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Colombier came up through classical channels, the Conservatoire, and
on to end up as one of the top arrangers and conductors in the field of
pop music. His work has been most strongly identified with such artists
as Petula Clark to date, but this album is really going back to his
initial roots incorporating great acres of rock culture along the way.
This album in concept has been with Colombier for over three years and
although there have been many attempts within rock to enlarge its
boundaries on a symphonic level it's doubtful that anyone has managed to
do it on such a massive scale or with such - well, it's a bad word but
true in this context - taste. Colombier obviously has an immense love
for music in all its forms, and has here blended in all the finer points
of large orchestral passages of symphony structure, rock and jazz
easiness without letting any form serve to the detriment of
another.
Although "Wings" emerges as a single album it has the strength,
power and volume normally associated with a double. You actually FEEL as
though you have listened and been wrapped up in a tremendous experience
of some magnitude. The album was recorded in America and France with
Herb Alpert who also produced Bill Medley, Vermettya Royster (lead
singer with Sergio Mendes) taking guest vocals on Paul Williams lyrics,
with the orchestras of the Paris Opera and Opera Comique of Paris, two
pop-based orchestras and a U.S. section including Kai Winding Veneta
Fields, Clydie King and Rita Coolidge.
"Wings" in strength, in handling, in emotional longitude is
perfectly comparable to the power of major classical religious works -
no lightweight under any circumstances. "Wings" is a major
work, monumental, given an added beauty by Colombier's tender quite
perfect handling of his string sections.
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