Hayden Grove - Sway
Pop, Easy Listening
Ohio, United States
Overall Impression: I think it's safe to say that any ardent music lover will agree that "Sway" is an all-time classic, a timeless tune that has been successfully covered by a myriad of artists ever since its first inception, and I'm glad to say that Hayden Grove has duly followed suit and whisked up a fantastic cover that manages to respect the original source material whilst successfully infusing Michael's own sense of unique musicality. Hayden Grove possesses a deep maturity in his vocal style that allows him to really capture the subtle nuances of the songwriting and the level of control he has over his vocals is quite frankly staggering, combine this with the rich musical canvas that underlays his warm and soulful tones and you have something very special indeed.
Strongest Point(s): The interplay between Hayden and the various elements of the instrumentation is both exciting and thoroughly captivating, this level of interaction between the performances really gives the arrangement its life and sense of purpose. The way melodies weave in and out of one another, the subtle rhythmic cues that highlight certain focal points within the lyrics, the sheer fiery passion that the song's Latin aesthetic conjures up, each individual element when combined with one another works in such an effective way that as a listener you really can't help but find yourself moving to the music. Put quite simply, a great cover that does the original great justice, marvelous!
Target Audience Appeal: This is definitely a tune for the easy listening jazz fans and I can certainly see lovers of the classic jazz vocal style really appreciating this excellent cover.
Artist target suggestions: Bobby Darin, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Michael Buble, Harry Conick, Jr. Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, Sammy Davis Jr. Tony Bennett, Jerry Vale
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About the Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to a level that has allowed him to become both a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar, as well as teaching it, helping students both learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and how to become proficient in home recording.