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I Am Now is the album that introduced the late West Indies singer, songwriter, guitarist, and arranger Jon Lucien to American audiences. Issued by RCA in 1970, Lucien's meld of flawlessly executed jazz, pop, and theatrical song remains highly original and sophisticated. The material on I Am Now is unlike anything else in his catalog. Of the 11 songs here, only "Find Yourself a Lover" was penned by Lucien. With its swirling strings, bossa guitars, smooth soul vocals, and lithe Caribbean rhythms, the song was a precursor to the kind of genre blending that is so prevalent in the 21st century. I Am Now also includes then-current pop standards ("Who Will Buy" and Lalo Schifrin's "A Time for Us" from Romeo and Juliet) and a Bahamian take on the theme from The Sound of Music. Lucien tackles Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" with a startling arrangement in collaboration with Horace Ott that combines bossa and early salsa rhythms with a tough, sexy-smooth soul vocal (think Bill Withers crossed with Teddy Pendergrass). Another stunner on this nearly flawless recording is Tom Jobim's "Dindi," which captures all the tune's subtle beauty yet ratchets up its sensual intensity a couple of notches. Perhaps the finest track here is his reading of "The Shadow of Your Smile," because it reveals the emotional depth, musical discipline, and flawlessly expansive range in the grain of Lucien's voice. His interpretation is dramatic, yet in this arrangement, the singer's passion and pathos are balanced by a harmonic elegance that offers the listener a seductively warm, velvety darkness. Including Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" in this mix of tunes arguably feels like a misstep because of an overly sweet instrumental chart. That said, it is a small complaint. For 21st century listeners, Lucien's debut has rightfully earned its place as an undisputed classic.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
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Horace Ott, Conductor, Arranger - António Carlos Jobim, Composer, Lyricist - RAY GILBERT, Composer, Lyricist - ALOYSIO DE OLIVEIRA, Composer, Lyricist - Jon Lucien, Conductor, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Leslie Bricusse, Composer, Lyricist - Horace Ott, Conductor, Arranger - Jon Lucien, Conductor, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Paul Francis Webster, Composer, Lyricist - Jon Lucien, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Mandel, Composer, Lyricist - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer - Stanley Rubinstein, Conductor, Arranger
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Horace Ott, Conductor, Arranger - Jon Lucien, Composer, Conductor, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cole Porter, Composer, Lyricist - Jon Lucien, Conductor, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Henry Cosby, Composer, Lyricist - Sylvia Rose Moy, Composer, Lyricist - Horace Ott, Conductor, Arranger - Stevie Wonder, Composer, Lyricist - Jon Lucien, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Victor Millrose, Composer, Lyricist - Alan Bernstein, Composer, Lyricist - Horace Ott, Conductor, Arranger - Jon Lucien, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Norman Gimbel, Composer, Lyricist - Horace Ott, Conductor, Arranger - Vinicius De Moraes, Composer, Lyricist - António Carlos Jobim, Composer, Lyricist - Jon Lucien, Conductor, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Lionel Bart, Composer, Lyricist - Jon Lucien, Conductor, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Rinaldi Nino Rota, Composer, Lyricist - Larry Kusik, Composer, Lyricist - Horace Ott, Conductor, Arranger - EDDIE SNYDER, Composer, Lyricist - Jon Lucien, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Richard Rodgers, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Hammerstein II , Composer, Lyricist - Jon Lucien, Conductor, Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Lionel Bart, Composer, Lyricist - Jon Lucien, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Beau Ray Fleming, Producer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
I Am Now is the album that introduced the late West Indies singer, songwriter, guitarist, and arranger Jon Lucien to American audiences. Issued by RCA in 1970, Lucien's meld of flawlessly executed jazz, pop, and theatrical song remains highly original and sophisticated. The material on I Am Now is unlike anything else in his catalog. Of the 11 songs here, only "Find Yourself a Lover" was penned by Lucien. With its swirling strings, bossa guitars, smooth soul vocals, and lithe Caribbean rhythms, the song was a precursor to the kind of genre blending that is so prevalent in the 21st century. I Am Now also includes then-current pop standards ("Who Will Buy" and Lalo Schifrin's "A Time for Us" from Romeo and Juliet) and a Bahamian take on the theme from The Sound of Music. Lucien tackles Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" with a startling arrangement in collaboration with Horace Ott that combines bossa and early salsa rhythms with a tough, sexy-smooth soul vocal (think Bill Withers crossed with Teddy Pendergrass). Another stunner on this nearly flawless recording is Tom Jobim's "Dindi," which captures all the tune's subtle beauty yet ratchets up its sensual intensity a couple of notches. Perhaps the finest track here is his reading of "The Shadow of Your Smile," because it reveals the emotional depth, musical discipline, and flawlessly expansive range in the grain of Lucien's voice. His interpretation is dramatic, yet in this arrangement, the singer's passion and pathos are balanced by a harmonic elegance that offers the listener a seductively warm, velvety darkness. Including Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" in this mix of tunes arguably feels like a misstep because of an overly sweet instrumental chart. That said, it is a small complaint. For 21st century listeners, Lucien's debut has rightfully earned its place as an undisputed classic.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:39:59
- Main artists: Jon Lucien
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: RCA - Legacy
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
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