accessAtlanta

R&B
Various Artists
"So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross." J Records. 15 tracks.
Grade: A-

(ENLARGE)
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The late Luther Vandross set the bar so high that paying musical tribute to him has to be daunting before an artist even hits the first note.

But almost no one makes it sound like it here.

Especially not in the beginning of this all-star appreciation of contemporary R&B's premier male vocalist, who died in July at age 54.

Opener Mary J. Blige turns in a raw, riveting performance on "Never Too Much" that surpasses just about anything on her recent albums. Usher may not have the lower register of Vandross, but he brings the same sophistication to "Superstar," along with some nice Michael Jackson affectations. And Fantasia — wow! — she just may have made " 'Til My Baby Comes Home" her own with her gritty, gospel-fueled rendition.

In "So Amazing's" midsection, however, things get a little gooey. Aretha Franklin is too fond of the melisma on "A House Is Not Home." And on the one duet with Vandross, Elton John sounds uncomfortable and forced on "Anyone Who Had A Heart," digitally paired with the master's fluidity.

It's also surprising that Vandross-like "American Idol" Ruben Studdard doesn't make an appearance here. Or that producer Clive Davis didn't use this opportunity to reintroduce his discovery Whitney Houston on, say, "Dance With My Father," rather than the thankfully reserved Celine Dion.

Instead, another artist on Davis's label, Angie Stone, reminds us what a wonderful singer she is when she has great material like "Since I Lost My Baby." And Oscar winner Jamie Foxx gets reintroduced as a credible vocalist on the tribute's closer, "Creepin' ."

— Sonia Murray