CARAVELLI INTERPRÈTE/PLAYS JULIO IGLESIAS

back 1987


JOUE JULIO IGLESIAS CD

460122 2 CBS, Japan

  1. Begin The Beguine (4:03)
  2. When I Fall In Love (2:58)
  3. Mes Trente-Trois Ans (3:22)
  4. Pauvres Diables (3:13)
  5. C'est Ma Vie (2:46)
  6. Fidele (3:03)
  7. All Of You (3:26)
  8. Ile Au Soleil (3:21)
  9. Quand Tu N'es Plus la (3:15)
  10. Je N'ai Pas Change (3:07)
  11. To All The Girls I've Loved Before (2:44)
  12. Aimer la Vie (3:08)
  13. Ou Est Passee Ma Boheme? (3:36)
  14. Abrazame (3:18)
  15. Manuela (3:24)
  16. Il faut toujours un perdant (3:52)
  17. Nathalie (4:03)
  18. Le Monde Est Fou, Le Monde Est Beau (3:09)
  19. Une Nuit de Carnaval (3:12)
  20. J'ai Besoin de Toi (3:10)



Review
This was Caravelli's tribute to Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. This is easily one of the all-time gold standard productions by Maestro Caravelli. While it contains many hits exclusively popularized by Iglesias featured in Caravelli's assorted LPs from the 1970s and early 1980s, putting them all together breathes new life to the romantic genius of Iglesias' song choices and the arrangements made for him.

Truly, this is Mediterranean romance bottled and shared with wonderful moments for a worldwide audience through Caravelli's gift for lush melodic arrangements.

Amazingly, Caravelli makes extensive use of trumpet, saxophone, piano and strings with minimal synthesizer effects except on the introduction to Pauvres Diables and When I Fall in Love. His pop sound restores a connection to the 1960s and 1970s when popular orchestras used synthesizers sparingly. Begin the Beguine is as much a hit for Caravelli in this version as it was for Iglesias worldwide in 1981 featuring a semi-disco Love Boat style tempo. Then there follows the cascade of romantic passages that flow from his saxophone and string version of When I Fall in Love, Mes Trente Trois..., Pauvres Diables, Fidele, All of You (the best EZ listening version out there), Island in the Sun, Abrazame, Hey, Manuela, Le Monde Est Beau... right to the end.

Je N'ai Pas Change is a surprise on this album with its wordless female soprano delicately opening the masterpiece with a tone that comes closest to an imaginary caress of one’s hands by one's lover.

Every tune is delicately dressed in the fresh enticing colours of a Mediterranean sunset!

- ALAN CHONG