Musician: Bruce Sudano & The Candyman Band
Album: The Burbank Sessions

Legendary singer/songwriter Bruce Sudano is back and as amazing as ever. Released last September, The Burbank Sessions showcases Bruce’s unfaltering musical artistry and creative talent.

Bruce’s extensive musical career began in the late 1960s. He is best known as the creator of songs for Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and his late wife, Donna Summer. Bruce also founded his own indie record label, the Purple Heart Recording Company. and played in bands Alive N Kickin? and Brooklyn Dreams. In 2014, Bruce released the album With Angels On A Carousel. Created shortly after Bruce lost his wife, the music reflects his experiences during that time.

For the remainder of 2014, Bruce toured around with his newly formed group, The Candyman Band. When touring was over for the year, Bruce took the songs that he worked on while on the road and entered the studio. The tracks on The Burbank Sessions were recorded as he played through them at the studio, resulting in music that feels spontaneous, as if you are at a live show.

On his website, Bruce explained how The Burbank Sessions came into being: “I set out to put the band together with the help of my producer and guitarist, Randy Mitchell. We started rehearsing and playing shows around LA to promote the album. Over the course of the year I continued writing and started incorporating the new material into the set, which led to this recording at Lokisound, our rehearsal studio in Burbank. We basically put up a few baffles for sound separation, set up some mics and played the songs as if we were doing a set in a club. We did each one a couple of times, chose the better take and mixed. If we had an audience I would have called it a live record” (http://www.brucesudano.com/#home).

The music on The Burbank Sessions seems to have a variety of inspirations behind it. While the lyrics speak of the realities of everyday adult life, the music is a playful mash of genres. At times, there are hints of folk, country, jazz, blues, reggae, and rock, making the album somewhat erratic. But Bruce makes it work. Each track is distinct in sound, theme, and message. One song may be sombre and somewhat melancholic, whereas the next may be upbeat and lively. The harmonies are seamless, the beats are soft, and the melodies wash lightly over you. There is nothing jarring about the music on The Burbank Sessions, it is as relaxing as chocolate melting in your mouth.

So as the summer heats up, cool off with the smooth and soft sounds on Bruce Sudano’s The Burbank Sessions.

Samantha currently uses her skills as a writer to promote independent musicians and raise awareness and support for many global, environmental, and humanitarian issues. Check out her website and blog at: http://sstevenswriter.wix.com/writer