Overnight Sensational (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Bruce Springsteen (vocals, guitar); Mariah Carey, Vince Gill, Bekka Bramlett (vocals, background vocals); Jon Bon Jovi, Nikka Costa, Paul Rodgers, Steve Winwood, Sting, Travis Tritt, Van Hunt, Wynonna Judd, BeBe Winans (vocals); David T. Walker, Eric Clapton, Robert Bacon, Michael Hart Thompson , John Shanks, Michael Ripoll, Billy Gibbons (guitar); Alyssa Park, Susannah Chapman, Michelle Richards, Gerry Hilera, Joel Derouin, Armen Garabedian, Josephina Vergara, Charlie Bisharat, Mario Diaz de Leon (violin); Karen Elaine Bakunin, Andrew Dickles, David Stenske (viola); Rudy Stein, Dan Tobin Smith, Larry Corbett, Steve Richards (cello); Jimmy Woods (harmonica, background vocals); Dan Higgins (saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Gary Grant, Jerry Hey (trumpet); Reggie C. Young (trombone); Greg Phillinganes (piano, Clavinet, keyboards); Kenneth Crouch (piano, keyboards); Billy Preston (piano); Kenneth Lionel Cole (Fender Rhodes piano); Tim Akers (Clavinet, keyboards); Lionel Cole (keyboards, background vocals); Randy Waldman (keyboards); James "Jamie" Gamble, Michael Bland, Dan Needham, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Sheila E. (percussion); Jay Mitchell (programming); Sharlotte Gibson, Crystal Taliefero, Shana Crooks, Sherree Ford Brown, Adie Grey, Randy Jackson , Siedah Garrett, Tabitha Fair (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Kevin Guarnieri; Jess Sutcliffe.

Recording information: Capitol, Hollywood, CA; Henson Recording. Hollywood, CA; Olympic, London, England; Platinum Labs, Nashville, TN; Realsongs, Hollywood, CA; The Dugout, Hollywood, CA; Thrill Hill, NJ; Westlake Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Wincraft, England.

Photographers: Jonathan Alcorn; Rick Diamond; Neal Preston; Michelle Breger; Michael Evans; Suze Lanier; Robert Cohen.

Soul Man number one Sam Moore, best known as one half of the iconic 1960s soul duo Sam & Dave, released the glittering comeback album OVERNIGHT SENSATIONAL in 2006. Directed by producer, multi-instrumentalist, and AMERICAN IDOL judge Randy Jackson, SENSATIONAL is as much an all-star tribute to Moore--with heavyweight guest shots from, among others, Eric Clapton, Jon Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey, a surprisingly sensual Wynonna, Sting, and Bruce Springsteen--as it is a new album from a classic artist.

Jackson gives Moore the star treatment, pulling him out of the road house and providing him with slick yet tasteful production, and a set of songs that includes classics such as "I Can't Stand the Rain" "It's Only Make Believe," and "You Are So Beautiful." But the truth is, Moore could be singing just about anything (even a Milli Vanilli song, which he does actually tackle), with just about anyone, surrounded by all the bells and whistles a studio has to offer, and as long as that voice is front and center, all is well.

Some sage told us years ago that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and Overnight Sensational is an album with enough good intentions to choke a horse. Sam Moore was one of the great men of 1960s soul as half of Sam & Dave, but like his former partner Dave Prater (who passed away in 1988) once the duo broke up, Moore had a hard time getting a solo career off the ground, and his star turned dim in the '70s. There's no arguing that Sam Moore deserves a second shot at the spotlight, and his voice is still in fine shape, but his wife and manager, Joyce Moore, decided that the best way to relaunch Sam's career was to create an "event" album around him, with a name producer and a gaggle of guest stars. On Overnight Sensational, the name producer turns out to be Randy Jackson, a session musician best known as one of the judges on American Idol, and Jackson has saddled Moore with some dubious choices in terms of material and duet partners (many of whom, judging from the credits, weren't even in the same room with Moore when they recorded their parts). If you ever dreamed of hearing Sam Moore sing songs made famous by Milli Vanilli, Garth Brooks, Seals & Crofts, and Conway Twitty, well, this is your lucky day, but while Moore gives each song his level best, the cheese factor on this album is woefully high. It's true that Moore has a long, rich tradition of singing with a partner, but Wynonna Judd, Paul Rodgers, Fantasia, and Zucchero blend with Moore about as well as oil mixes with water, with Mariah Carey's wordless melismatic wanderings on "It's Only Make Believe" slinking under the line as the album's low point. Fortunately, however, Moore, who must have some spiritual tie to New Jersey, does have a track apiece with Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, the artists who come off the best by a considerable margin here and consequently save this album's day. ~ Mark Deming minimize