The unpredictable Mr. Foxx

Like Tom Cruise’s version of Mission Impossible, the big screen remake of Miami Vice is a disappointment to fans of the TV show. All that they retained was the title and names of the lead characters. While the original was a pastel fantasy of ’80s cool, this one is just a melange of explosive scenes and breathtaking images in Mad Max country.

But, who am I to complain when the movie is a huge success. So I guess this means that we can now look forward to another phase in the multi-faceted career of the multi-talented Jamie Foxx. The guy is a singer, pianist, writer, comedian, TV, movie and music star and most of all, Academy Award, Golden Globe and other awards winner. With Miami Vice, he added major action picture star to the list just a few months after he became a big-selling recording artist.

Those of you out there who think that Will Smith has it made big time had better take a look at what is happening to Foxx. He started out as a comedian in the TV shows Living Color and Roc. Then he went on to appear in films. Some forgettable, The Great White Hype. Others memorable, Any Given Sunday, and two of them, extraordinarily excellent, Ray and Collateral. After these, all that Foxx needed to complete his success was to make good as a recording artist.

Foxx studied music from the age of three up to college at Julliard as a piano major. He first tried his luck as a musician in 1995 by recording the make-out soul album Peep This that didn’t sell. He concentrated on acting in the ensuring years until another opportunity to record presented itself two years ago. Ironically, it was Ray, a movie where he did not sing a single note that gave him the break.

Foxx lip-synched to the recordings of soul legend Ray Charles in the movie and did such a wonderful job that it became quite easy for the public to accept him as a singer. In no time at all, he had a No. 1 selling single, Gold Digger, a collaboration with Kanye West. A few months later, there came the release of his very own album, Unpredictable which made No. 1 in the Billboard 200 for two weeks and which continues to sell very well.

I do not know which one Foxx finds easier to do, acting or singing. But while he usually fills the screen with bravura turns, he chose to be a soulful crooner with a hip-hop streak in Unpredictable. He is at ease in every cut and sounds like he is truly enjoying himself. This dude has everything going in his favor so he can now do some slow jams to impress the ladies and all those guys who wonder if they can ever be like him.

Unpredictable presents a solid production by a star who knows his strengths, sexy vocals and where he needs help, hip-hop. Thankfully he has the best at his disposal and has made the collaborations the most interesting and most appealing portions of the album. Best of the lot are the title cut, featuring Ludacris, his duet with Mary J. Blige, Love Changes and the achingly sweet acoustic ballad Heaven.

Take note. Please, do not look for Gold Digger in Unpredictable. That one is in the Kanye West album.

The Best of Barry White

Talk about make-out sounds, this set was considered the ultimate during the ‘70s. Dubbed Pillow Talk music, the recordings blended a disco beat, sexy lyrics, lush orchestral accompaniment and Barry White’s seductive half-spoken vocals. His style set the standards by which most R ’n B recordings are measured these days. What they are not able to approximate though is that voice. After so many years I cannot think of anybody whose vocals come close to White’s booming bass.

This two-CD edition, The Best of Barry White has 29 cuts and includes almost everything that White recorded first as leader of the Love Unlimited Orchestra, producer of the girl group Love Unlimited and later as soloist with his trademark steamy style.

The disco favorite Love’s Theme sets the pace. This is followed by Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Babe, Walking in The Rain With The One I Love, I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little Bit More Baby, It May Be Winter Outside (But in My Heart It’s Spring), Satin Soul, You’re The First The Last My Everything, What Am I Gonna Do With You, It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me and others.

Enjoy the album and remember.