VH1 Presents Live & More Encore

by Donna Summer

Product Description:

Personnel: Donna Summer, Tina Arena (vocals); Bruce Sudano (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Randy Mitchell (guitar); Juliann Klopotic (violin); Michelle Kinney (cello); Ross Walters (flute, harmonica, saxophone, keyboards); Mike Hanna (piano, synthesizer); Mac Quayle (keyboards, programming); Scott Hallgren (keyboards); John Billings (bass); George Perilli (drums); Darryl Tibbs (percussion); Mary Ellen Bernard, Yvonne Hodges (background vocals).

A 1999 sequel to Donna Summer's 1978 smash, LIVE AND MORE: ENCORE was recorded during the resurgent dance-pop diva's 1998 world tour. The set list is pretty much what you would expect, featuring most of her biggest hits (the born-again Summer refuses to perform the orgasmic "Love To Love You Baby" anymore, however) with new arrangements jazzier and funkier than the chilly Eurodisco of the original studio creations.

As she's now in her 50s, Summer's voice is a little huskier than before, but it's as solid as ever; she's one of the most underrated vocalists of the '70s. The two new tracks are "Love Is a Healer," which mixes vaguely North African-sounding chants and drones with Summer's wailing vocals, and "I Will Go With You," an unexpected disco remake of Andrea Bocelli's "Con te Partiro."