of the swimsuit photograph on the album cover...

I played a small tribute to her in my improvisation this morning - a few notes from that song rendered quietly on a flute stop. One or two, including the man in the big hat, noticed and commented that it was the right thing to have done after so short and partly sad a life.

Indeed sad loss, great voice.

I'm sure Dolly will waive the royalties under the circs.

[BBMmk2]

Great singer, although she spoilt I will Always Love you, though.

[Mr Pee]

Great singer, although she spoilt I will Always Love you, though.

I don't think she spoilt it- it was just played to saturation point, rather like Bolero on Radio3.

[cloughie]

I don't think she spoilt it- it was just played to saturation point, rather like Bolero on Radio3.

Having heard the original - I think I agree with BB.

[MrGongGong]

I'm very fond of this one though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYTFJvgxx5Q

[Lateralthinking1]

Sad news. I wish her family well and I really hope that she rests in peace. The biggest point is that she was able to bring a lot of joy to peoples' lives through music. That is a great gift and benign in motive. I wouldn't scorn it. If only there were more.

The lesser points. For many years, I have pinpointed her records as symbolizing the end of soul music. They marked the beginning of more than twenty years when the genre effectively disappeared, certainly from the mainstream. Her voice had range - there is no doubt about it - and she came from gospel roots. However, the then new style "vocal gymnastics" were to my ears more showy than musical. They spawned generations of performers who all sang as she did - Carey, Dion, Aguilera etc etc - because they were told there was no other way. Actually, I thought the pitch on "I Will Always Love You" was suspect. The enunciation was also ill-advised with a frequent rolling of the "r" at the end of one word into the next one beginning with a vowel. This occurs often with teenagers in indie bands as well as balladeers. It is one of my markers for assessing their level of refinement.

It didn't have to be this way. While she was never going to be Mavis Staples, she could have almost been Aretha Franklin. And among the finest lighter soul singers in the 1970s were Minnie Riperton and Deniece Williams who could hit the whole range of extraordinary high notes with an ability to uplift emotionally. The productions for them, while often pared down, could be sugary or dramatic. Generally they blended, sometimes most unusually, and they never punched their way. With hindsight, any problem with Whitney was often the people who guided her. The vision was to have the kind of twinkly arrangements that for some really shimmered but for others like me sounded like a Christmas that had fallen flat. They were lights in the rain on a shopping mall as the seeker of presents burst into histrionics. Cosily familiar - I can genuinely appreciate the appeal - but also disturbingly gloomy.

Who shall we blame for that one? Quincy Jones was of a pedigree not to have needed to help take us all down that road. There must though be a comment here about Clive Davis. He had tried to promote the brand earlier. Her name was Phyllis Hyman. Not long after he and Arista Records had been investing in Bad Boy Records, she killed herself. Drugs. It has been alleged that there was a serious falling out about the non-release of her records. At the same time Bad Boy Records, which was largely responsible for promoting the gun culture of rappers, was close culturally to where drugs were arguably at unprecedented levels. Davis got partially out of that scene in 1994, Hyman died in 1995, rapper Tupak Shakur died in 1996 and the Notorious BIG died in 1997. In parallel, the marriage of Houston and rapper Bobby Brown had occurred in 1992 and drugs problems quickly followed.

Davis is 79. While this death occurred close to his party, he cannot be held responsible for it or any others. However, it is probably time for the hard nosed salesman in him to retire. And he's arguably too old to be swanning around showbiz being the party animal.

[cloughie]

It didn't have to be this way. While she was never going to be Mavis Staples, she could have almost been Aretha Franklin. And among the finest lighter soul singers in the 1970s were Minnie Riperton and Deniece Williams who could hit the whole range of extraordinary high notes with an ability to uplift emotionally. The productions for them, while often pared down, could be sugary or dramatic. Generally they blended, sometimes most unusually, and they never punched their way. With hindsight, any problem with Whitney was often the people who guided her.

Indeed her mother, Cissy, was one of Aretha's 'Sock it me'ers. Is not the musical direction of many singers misdirected because of the financial aspirations of the people who are behind them. Aretha I think has suffered in this way.

[Lateralthinking1]

Is not the musical direction of many singers misdirected because of the financial aspirations of the people who are behind them?

Yes!