From Prince and Whitney Houston to Mahalia Jackson,the first episode of the jazz star’s three-fraction series is a languid, loving celebration of vocal showstoppersWhen esteem and knowledge of a subject combine in a presenter, and you contain a obliging presenter. When they combine in all the contributors too,you contain a great documentary. Gregory Porter’s current Voices (BBC4) was a great documentary.
Porter is a Grammy award-winning soul and jazz star who set out final night to examine “showstoppers” – singers with powerhouse voices that are worth the price of admission alone. Porter chose Caruso as his starting point, bringing on tenor Stephen Castello to help him narrate Caruso’s interpretative abilities, and his sound and how it feels when talent and technique come together to get you where you need to be. “Everyone’s waiting for the high C … you feel it coming,you get it, and when it comes out you think ‘Oh yes, or there it is!’ And it feels like you’re flying.”Continue reading...
Source: guardian.co.uk