Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances

The landscape of popular music dimmed at the loss of Whitney Houston. Without a doubt, she was --�and will always be --�one of the most prolific and influential voices of the 21st Century. Her debut in the early '80s was truly a special moment in time. Music industry giant Clive Davis, the man who discovered Houston and catapulted her into the limelight, has gone into the archives to relive and revive "Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances."

The 16-track CD features the most astounding live recordings, certainly the landmark moments in Whitney Houston's career. From her first appearance on "The Merv Griffin Show" in 1983, Houston's rendition of "Home" immediately defined her as one of the most incredible finds in that moment since the age of Motown. Davis continued to position his songstress strongly, especially as she went on to promote her debut album worldwide with showcases on "The Tonight Show" ("You Give Good Love") and the Brit Awards ("How Will I Know').

Confident that Houston would ultimately win over her following with her rapturous vocal skill, Davis massaged a setlist for her that immediately served her range and magnificent presence. The most remarkable among these live recordings has to be Houston's performance of "I Loves You, Porgy/And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going/I Have Nothing." The medley part of the 21st Annual American Music Awards in 1994 brought down the house.

Houston will live on as one of the most incomparable talents ever, and these live bits speak to her magnificence and musicality which was without parallel. The overall selections are a wonderful reminder of the voice that is now forever lost to her fans.

It's a bit distracting that in this day and age of audio remastering (where the 1950 analog-recordings of an artist like Maria Callas can be brought to such vivid three dimensional life as in a recent remastered release of the opera star's entire catalog), similar care was not applied to polishing Houston's live takes. Her earliest performances sound rough and flat. The true vitality of Houston's power is somewhat overshadowed by the rather thin production.

The virtue of these tracks lies mostly in the fact that Whitney Houston was an artist to be heard, and at least here in "Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances" fans can revisit the majesty again and again.

"Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances"
is available in CD and CD/DVD combo pack as well as digital download for $19.99 and $11.99
on Arista/RCA Records