Throughout this concert, Vandross chooses an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary pop staples to cover as he performs before a wildly diverse international audience. When he recorded a cover of an old favorite, he usually put his own imprint on it, reshaping its original essence and structure. A fervent admirer of popular divas from the 1960s and 1970s, he modeled much of his vocal and musical background after the likes of Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack and Diana Ross. ItвЂ™s no secret that a chunk of VandrossвЂ™ genius is associated with his masterful interpretations. But the most explicit demonstration of Vandross refining his adult pop-soul wheelhouse for crossover appeal might be found in this concert film, captured at LondonвЂ™s legendary Royal Albert Hall during his 1994-1995 world tour. The 1989 Grammy-winning wedding staple вЂњHere and NowвЂќ gave him a crossover hit and became his biggest single at that point. ItвЂ™s a telling sign that each album after his solo debut, вЂњNever Too MuchвЂќ (save for its 1982 follow-up, вЂњForever, for Always, for LoveвЂќ), consciously tailored his sound to suit a wider audience without obscuring his pop-soul trademarks.

But even with commercial and critical success, Vandross craved greater mainstream success beyond his large R&B following. Always a stellar live showman, he staged glitzy concerts replete with call-and-response tactics, dynamic background singers, classy choreography and bejeweled glamour. When hip-hop had a strong foothold in Black music, he amassed a consistent streak of platinum-selling albums and R&B hits that were beloved by his devoted fan base. And if his singular talents as a vocal stylist and arranger werenвЂ™t enough of a draw, he was a supreme producer and songwriter with a penchant for lushly arranged paeans to love and heartbreak.Д«y the вЂ90s, Vandross was already a superstar. His dazzling vocal technique, typified by controlled velvety croons and shimmering runs, could make anyone swoon. His vulnerable tenor conveyed delicate sentimentality and heartfelt emotion.

His approach was elegant, straightforward and conservative. Sidestepping the raunch and flashy pyrotechnics that ruled the era, Vandross embraced a yesteryear pop-soul style, recalling a halcyon period when singers were credited solely by their vocal abilities. I was Luther.вЂќДЄs soul music fell into a state of malaise after discoвЂ™s tumultuous backlash at the onset of the вЂ80s, VandrossвЂ™ brand of soothing, slow-burn ballads and feel-good, uptempo grooves was more than welcome. In that spirit, the late, great Luther Vandross makes a notable revelation during this intimate concert film, вЂњAlways and Forever.вЂќ Reflecting on his place among other revered Black male singers when he first emerged as a solo artist in the early 1980s, he quips, вЂњI was never heralded as the new Otis Redding, the new Sam Cooke, the new Teddy Pendergrass or Smokey Robinson. Whether itвЂ™s the gutsy, hard-edged shout and belting style that defined the likes of Wilson Pickett, Joe Tex and James Brown, or the sensuous, gospel-inflected harmonization that made Al Green, Marvin Gaye and Eddie Kendricks popular figures in the 1970s, the way singers stamp their personality and feel onto a song directly affects the resonance it has. The expressive breadth and emotional power of the Black male voice has long been a fascinating asset in soul music.

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