Genre: pop
Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: The Need To Be
Company: A&M
Catalog: SP-3411
Year: 1976
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: minor ring wear; original inner sleeve
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4121
Price: $9.00
Cost: $1.00
Wish we could tell you more about Esther Satterfield, although she seems to have a firm fan base given we've sold four copies of her LP over the last year. Born in North Carolina, she has one of those special voices that can stop you dead in your tracks. She apparently attracted popular attention via her work with jazz artist Chuck Mangione. As one of the featured vocalists on Mangione's mega-platinum LP "Chase the Clouds Away" she was nominated for a Grammy for her performance on "Land of Make Believe".
Those connections apparently led A&M (Mangione's label) to sign her as a solo act. Produced and arranged by Mangione, 1976's "The Need To Be" is certainly an impressive set. As indicated before, Satterfield has a mesmorizing voice. There are certainly a couple of nice moments, including an interesting remake of "New World A-Comin'" and her remake of "Chase the Clouds Away". Unfortunately, at least to our ears tracks such as "Bird of Beauty", "He's Gone" and "Sarah" waste Satterfield's talents on pseudo-jazzy/MOR arrangements. This'll certainly appeal to Mangione fans, but probably won't do much for rock or soul fans. Her only solo brush with commercial success, the LP hit #180 on the pop charts.
"The Need To Be" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) The Need To Be (Jim Weatherly) - 4:31
2.) If You Know Me Any Longer Than Tomorrow (Chuck Mangione) - 5:00
3.) He's Gone (Chuck Mangione - B. McGrath) - 5:03
4.) Bird of Beauty (Stevie Wonder) - 2:48
(side 2)
1.) Sarah (B. Ighner) - 4:28
2.) You Must Believe In Spring (Legrand - A. Bergman - M. Bergman) - 3:20
3.) Chase the Clouds Away (Chuck Mangione) - 4:12
4.) Long Hard Climb (R. Davies) - 4:09
5.) New World A-Comin' (Barry Mann - Cynthia Weil) -3:23