what people are saying about
LOVE WINS: NEW STANDARDS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM
"I love Bill Cantos' new CD. It is full of romance and wit, hope and optimism, great playing and some pretty tasty grooves. warm kind of cool that just makes me feel good." |
“About 75 years ago, primarily of love and love lost - |
“Whenever I hear a song I really like, the ultimate compliment I can give is, ‘I wish I had written it!’ This almost never happens these days – that is until last week whenI heard the new Bill Cantos album. Not once, but about a dozen times, Bill has come up with songs I wish I had written. He's also a great performer. Look out for Bill Cantos. These songs are built to last.” -Johnny Mandel |
“Truly a gifted musician, singer, and songwriter. Bill has a way |
“I have been blessed to work with some of the most talented musicians world-wide during my 30 plus years in the music industry. None of them are more talented than Bill Cantos. He is a star burning brightly and in a moment all the world will see his brilliance!” -Deniece Williams |
“I think that if my heart could sing, it would sound just like Bill Cantos – chooses to do so.”
“Bill Cantos is an all-around musician: He plays, he sings, he writes – all with wit and style. His songs are original and inventive. We like this CD … a lot! -Alan & Marilyn Bergman |
from ALLMUSICGUIDE.COM:
This brilliant and vastly underrated L.A. based singer/songwriter subtitles his new masterwork
of poppin', jazz inflected originals "New Standards For The New Millennium," but this is something
of a misnomer. One of its best tracks, "Who Are You?"--which by rights should be considered a classic
pop ballad by now--is a tune from the 90s that has been recorded by everyone from Brenda Russell & Bobby
Caldwell to Ramsey Lewis.Its composer gives the magical piece its due here again with a gentle arrangement
that brings out a true sense of wonderment. That sort of wide-eyed optimism and romance is what makes Cantos
stand out in a modern musical world of cynicism. He might have better success with joyous gems like "You've Got Me"
and the irrepressible title track if he were to time travel back to the Cole Porter era, but this emotionally compelling set of
13 originals will bring a rapturous sense of whimsy to listeners with a love for the bygone era when people let their hearts
actually dream through music. A sensitive vocalist and pianist, Cantos charms easily his smoky, low key ballads (a yearning
"Do I Ever," the plaintive "Forgive Me In Advance"), but seems in even higher spirits on lively, swinging tracks like "A Little Bit
Of Help," the frenetic and witty (both musically and lyrically) "Morning Coffee," and the unabashed (and funky) declaration that
nice guys finish first on "Love Wins." When Cantos is not singing of the delirium of being in love, he's wistfully remembering its
glory in the past ("Avenue 18"). The multi-talented artist has been a fixture on the L.A. jazz scene for years, and works to great effect
throughout with some of the city's best musicians, some of which are great artists in their own right: Brian Bromberg, Grant Geissman,
Jerry Watts, Michael Shapiro, Pat Kelley, Luis Conte and John Ferraro, among others. While the listener's heart and soul will focus on
his beautiful voice and sharp emotional songwriting, his piano solos are top notch jazz improvisations. Sometimes promotional material
is just full of hype, but in this case, Cantos' tagline says it best about the experience: "New songs that feel like you've loved them forever."
And you will.
“Bill Cantos is a very talented musician, great singer, and strong composer. wealth of ideas.... I am deeply inspired by his music.”
|
"Bill's immense talent is rich and life affirming. His songs are perfect gems, seductive and fluid vocal charm. I love his music!"
“Bill Cantos writes the kind of songs that singers want to sing.... I LOVE this album!” |
"As I am now an honored 'singer of his song' I am even more in awe of Bill's talent as a songwriter and teller of tales. Be they an amusing story of attraction based on caffeine intake or a shot straight through the heart with his inspired ability to tell the tale of love in a single breath. Bill has it all at his fingertips. singing his songs forever!!!" (Manhattan Transfer) |
||
“This wonderful collection of songs, and the effortless way in which Bill delivers them, makes you feel like you’ve landed upon some undiscovered classics— brand new songs. This album is a total treat from start to finish... “ |
I truly admire his songwriting and his graceful, soulful singing and playing. It's the rare songwriter that can tell a story and convey a sentiment with the intelligence and economy that he brings to the art. I remember hearing Flora Purim's versions of "Don't Say a Word" and "I Feel You." Those are such gorgeous songs with beautiful twists and turns throughout. There's also some real heart tuggers in this collection... Bill is a truly gifted musician and songwriter. -Russell Ferrante (Yellowjackets) |
“The news flash (in my perfect world) would read, "POP MUSIC WORLD TURNED ON ITS EARS! All the mediocre and contrived music on the airwaves has somehow magically disappeared and the first record we heard today - all the way through from top to bottom, was Bill Cantos' AWESOME new project!" Well, that probably won't happen. But if it did! This would be the record - top to bottom, in all it's beautiful depth and sincerity and nuance and lush harmonies and arrangements - that the world should hear first! -Kirk Whalum |
||
| back to home page | "Your CD arrived in the mail and I put it on while I was cooking dinner the other night. I love the purity and fluidity of your tone..
|
"Great album! The songs are top-notch, the playing and production sublime, and the singing exquisite." |
||