Rock Bands & Pop Stars
Luther Vandross Pictures
Artist:
Luther Vandross
Origin:
United States, New York (The Bronx)United States
Born date:
April 20, 1951
Luther Vandross Album: «Dance With My Father»
Luther Vandross Album: «Dance With My Father» (Front side)
    Album information
  • Customers rating: (4.3 of 5)
  • Title:Dance With My Father
  • Release date:
  • Type:Audio CD
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Customers rating
Track listing
Review - Amazon.com
Given Luther Vandross's precarious state of health at the time of its release, Dance With My Father’s title track--a tale of yearning for a lost loved one--takes on added poignancy. It’s something of a centerpiece on an album that moves in several directions, reaching for varied constituencies, while ultimately staying focused on Vandross’s trademark buttery vocals. In addition to "Dance," there’s more adult-contemporary balladry ("Buy Me a Rose"), lightly sassy soul ("If I Didn’t Know Better"), and a number of collaborations with hip-hoppers that often work surprisingly well. While suspending disbelief is hard when considering Luther and Foxy Brown as a couple ("If It Ain’t One Thing"), remakes of soft-R&B classics with Beyonce Knowles and Busta Rhymes prove to be highlights. With the Destiny’s Child singer, Vandross actually improves on the familiar Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway take of "The Closer I Get to You," turning in a cut that recalls his slow-burning signature reworking of "A House is Not a Home." A languid turn at "Lovely Day," with a purring Busta, works almost as well. (The "Part II" remix is superfluous, however.) Otherwise, Dance is in the vein of post-‘80s Vandross discs, and guaranteed to please fans. --Rickey Wright
Customer review
99 of 103 people found the following review helpful:
- Bravo Luther - We Love You!

NOTE: Luther is making progress in his recovery from his stroke - let's keep him in our prayers while we enjoy his new music!

"Dance With My Father" is unlike any of Luther's previous work - the album sounds like Luther wants to be a hitmaker, rather than a mere legend. Usually, at this point in an artist's career, you can often sense a "going through the motions" production, and can predict the number of uptempos, ballads, remakes and the like, based on the artist's history. "Dance With My Father" changes all that.

The title track, a loving tribute to a parent who passed away when Vandross was 7 is the most personal recording Luther has ever made. There is no denying the heartfelt tone of the vocals, and the sheer joy contained in the lyrics sentiments. The song has justly become one of the biggest hits of Luther's career. But that is just a starting point for this excellent disc.

In a "love song" mode, no one performs as well as Luther these days (though Freddie Jackson was always a great competitor). And the love songs on "Dance" are timeless. Particularly enjoyable are "Buy Me A Rose" which vocalizes the many things one can do to make a lover feel special, "Apologize", and a brilliant reworking of "The Closer I Get To You", featuring Beyonce Knowles. In an interesting flip, Luther sings the Roberta Flack lines of this classic, while Beyonce tackles the Donny Hathaway sections. Their voices sound great together, and the piece is another stellar Luther duet, right up there with his work with Cheryl Lynn.

The faster tempoed songs are a great listen also - particularly "Hit It Again", which pairs LV with Queen Latifah. Latifah's rap/sing vocals sound great in this setting - would someone please get this girl recording again? A remake of "Lovely Day" featuring Busta Rhymes works very well also, but Foxy Brown's contribution to a new version of Richard "Dimples" Field's "If It Ain't One Thing" leaves you slightly disappointed - this is a great song, and could have been a classic remake in the right hands (where is Betty Wright when you need her?)

Overall, this album is one of, if not the best of Luther's career - I wish him the strength and health needed to recover from his stroke so we can one day see these songs (especially "Dance With My Father") performed live. Bless you, Luther!

Customer review
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
- Luther Vandross Dance with my father

When you think an artist can't top the last CD that they released, there is nothing sweeter,when they show you how deep they can dig to blow you away! That's what Luther has accomplished in this awesome CD! I would have paid full price for just the 1st cut alone! "If I Didn't Know Better" is so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes, I wondered if I would get to the rest of the CD. When I did, I knew I had to do something that I've never done! That was this! This CD is worth the time it takes to log on and write a review, Luther deserves phrase for this masterpiece! The people who appear on this CD are inspirational and come across in ways that never caught my attention before. Beyonce is a treasure and has never sounded better to me, than when her voice blends so perfectly with Luther's voice.What they did with," The Closer I Get To You" is mind blowing!!! I never thought that song could be better than the original version! The bass was a great touch. If you never purchased a Luther Vandross CD before, don't miss this one! It's BIG!!!!!!!! It will rule the charts, watch and see what I say!

Customer review
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
- Dance with My Father

Ultimately Amazing. Luther showed the world that not only is he a talented singer but a talented songwriter as well. I love the entire CD. You have to purchase this CD it is worth every penny and then some. You can't ask for a better CD because this is it.

Dance with My Father is by far the greatest CD I have heard in a very long time. Luther's style is so sensual and sexy and he knows how to make a woman feel like a TRUE WOMAN. Keep making us slither Luther.

Customer review
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
- Shine Luther Shine!!!!!!

I can remember dancing on top of my fathers toes as he danced with my mother to Superstar. Luther's music often played in my house growing up. My cousins and I used to play "Star Search" an I always sang "Never too much". As a close friend of the family danced with his new bride to "Here and Now", you could not help but smile. Now as I play this cd tears roll down my face. We have lost the best voice in R&B music.

R.I.P Luther

4/20/51 - 7/1/05

Customer review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
- Dance With My Father is a masterpiece of beautiful music

The clear distinctive voice of Luther Vandross will live on forever. Dance With My Father is an excellent album of songs about falling in and out of love. My favorite song on this album is Dance With My Father. It is a beautiful song about wishing that his late father could be reunited with his family one more time. Send Me A Rose is another great track. It is a very romantic song about doing all the little things we should do to keep the romance in our relationships alive. Right in the Middle is another lyrical gem. Luther reminds us that every relationship goes through some good times and bad times in this song. He duets with Beyonce on The Closer I Get to You. This is a pretty cover song of a classic by Roberta Flack. She Saw You is another one of my favorites on this CD. It is about how a woman catches her man cheating on her with someone else. I love Luther's smooth vocals on the song If I Didn't Know Better. Luther sings beautifully to his listeners about the difference between being someone's friend and lover in this song. Dance With My Father is Luther Vandross' final musical masterpiece.