LINDA VALORI

Days Like This

LeART World Music

By Larry Schara

Linda Valori may be from Italy, but this is definitely a Chicago blues CD.  Apart from a few pop-style numbers, the sound of contemporary Windy City blues is stamped all over Days Like This. Just take a moment to look at the credits. For starters there’s a Chicago “A” list of players with Khari Parker (drums), Billy Dickens (bass), Tim Gant (keyboards) and Keith Henderson (guitar). A rundown of the credits from these four musicians alone would fill numerous pages and then some. Also adding that Chi-Town touch, Chicago blues diva Deitra Farr contributed her original song, “My Turn My Time” -- a good match for Linda’s upbeat, declarative vocals.

To truly get the Chicago feel, the disc was then recorded by local engineer and Grammy winner Blaise Barton at his Joy Ride Studios in Chicago. Kudos have to go to Blaise for a great job as the recording is excellent, dynamic and clear. Grammy-nominated, veteran blues producer Larry Skoller did a magnificent job pulling all the pieces together for a first class blues CD. This is, without a doubt, modern Chicago blues with just the right amount of “old school” R&B merged throughout.

While Miss Valori may be very well known in Europe – she performed four times for two popes, won several singing contests, appears regularly on TV and has sung on movie soundtracks and TV commercials -- yet this is her first foray into the American blues scene.  With this carefully selected team behind her to help create a truly wonderful recording, it should succeed in making a lasting and powerful first impression on American audiences. In a recent article, Valori was quoted as saying, “It wasn’t me who chose to sing the blues, the blues chose me!” After numerous spins I can’t help but draw comparisons to the soaring, soulful vocals of a younger Etta or Aretha. Yes, she’s that good!

The CD opens with an up-tempo, horn driven version of Van Morrison’s “Days Like This”. You’ll love the treatment they give this song and the outstanding vocal performance. While standing on its own as an opening tune, the title track then easily propels you into the equally dynamic “Pain” as a second track.  But it’s when we get to track #3, “I Idolize You” by Ike Turner,  that Valori’s blues vocals really start to shine. This funky blues tune, with that unmistakable Chicago vibe, really allows her the perfect platform to vocally make a profound impact. Another Chicago blues veteran, Mike Wheeler, adds the decisive musical statement with his searing guitar solo to round out this tune.

Later in the CD, Valori and team do justice to a version of Janis Joplin’s “Move Over”. I’ve heard numerous vocalists attempt this song but this version is fresh, funky and crisp and fits in nicely.

Days Like This is an absolute pleasure to listen to. I would say the shining moment has to be “I Smell Trouble,” an often-covered Don Robey tune. This is arranged and performed as a low-down Chicago blues tune to the “T”.  I could imagine any one of Chicago’s talented singers belting this out and Valori’s performance sounds as if she has been playing this circuit for decades.  Guitarist Mike Wheeler makes another sparkling appearance and the soulful vocal/guitar interplay will leave any blues fan smiling and nodding approval. The same can be said for the closing cut -- Linda’s dynamic duet with Chicago’s Mike Avery (a superb vocalist who is kin to Magic Sam) on the Etta James classic “If I Can’t Have You.”

This is an excellent and powerful entry for Miss Valori into the U.S. blues scene and should advance her quickly up the ranks. There is not one bad song on this CD, but the only negative comment I have about this project is that on a few of the songs the background vocal arrangements and the horn voicings are way too “Pop”ish for the overall vibe and feel. While these mentioned segments are performed exceedingly well, I feel it takes away from the overall blues/R&B feel of this recording. That small comment aside, I think you will enjoy this recording and I’m sure we will hear a lot more from Linda Valori in the future.

For info on Linda Valori or to buy the CD:

www.lindavaloriofficial.com

www.leartproduction.com

About the author: Larry Schara is a 40 year veteran of the music industry as a musician, engineer, producer with 9 Grammy nominated credits, a couple of gold records and a fond remembrance of working with Ray Charles, B.B. King and Chuck Berry among others.