Live And More

Performer: Donna Summer
Artist: Brooklyn Dreams; Greg Mathieson Project
Engineer: Juergen Koppers
Producer: Giorgio Moroder; Pete Bellotte
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Donna Summer (vocals); Mike Warren, Peter Woodford (guitar); John Santulis (violin); Dick Spencer (alto saxophone); Don Menza (tenor saxophone); Joe Romano (baritone saxophone); Bobby Shew (trumpet); Bruce Paulson (trombone); Doug Livingston (keyboards); Sal Guglielmi (bass); Keith Forsey, Richard Edelman (drums, percussion). Principally recorded live at the Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, California. After becoming the queen of disco thanks to orgasmathon hits like "Love to Love You Baby" and "I Feel Love," Donna Summer topped off her five-year rise to fame with this live set. Certainly not a contender for first-disc choice, Live and More still works quite well as a '70s sampler for the converted. And since disco was the party music par excellence, the album's feel is one of a all-nighter in action. Featuring her signature hits and a fat chunk of disco tracks from the Once Upon a Time record, sides one and three solidify Summer's reputation as one of the most exciting and slick singers on stage. Balancing out the requisite dance material, Summer spends side two waxing nostalgic via a pop standards medley ("The Man I Love," "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," "Some of These Days") and some nice jazz and blues-imbued fare of her own. And ending the album on a very high note, Summer indulges in "McArthur Park Suite," a classic long-player that bookends two of Summer and producer Giorgio Moroder's pop disco numbers with a dance-friendly take on Jimmy Webb's monumental classic. Along with cloud-walking bouncers like "I Love You" and "Last Dance," this closing piece finds Summer at her sophisticated and tuneful best. There's nothing here to eclipse the original versions of these cuts -- save for the Webb cover, which is new -- but the Summer faithful will nonetheless want to pick up this very enjoyable concert recording. ~ Stephen Cook In 1978, the idea of a live disco album seemed almost laughable; that the album was by Donna Summer, whose studio creations were polished to a futuristic gloss never seen before by producer/writers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, seemed downright ludicrous. The naysayers forgot, however, that Donna Summer possessed one of the finest voices not only in disco, but in all of pop music. The live portion of this set combines Summer classics with unexpected but excellent covers of standards like "The Way We Were," and a medley of "The Man I Love" and "I Got it Bad and That Ain't Good." The studio material includes Summer's theme to THE DEEP, "Deep Down Inside." Unfortunately, the 17-minute "MacArthur Park Suite" has been excised to make the two-album set fit on one CD; that essential track is available on the DANCE COLLECTION anthology.

Rolling Stone - 3 Stars - Good

One of the most talented artists of the disco era, Donna Summer first found success by teaming with producer Giorgio Moroder and developing a highly sexualized, hooky dance sound highlighted by percolating electronics and moaning, sensual vocals. An incredible run of hit singles established Summer as a genuine 1970s icon (an image she has unfortunately found it difficult to shake), and she later expanded her sound to encompass straight R&B and pop.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25