Sassy, sensual, soulful and spectacular ... Nina Simone with a little bit of Della and Ella tossed in for color," is how Jazz DJ Carmen Brown of 98.3 WDLT-FM [Mobile, AL] describes the vocals of Sharon Rae North on her new smooth jazz CD "The Way You Make Me Feel".
Producer/Arranger, Vic Smiley's familiarity with North's voice and style resulted in pinpoint accuracy in accommodating what reviewer Nina Goodrich of Jazzreview.com describes as "... a smooth delivery punctuated with impeccable timing and firm control over the flowing notes."
For this project Ohio-born, now Richmond, VA-based, Sharon Rae North recruited a group of stellar musicians to create a CD that Goodrich predicts "will rate high on the charts, crossing jazz, pop, Soul, R&B and find a home with hip listeners everywhere." Her accompanists include Vic Smiley on guitar; Niles McKinney, keyboardist for the late Gerald Levert; background vocals by Melvin Sephus of The Rude Boys and Jon Roberts on bass. The project was recorded and produced in Cleveland and in metro-Atlanta, where Sharon lived at the time.
North executive produced the project and wrote or co-wrote all but two of the songs. She delivers a slow, haunting rendition of Three Dog Nights "One", and a jazzy-bluesy, very memorable cover of Donny Hathaway's "We’re Still Friends".
Singing is North's passion. Perhaps that's why years ago her mother told her, "No matter what you do on the outside you’re a singer on the inside."
RECENT REVIEWS OF "THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL"
SMOOTHJAZZ.COM ~Sandy Shore
SHARON RAE NORTH The Way You Make Me Feel - Silky smooth, seductive, spot-on vocals are what you’ll find on this delightful release from Sharon Rae North. The Ohio-born, Atlanta-based singer recruited an exceptional group of musicians for this sophisticated recording, including producer/arranger Vic Smiley on guitar as well as Niles McKinney (Levert) ..s, Melvin Sephus (The Rude Boys) on supporting vocals and Jon Roberts on bass. Sharon’s voice reminds me of a fresh Anita Baker… it’s that smooth and commanding. The quality and control of her vocals are truly impeccable and trust me when I tell you that this consistency is a rare find in the world of vocals. The majority of the tracks on THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL are written or co-written by Sharon with the exception of a very evocative version of the Three Dog Night classic, “One,†and an intoxicating cover of Donny Hathaway’s “We’re Still Friends.†In addition to the breezy and easy title track, “The Way You Make Me Feel,†my favorite tune is the deliciously soulful and sensual “Something About.†This 7-song collection is one of the most compelling vocal projects to cross my desk in a good while. It is my desire that Sharon Rae North is not only featured on Smooth Jazz radio across the U.S. and abroad, but also embraced by the Smooth Jazz community all over the world. That’s the way her music makes me feel.
RADIOINDY.COM ~Xavier P.
"The Way You Make Me Feel" by Sharon Rae North is one very smooth jazz collection! Immediately, listeners notice Sharon's highly disciplined, soulful and sultry vocals. There is a certain mesmerizing quality associated with Sharon's vocal tone. What's more, the musical soundscapes of these love-and-heartbreak-inspired tunes are - simply put - splendid. "The Things You Do To Me" demonstrates this, delivering a beautiful sax solo while illuminating the captivating quality of Sharon's vocal performances. From start to finish, "The Way You Make Me Feel" is engaging, compelling, and very memorable.
RadioIndy.com
JAZZREVIEW.COM ~Reviewed by: Nina Goodrich
Soft, gentle, and romantic, title track, “The Way You Make Me Feel†offers a dreamy feeling as Sharon Rae North’s angelic voice expresses yearnings for her lover. A nice backing of keyboards and drums allows North’s heartfelt expression to shine to this Bossa Nova beat. Perky, upbeat, “The Things You Do To Me,’ brings out the depth of North’s vocals. A balanced arrangement by Vic Smiley shares swank saxophone of DeWayne Martin with Jon Roberts on Bass, giving North a pleasant background for her reaching vocals. Written by Harry Nilsson, “One†is a fondly remembered tune, originally done by Three Dog Night. Driven by melancholy, portrayed with North’s sultry, crystal voice and background vocals provided by Melvin Sephus—a soft, gentle backing. North does a slower, gentler interpretation than the original. Vic Smiley stands out on his music and arrangement, “Something About†as he finds a smooth groove on guitar and drum programming, then joins in the lyrics with North for this slow tune. Keyboardist Keith “Keecho†Rawls joins with Vic Smiley’s drum accompaniment to North’s strong, vibrating lead vocal on “It’s No Wonder.†Dynamic strings surround North’s dreamy tone. Remarks DJ Carmen Brown: “The ‘vamp’ on “It’s No Wonder,†reminds me of Nina Simone with a little bit of Della and Ella tossed in for color. Made famous by Donny Hathaway, “We’re Still Friends,†is taken in a soulful direction by North with a lingering, languishing tone, accentuated by the impassioned keyboard of Christian Robinson, a soft bass roll by Jeff Johnson and air guitar played by Victor “Mooty†McCoy. Spunky, funky, “Gotta Get Away†picks up the beat as Keith “Keecho†Rawls adds his keyboard and drum programming to this lively number. Melvin Sephus adds extra dimension with his background vocals, closing the album on an upbeat note. After the acclaimed success of North’s 2003 release, The Thing You Do To Me, it’s a likely prediction her new album will rate high on the charts, crossing jazz, pop, soul, R&B, and find a home with hip listeners everywhere. www.jazzreview.com
SMOOTH-JAZZ.DE ~Chris Mann
The opener and title track to this second CD has a gentle samba sway and although the synth strings and piano are tasteful and very enjoyable, it’s Sharon’s voice which is the undisputed star here. It has a huskiness with a hint of vulnerability which, for me, is a great combination. On The Things You Do to Me, there is a less intimate sound with brass samples and a synthesized drum track. You’ll be drawn in though, because the sneaky sax licks and very strong hook get you reaching for the repeat button. The Harry Nilsson-penned One is a plaintive ballad and Vic Smiley’s acoustic guitar here provides the lovely accompaniment to Sharon’s warm tones. Subtle jazz guitar opens the very sexy Something About. The drums and percussion on here sound very natural and this song is so well performed and recorded it’s an absolute joy to listen to. Vic Smiley collaborated with Sharon on the original songs on this set and his deft touch enhances everything. Smooth Jazz radio should be picking up on It’s No Wonder. It has a lovely sway and, despite synthesized drums, it moves very nicely. Sharon’s phrasing is perfect and you won’t miss a word of this pretty lyric. The brooding intro to We’re Still Friends promises something deep and soulful à la Millie Jackson. Sharon doesn’t get down-and-dirty (either lyrically or vocally) like that but it’s still a lovely song full of meaning. On her next CD, I’d love to hear Sharon going for it more without losing the engaging warmth in her voice, and at the end of this song I can hear faint suggestions of how good that could sound… The closer, Gotta Get Away, is more upbeat and brassy than the previous songs. It’s very catchy with its strong hook, brass samples and snappy backing vocals. CD Baby (where you can buy the CD) recommends Sharon’s CD for those who like Etta James, Oleta Adams and Randy Crawford. The last two are fair comparisons – Sharon’s voice has the same relaxed, sultry quality that they both have – and it would only take a big push from a Smooth Jazz/NAC station to get Sharon’s voice better known and her name up there. www.smooth-jazz.de