re that Jodeci/Stevie/Mary vid upthread, who is playing piano and who is standing next to KCI

mrjun18 said:

^I disagree. I think Mary's vocals were best pre 2003. Then her voice changed and became clearer, and less raspy and just...different ever since the Breakthrough in 2005. I prefer the old Mary voice. Her voice these days is not that great and I am a big fan of her.

I PROMISE you that you are among the few that believe Mary's LIVE vocals from 1990 to 2000 were her strongest vocals. Mary simply wasnt a good LIVE vocalist when she came out. In my opinion it took a decade for her to get the vocals together...

Chancellor said:

mrjun18 said:

I PROMISE you that you are among the few that believe Mary's LIVE vocals from 1990 to 2000 were her strongest vocals. Mary simply wasnt a good LIVE vocalist when she came out. In my opinion it took a decade for her to get the vocals together...

I look at it like this: Mary was never a confident live performer in her first decade. The music got her by though there were some performances after 1997 that were special to me. Like for instance I did love her live performance of "Missing You" on Soul Train. But I agree after 2000, she did better live performances though some 2002-2003 performances were over the hilt for lack of a better word.

Timmy, can you id who is playing piano in that stevie wonder clip and who is standing next to KCI?

Chancellor said:

mrjun18 said:

I PROMISE you that you are among the few that believe Mary's LIVE vocals from 1990 to 2000 were her strongest vocals. Mary simply wasnt a good LIVE vocalist when she came out. In my opinion it took a decade for her to get the vocals together...

Count me in that very few because I always thought Mary's best singing and live singing was pre 2000. Overall, she was never really a great live technical singer but what really made her stand out was the emotion she displayed when singing. Once again conveying emotion and connecting with audiences will get you far regardless if you are a good technical singer or not.

I exactly think her live singing started to decline around 2003.

scriptgirl said:

Timmy, can you id who is playing piano in that stevie wonder clip and who is standing next to KCI?

I might have to see the clip later but DeVante perhaps?

Chancellor said:

mrjun18 said:

I PROMISE you that you are among the few that believe Mary's LIVE vocals from 1990 to 2000 were her strongest vocals. Mary simply wasnt a good LIVE vocalist when she came out. In my opinion it took a decade for her to get the vocals together...

See, thats the thing. She may be a better live performer now... but pre 2000 her voice was much more pure, soulful, authenticate and believeable. She may not have had that Whitney voice in the 90's but that doesn't mean she wasnt good or better then. And I'm sure any real Mary fan out there would say the same thing and I'm not int he minority: old Mary voice >>>>>>> new Mary voice.

From a pop perspective, I think most people would agree with you, but from a R&B/soul persepcteive it's the other way around. What do you think of the video I posted of Mary singing at the NBA all star game?

I used to think she was a very good singer... But some weeks ago l played that "Love & Life" album which was collecting dust .... Gosh, she sings off-key in half of the sing...

And she should use those "screaming" parts decntly... She sometimes over-do it and up sounding like an old lady falling in the staire case

mrjun18 said:

Chancellor said:

I PROMISE you that you are among the few that believe Mary's LIVE vocals from 1990 to 2000 were her strongest vocals. Mary simply wasnt a good LIVE vocalist when she came out. In my opinion it took a decade for her to get the vocals together...

See, thats the thing. She may be a better live performer now... but pre 2000 her voice was much more pure, soulful, authenticate and believeable. She may not have had that Whitney voice in the 90's but that doesn't mean she wasnt good or better then. And I'm sure any real Mary fan out there would say the same thing and I'm not int he minority: old Mary voice >>>>>>> new Mary voice.

From a pop perspective, I think most people would agree with you, but from a R&B/soul persepcteive it's the other way around. What do you think of the video I posted of Mary singing at the NBA all star game?

FrenchGuy said:

I used to think she was a very good singer... But some weeks ago l played that "Love & Life" album which was collecting dust .... Gosh, she sings off-key in half of the sing...

And she should use those "screaming" parts decntly... She sometimes over-do it and up sounding like an old lady falling in the staire case

Thats probably her worst album IMO. Mary was looking crazy with that one. lol

scriptgirl said:

re that Jodeci/Stevie/Mary vid upthread, who is playing piano and who is standing next to KCI

That is Devante killing the keys.

Thanks, G!

gdiminished said:

scriptgirl said:

re that Jodeci/Stevie/Mary vid upthread, who is playing piano and who is standing next to KCI

That is Devante killing the keys.

I thought so. I hate having to check lol

But who is that standing next to KCI?

scriptgirl said:

Thanks, G!

No problem. The guy in the red suit is Arsenio and the guy at the end of the piano is Mr. Dalvin.

As for Mary J, I think she's underrated imho, soulful voice and influential for many of the R+B divas of today. Not as technical as her those in her class (Faith Evans, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston), but certainly had a sad and sorrowful sound which made you feel where she was coming from.

Dalvin was in Jodeci?

scriptgirl said:

Dalvin was in Jodeci?

Yup, KCi and JoJo were vocals, Devante and Dalvin (They were brothers), handled most of the production. Devante wrote all of the songs.

So:

K-Ci- Vocals

JoJo - Vocals

Devante - Piano and multiple instruments

Dalvin - Drums and production

Thanks-what happened to Dalvin