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MP3 Vernon D. Fails - Hear The Vision
12 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Smooth Jazz, URBAN/R&B: Rhythm & Blues
Details:
Songwriter, keyboardist, arranger, and producer Vernon D. Fails was born in Detroit, Michigan, and began his piano studies at age 13 under the private instruction of (Dean) Robert L. Nolan, a music critic and columnist for The Michigan Chronicle. With Nolan''s nurturing guidance, Fails successfully completed three summers at the world famous National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. Upon completing musical studies at Cass Technical High School, Fails attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he continued his musical and pianistic development under Professors Robert Hord and Deborah Szabo. After completing four years as a music education major, Fails began pursuing a professional music career. In the early years, he played in local churches, clubs, and bars, while employed as a piano teacher and accompanist for the Detroit Public Schools.
In 1984, friend and fellow producer Michael J. Powell asked Fails to play keyboards and arrange two songs, "Mystery" and "Caught in the Rapture," on an album by a then-unknown Anita Baker. That album was the landmark Rapture, which sold over five million copies worldwide. Within a few short years, Fails was working with some of the best-known artists in the industry, and in December 1989, he established DelVon Music Inc.
Fails has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Gerald Albright, Eric Clapton, George Duke, Nathan East, Chaka Khan, Greg Phillinganes, Joe Sample, David Sanborn, and Stevie Wonder.
The Songwriter
As a songwriter, Vernon Fails has cowritten some of R&B''s most memorable songs. He penned four songs with Anita Baker on her Compositions album, one of which was the hit single "Talk to Me," which won Fails a BMI Pop Award. Fails also cowrote with Baker "No One to Blame," "More Than You Know," and "Fairytales," which won Songwriter of the Year. Fails'' other songwriting collaborations include "Tears of Joy" with Karyn White, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis; "I Wanna Love (Like that Again)" with Chanté Moore; and "Waiting" with Rachelle Ferrell.
The Studio Artist
As a studio musician and arranger, Vernon Fails'' discography includes more than 40 artists and titles of such notables as Oleta Adams, Anita Baker, Bebe and Cece, Regina Belle, Angela Bofill, Peabo Bryson, Randy Crawford, Rachelle Ferrell, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Holiday, James Ingram, Earl Klugh, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, SWV, Tyrese, Jody Watley, Karen White, Nancy Wilson, and The Winans.
Fails is known as the arranger with the Midas touch. He has taken previously recorded songs and given them new life with his signature chords and nuances. Those songs include "God Bless the Child" and "Can I" by David Peaston; "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Man" by James Ingram; and "Superwoman" by Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, and Dionne Warwick.
He has also played on and arranged songs from motion picture soundtracks, including White Men Can''t Jump, with Bebe and Cece Winans performing "I''m Going Up"; Bill Cosby''s Leonard Part 6, with Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle performing "Without You"; and Lethal Weapon 2, with Randy Crawford performing "Knockin'' on Heaven''s Door."
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Awards & Recognitions
With his success inspired by jazz greats Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, and Herbie Hancock, R&B legends Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, and Luther Vandross, and mega-producer Quincy Jones, Fails has received numerous awards and recognitions in his field, including:
* Reel to Reel Award, Metro Area Artists & Songwriters Association
* Songwriter of the Year for "Fairytales" (Compositions, Anita Baker)
Platinum Albums:
* Giving You the Best That I Got (Anita Baker)
* Compositions (Anita Baker)
Gold Albums:
* Ritual of Love (Karyn White)
* Rachelle Ferrell (Rachelle Ferrell)
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The CD
Vernon Fails has completed his eagerly anticipated CD and it is now available. To read about the CD... What''s New; To hear sound bites... Hear the Vision.. Or you may buy the CD online
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In this first installment I will be discussing my debut project "Hear The Vision."
The Music (Concept)
"Hear The Vision" contains 12 compositions of various groove types, genres and styles. I''m going to refrain from categorizing it because I think it defies labeling so for right now let''s deal with them as 12 individual musical ideas or songs. There are no vocal tunes on the CD so it would lead most people to believe it''s a "Jazz" CD. (Which let Me add is not a bad thing, but that''s a topic worthy of dealing with by its'' self at another time.) My concept for the CD was to have strong melodies, interesting harmonies and chord changes, while incorporating other styles and genres over various groove types. So actually whatever your particular interest is musically speaking U will be accommodated in some form or fashion.
