Will Downing Releases Romantique Part 1

NEW YORK - Oct. 23, 2019 - PRLog -- If you contemplate the creation of a modern day tribute to the impact of "deep male voices" of the past in "romantic ballad" settings, one name should instantly stand out from the all the rest -- The Prince of Sophisticated Soul himself, Will Downing.

Will Downing is releasing Romantique Part 1, the first of two EPs that celebrate the rich-velvet tones that came before him and set the template for the way he would come to wield his own incredible instrument for decades to come.

Romantique Part 1 kicks off with Lou Rawls' certified gold, 1976 smash hit You'll Never Find (Another Love Like Mine).  Guitarist Randy Bowland leads a stellar production effort recreating and updating the signature Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff Philadelphia International sound and feel while Downing delivers the opening growl through the mesh of the microphone.   Backing vocals from LaJuan Carter-Dent and songstress-wife Audrey Wheeler-Downing are spot-on finishing touches to this chart-topping classic.

Up next is a clever duet-styled version of the Grammy Award winning Dionne Warwick hit Déjà Vu.  Although recorded originally in 1977 by Warwick alone, Will Downing was instead inspired by video of a rare 1990 Warwick tour performance with the song's author, Isaac Hayes and called upon the incredible talents of Avery Sunshine to re-interpret the special moment.

The insertion of one of Downing's own classics, If She Knew, is a welcomed addition in the middle of this tribute and comes as no surprise that it fits in seamlessly.

Another tribute to Isaac Hayes comes in the form of the Clifton Davis penned Never Can Say Goodbye, first made famous by the Jackson 5 in 1971.  Downing's take picks up from the Hayes recording in the same year, but brilliantly blends a track that conjures memories of both versions.

Will Downing closes Romantique Part 1 with an absolute jewel and a peek at the manner of artist he may have been had he been born in an earlier time and recording era.  An absolutely transformative version of the John Coltrane standard My One an Only Love channels Downing's inner Johnny Hartman. Davis' upright bass tones return, anchored by Logan's piano, Giveton Gelin on trumpet and some lush string work  by Matt Jones.

Romantique Part 1 delivers not only on the challenge of paying tribute to legends, but is a musical marvel that captures the spirit of a recording era rife with studio orchestras and house bands that created a depth of sound lost in the beat driven production approach of much of today's music.

For more information, visit http://www.willdowning.com.