I’m not always a lover of the sound of the voices of Opera. For me, often the music is too much about the sound, the tone of the voice, with not enough attention paid to the lyrical intent. Also the oft times wide vibratos sometimes turns me suspect to the absolute connection to true pitch. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’ve thrilled to the voices of Pavarotti, von Stade, Caruso, Callas, Battle, Price. The great ones are always great no matter what the language or musical style.

Osceola Davis first approached me in the spring of 2008 to produce her new CD. Many years ago I produced Frederica von Stade in the studio and was bowled over by her work ethic, her preparedness and her shear abilities as a vocalist. At a break she said to my engineer and me, “Hey, I’m goin’ out, you guys want me to pick you up a sandwich?” That was Flicka – a great talent and a real person. But I’m getting off the track…

The thought of producing another Opera singer was both intriguing to me and, I admit, a little frightening. These are notoriously difficult people who often come with extreme egotistical baggage (the word “Diva” comes to mind) singing a sound that is not always my cup of tea. I met with Osceola, we talked, and it was clear from the start that this was a formidable talent that I could both work with and be a part of making great music.

We then set out to producing an album of classic Spirituals peppered with a few classic Sacred Songs. Every session got better. There was no ego, only hard work and willingness to get the music right. I sat in wonder at this little/big woman’s voice that negotiated the stratosphere with such ease and purity of life. I fell totally in love with her song selection and especially the boldness and originality of her choices of piano arrangements. I admired and respected her ability to effortlessly connect with the lyric and her openness to new ideas. I dug her chops. This lady could sing!

We became friends – not just six month show biz friends, but real friends. This work, “Climbing High Mountains” is a product of this special relationship. If you’re an Opera fan, you’ll love this CD. If you’re not an Opera fan, check this one out anyway. It will open some windows for you into a world of great music and rich inspiration.