The Music (Songs)
The ''CD opens with "I AM" which is a mid tempo R&B vibe with the acoustic piano as the Voice. This work came to Me in pieces. I came up with the chorus melody some years back, then the verse and B section a few years later and finally the bridge on January 2nd. "So!" "is an old "gutbucket", "alley music" shuffle that'' s a dialogue between the electric piano which is the featured voice and the acoustic piano which is the Voice. And how the story goes the electric piano comes to the acoustic piano trying to tell him that his boy/girl has been messin'' up, but all U here the Voice say is "So!" (which is the note (pitch)"F" U hear the acoustic play in the choruses.) "Because of Love" is a very rhythmic groove oriented work that the Voice leads again, but this time with the electric piano as an ad libbing featured guest who is now singing a different tune and is in agreement with the Voice. "Sacrifice and Forgiveness" is a template for my concept of multi-grooves within one song. It''s funk, it''s Latin, and it''s a couple of different things all in the same song and features a hot guitar solo from Perry Hughes. "Step Up" is a hot church band just doin'' what they do and features a bass solo by Al Turner and a percussion solo by Ron Otis as the song goes through (12) half step modulations. "Remember" is a smooth and relaxing piece that features the electric piano through out and has the Voice making its only appearance in the bridge. "I''m Here" is a sexy quasi-bossa nova piece that has the vibe as the lead voice and the Voice and acoustic guitar as guests. "''To Make You Happy" is a vocal tune that l wrote sometime ago that I decided to cover as an instrumental with the Voice as the lead. "I''m All In" was composed on March 1st les than 24 hours before we were suppose to cut it. It''s a funky, sexy, grinding slow ballad with lots of passion and two modulations each going up a minor third. "You" is a very pretty duet between the Voice and the electric piano with lush orchestration. "Feelin'' It" is a 6/8 slow ballad that I wrote in my early twenties that has both beauty and drama. Scored for the Voice, bass, drums, percussion and strings this seasoned senior is quite the lady. "I AM 2" is a postlude scored for strings which starts with the chorus melody of "I AM" in the 1st violins (which is repeated throughout the entire piece) and then fragments of the other 10 pieces are interwoven into the fabric of the arrangement as they appear in sequence on the CD (i.e. So!, Because of Love, etc. The only exception being "Step Up" which is the last piece quoted.)
The Music (The Cats)
Al, Ron, and myself did our first date together about 12 years ago and I knew then that we had a special chemistry, and since that time have done a bunch of studio and live dates. AI is a bassist par excellence and you''ll understand why as he expertly navigates through the entire disc with grace, spirit, creativity and a masterful concept of what these 12 works entailed. Ron was the initiator and driving rhythm force behind this project. It was while working on his project and collaborating on "Because of Love" that helped Me to decide to get "Hear The Vision''" started. His rhythmic sensitivity and concepts for these songs brought the music to an even higher level. AI and Ron are also the battery for both Earl Klugh and Bob James among others. Perry Hughes is simply a world-class guitarist and musician whom I have the utmost respect and praise for; he is "The Truth". Perry is also apart of the Bob James Detroit Connection Band along with AI and Ron. Keith M. Ferguson and I go way back to Cass Tech where we were in the music curriculum together. Keith brought that Detroit flava to the project with his ability to be very versatile and flexible across a wide variety of songs and styles which I think is a trademark for Detroit musicians. DeSabata Robinson for such a young cat brought the history of R&B guitar to "I''m All In" and all the funk and grease we could handle to his other tracks. This was my first time meeting and working with Wayne Milton who came very highly recommended by Al. Wayne is a very skillful and talented player whom I''m looking forward to working with on future dates and projects. Marlon "Bebop" Crawford and I have been knowing and working together for a good minute and he brought all his toys and a serious work ethic to the project (We did all the percussion in one day) along with a refined sense of color for the music.
The Music (Vamp and Fade)
Well this brings my first installment to a close. I hope that U have enjoyed our time together as much as I have and that you''re LOVIN'' the music and telling your family, friends and enemies about "Hear The Vision". So till the next time, "Remember," "I''m Here" "To Make You Happy" "I''m All In", "You" "Feelin'' It?" "I AM 2."
"Sacrifice and Forgiveness"
Me
People who are interested in Oscar Peterson George Duke Joe Sample should consider this download.
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