After nearly two years of devoting himself to the writing of his autobiography “Blood Sweat and Tears” David decided to take a break from writing and record an album of songs honoring the great soul artists that formed the foundation of that unmistakable Clayton-Thomas vocal style. The results are spectacular! Soul Ballads, a twelve song set of tunes by Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Gladys Knight and other iconic R&B artists.
David and producer/arranger Lou Pomanti weren’t looking for obscure tunes that no-one had heard before, rather they were looking for songs that everyone knows and loves and set out to give them a fresh new sound. When A Man Loves A Woman, Dock Of The Bay, You Don’t Know Me, Midnight Train to Georgia, all recorded with full orchestra and innovative new arrangements.
This is a labor of love for David and it shows, these are the songs he sang in the bars of Toronto as a young singer. The Clayton-Thomas pipes are in fine form and the charts are beautifully conceived. This is a joyous album, a renowned singer at the peak his powers singing songs that he loves.
Soul Ballads is on Universal Records
« Concert Review by Lynn Saxberg Blood, Sweat and Tears review by Lynn Fenske »
