Will Downing Will See You After Tonight

By Stanley Bennett Clay, in music
Thursday, December 13 2007, 10:59PM

Reviews by Stanley Bennett Clay

Will Downing has always been an artist able to rise above challenges. For years he held his musical ‘own’ in spite of the blinding light of the late Luther Vandross's vocal virtuosity and attended superstardom. But Downing’s deeply felt baritone tremor and whispery upper register drip with a soulfulness lethal enough to drop the most prudish pair of panties.

His latest CD After Tonight is a lush testament to his intoxicating vocal gift. Even after contracting the rare and severely debilitating muscle disease Polymyositis in the middle of producing this collection—he sang several cuts from a wheelchair—he was able to complete this first rate croon-fest seamlessly, save for, perhaps, the surprisingly profound and inspirational “God Is So Amazing” which stands out as a reflection of life and it’s many blessings. Sung with a near prayerful humility, it is a touching triumph for Downing, and a telling recognition of his triumph over adversity.

But for the most part, light the candles and snuggle up before a fireplace for this ten-cut gem.

He starts the CD off with the low, head bobbing “Will’s Groove,” foreplay for what he’s about to lay on you. He turns the heat up a notch with the almost-too-similar but satisfactory “Fantasy (Spending Time With You).”

The title song, which follows, is a joyous promise of good sex and even better romance from a voice that knows from where it speaks. “After Tonight” is the kind of song everyone dreams of singing to a lover.

Kip Scarborough’s melodious “No One Can Love You More” (Downing and longtime collaborator Rex Rideout wrote all but two of the songs here) is simply beautiful, complimented by Will Downy’s most expressive vocal on the CD and Gerald Albright’s lovely alto sax.

“Lover’s Melody” is perhaps the least auspicious in this auspicious collection. But one can complain very little when vibraphonist Roy Ayers does his solo thing.

Let me take these manly hands and rub your body over, over, and over again, the down-to-business Romeo croons convincingly in “Satisfy You.”

Complimented by Kirk Whalum’s sex-dripping sax and Michael Logan’s lushly languid keyboard work, “All I need Is You.” is as sexy and classy as a phine black man in a tuxedo. Will Downing assures you he’s that man.

He then brings a heart-breaking melancholy to the Bill Withers composition “You Just Can’t Smile It Away” and closes out the set with a welcome reprise of “After Tonight.”

We may have lost Luther, but Will Downing, having waited in the wings during the Vandross reign, proves with this stellar collection known as After Tonight that he just may be heir-apparent to the throne.

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