The Music of Henry Dee

Anyone up for seeking hidden treasures? How about a pot of gold? Maybe a jukebox musical on a disc? Welcome, Henry Dee.

Dee and his collaborative team have stitched together a treasure trove of time, paying tribute to a golden age of pop songs with this new album. On Breaking Through, Dee pays homage to several artists and songwriters of the 1960s and '70s and he does it with subdued flair and great respect for the material. He is also a risk taker, as most of the songs are not too famous since they were on the flip sides of hits. The result is a breakthrough album by a wistful singer with a soul whose fan base is growing. Hopefully, with this new, inventive CD, he will broaden that base and become even more visible on the club scene. (His club outings have been too few.)

The man has a lot to offer. In his liner notes, he waxes about the respect and love he has for these songs which have brought him through those dark periods we are all familiar with: ". On this recording, I am paying tribute to singers I greatly admire who covered these songs and managed to create lesser-known classics because of their special style and sound.." He also notes that ". the sixties and seventies were a time of many musical styles merging together: R & B, rock 'n' roll, pop, folk and country.." Well, he's obviously sifted out the vast mix of jewels and offers one of the more memorable CDs to hit in a long time. Dee cites legendary artists like Marianne Faithfull, Dusty Springfield, Brenda Lee, The Bee Gees, Sonny Bono, Linda Ronstadt and Carole King, among others, who blazed trails and first made the memories.

Some of the selections are long forgotten (except by pop music purists). Some will never see the light of day again-except here. And, some of those melancholic memories are special highlights here, like the forgotten "Can't You See Me Cry?," given a contemporary treatment with due respect to the original, made famous by the American pop band New Colony Six in 1968 on their Revelations album. It's an exciting find of a terrific song and Dee does it, as he does everything, with heartfelt feeling that is touching. The fact that he resurrected a long-forgotten gem like this speaks volumes about the knowledgeable singer, his unique taste and for preserving such great pop material.

Other highlights include: The Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody," given a trenchant new spin that is arguably more moving than the original (with its throbbing "wall of sound" arrangement); Sonny Bono's rarity "Laugh at Me," a personal ode to life and political views; and the 1966 Carole King-Gerry Goffin treasure, "I Can't Make It Alone." This last gem, with its pleading message of lost love (".oh, help me, you know that I need you . I just can't make it on my own .") is worth the price of the album alone. It's a worthy treasure-as is this album of great songs from a bygone era. It is to Henry Dee's credit that he speaks right from the heart throughout, interpreting this carefully chosen song list and coming up with such meaningful songs that deserve an afterlife. With great arrangements and thoughtful delivery, his warm baritone captures the heart of a special era in music that gave the world a lot to hold onto. "The Good Times Are Coming" makes for the perfect ending to a time capsule that is as golden as its messenger.