Will Downing | Lust, Love & Lies (An Audio Novel)
Will Downing – Lust, Love & Lies (An Audio Novel)
When Will Downing was a session vocalist throughout the eighties, he took his role to full heart. During his tenure supporting Jennifer Holiday, Gerald Albright and several of dance producer Arthur Baker’s projects,he always kept his vocal skills fresh while maintaining respect to whom he was working for. Guess that theory worked in his favor when he first introduced his solo career with a warm vocal version of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme in 1988, followed by other covers of “Free” by Deniece Williams and the jazz pop classic “When Sunny Gets Blue”. Other aspiring vocalists must be looking up to Downing because of his longevity and high professionalism. And who could overlook someone who manages to continue his music-making business (Soul Symphony, After Tonight, Classique) after suffering a muscle disorder which has bound him to a wheelchair for the past few years. To this day, Downing still takes the high road away from the frenzied high tech hit making machine with his engaging baritone voice and classic urban orchestrations. Now there is another side to this adult contemporary urban stylist as he breaks out his story telling side – in a sense. Lust, Love & Lies (An Audio Novel)is a collage of mini stories tied to the theme of friendship that travels the course of romance and heartbreak sandwiched by an R&B/jazz frosted soundtrack.
The first two tracks could pass as a mini-mix tape. While the steppers-driven “Glad I Met You Tonight” celebrates that perfect first impression, the grooves slide on over into “Feelin’ Alright”; all about everybody getting their hands in the air and enjoying the party. “Lust At First Sight,” the first interlude, zeroes in on our main characters – Will Robbins and Dee Washington – setting up their first coffee shop date. Then Downing serenades his acquaintance with “Get to Know You.” Naturally, the mutual love relationship begins to enfold (“Tell Me” and“Consensual”). Breaking momentarily from the sensual side, the couple heads to a church service. That service is in excellent hands when“Safe in His Arms” breaks into a jazzy gospel praise jam between Downing’s steady vibe and Dave Hollister’s all-out magnetic personality. While love may be in the air for this fictitious couple, the “Guess Who’s Back” interlude presents an obvious predicament; a dear lady friend from the past enters the picture. Naturally Robbins is pleasantly surprised to see that Vanessa is available again (“Shades”). After a neighbor spreads the word to Dee about Will’s ex-flame, “Do You Know” and the Billy Vera R&B classic “At This Moment” further illustrates the writing is on the wall.
Just one word to the wise: Never mind that the storyline on Lust, Love & Lies is an all too familiar situation of love relationship cycles. The biggest attraction on this Peak Records CD is that Downing’s music superbly slices and dices the tension and thoughts filtering through his mind. Once again, Lust, Love & Lies proves Will Downing gives us further reason that he is one of the best R&B/jazz interpreters and one of the most dedicated talents in urban music today.
Peggy Oliver
The Urban Music Scene