Nothing's Impossible

EDITORIAL REVIEWS This magnificent album, destined to be an all-time essential in any library of classic soul, is a bittersweet triumph. On one hand, it marks the 70th birthday year of Solomon Burke, who ranks with the very greatest R&B immortals on the other, it's the final full album produced by another soul legend, producer Willie Mitchell, the Memphis architect of the Hi Records sound and the man behind everlasting hits by Al Green, Ann Peebles, and so many others. Willie Mitchell died on January 5, 2010. NOTHING'S IMPOSSIBLE delivers a dozen tracks of timeless soul magic in the purest Memphis style with the deepest Southern roots. Yet there's not the slightest whiff of nosta ia about the project. Solomon Burke's voice is full-strength, and Willie Mitchell's arrangements flourish in the Hi-style: tight, right horns rock solid kick drums and mellow bass country guitar fills, and the sweetest, sparest string arrangements to enhance the romance and the heartbreak of these amazing songs. Solomon Burke was an important early soul pioneer despite never having made a major impact upon the pop audience. On his `60s singles for Atlantic, he brought a country influence into R&B with emotional phrasing and deeply powerful melodic ballads and midtempo songs. His combination of gospel, pop, country, and production polish was basic to the recipe of early soul. Solomon, like Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, was an important influence upon the Rolling Stones, who covered Burke's "Cry to Me" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" on their early albums. Over the years, Solomon Burke has become one of the most visible living exponents of classic soul music. Burke's 2002 release, Don't Give Up on Me was hailed as a major comeback for the legendary soul man. And now, in this sublime collaboration with a master producer, Solomon Burke has written another chapter in this unsurpassed body of work. When it comes to real soul music, Solomon and the late Willie Mitchell have once again proven that NOTHING'S IMPOSSIBLE.

It's all but impossible to make a bad record with Solomon Burke; as a vocalist, the man is simply a force of nature, and all you have to do is point him in front of a microphone and let him do his stuff and you'll have something worth hearing. But coming up with accompaniment that's worthy of Burke's talents isn't quite as simple, and for a man who cut his teeth working with the likes of Jerry Wexler and Bert Berns, finding the right producer in this day and age is no simple matter. Nothing's Impossible teams Burke with another legend of Southern soul, the great producer, arranger, and songwriter Willie Mitchell (best-known for his work with Al Green) who had been after Burke to make an album with him for years. One listen to Nothing's Impossible confirms that Mitchell's instincts were right on the money; this music has just the right heft and texture for Burke, rich, strong, and gospel-influenced R&B that's sturdy enough to support Burke's earth-shaking vocals while giving the star of the show enough room to move comfortably. Mitchell's subtle, expressive use of strings and horns is very much in evidence here, and the rhythm section cuts a deep, implacable groove. The church has always been one of Burke's strongest vocal influences, and on Nothing's Impossible, Mitchell and his studio crew allow Burke to raise up as much Sunday morning fervor as he needs; on longer numbers like "Dreams" and "It Must Be Love," Burke stretches out like a preacher hitting a groove in front of a congregation, and hearing the King of Rock and Soul get the spirit is a remarkable thing. Burke and Mitchell contributed to the songwriting on these sessions, with both men bringing their A game, and though the notion of Burke covering Anne Murray's hit "You Needed Me" might sound dire, once you hear him do it, it's hard not to be awestruck at the way he brings the old warhorse to life. The sad irony of Nothing's Impossible is that after decades of trying to lure Solomon Burke into his studio, Burke showed up in time for what proved to be Willie Mitchell's final production project, as Mitchell succumbed to heart failure a few months before the album was released. But if this record is Willie Mitchell's final musical offering, Solomon Burke made certain that the man closed out his career on a high note; this is old-school R&B that's smart, passionate, and powerful, and proves the King of Rock and Soul still rules his kingdom with a sure hand. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Performer	Solomon Burke
Music genre	Heavy Metal, Rock
Media format	CD
Original release date	February 9, 2010
Language	English
Number of tracks	12
Number of discs	1
Track listing	Oh What A Feeling,Everything About You,Dreams,Nothing's Impossible,It Must Be Love,You Needed Me,Say You Love Me Too,You're Not Alone,New Company,When You're Not Here,The Error Of My Ways,I'm Leavin'
Record label	E1 Entertainment
Music producer	Willie Mitchell
Music media format	CD
Is edited	N
Is enhanced	N