Suffice it to say that after nearly two decades of remarkable recordings and performances around the globe, Will Downing is recognized as the premier male vocalist for the embodiment of his singular, sensuous blend of R&B, jazz and pop. Yet 2007 marks the release of what is unquestionably the most crucial album of his career. It's not necessarily in reference to the content of the album, which is more of the masterful songs of sensual romance that have become his signature. The crux of After Tonight, Will's 13th album and first for the Peak Records label, is the commitment in the face of adversity he summoned to complete it - the sheer "force of Will" that inspired the man to see it through to its fruition. When you listen to After Tonight, you are listening to music created and recorded by a man coming to terms with and battling a rare and severely debilitating condition known as Polymyositis.

Polymyositis is a chronic muscle disease - an inflammation of the muscle fibers - the cause of which is not known. It results in weakness that can be severe with equally maddening, random and inexplicable periods of flares and remissions. For an artist of Downing's stature to make an album under normal circumstances comes with an already grueling set of challenges to make the best music possible. Factor in the frustration of discovering you have suddenly come down with this disease and all of its creativity sapping symptoms and one realizes that only a man of Downing's spiritual fortitude could pull himself up against all odds to make his latest statement heard. After Tonight is more than just another album for Downing. It became a monumental reason for him to wake up on many a morning - a purpose that only his attention could bring to life. And Downing is determined for it to be far from his last.

In an intimate letter enclosed within the liner notes of After Tonight, Will humbly discloses to his fans that the disorder "basically took away my ability to function on my own, including the use of my limbs or even walking. The majority of my vocals were cut from my wheelchair at home." Where the average man would have crumbled in self-pity, Will fortified his faith, leaned on trusted friends and tapped into a reservoir of strength he didn't even know he had...for he had never had to reach for it until now. In his letter, Will continues, "After a period of depression and 'why me's,' I rekindled a relationship with God and family like never before. His love for me is getting me through these interesting times. I've come to deal with these circumstances but not accept them as I know I will overcome this illness."

Reflecting on what was most different about making this album from the twelve he's done in the past, Will continued, "One thing I've really learned about myself is my ability to utilize alternative routes. Singing while sitting was ridiculously hard, so I found myself doing things in increments. Lines 1 thru 4 on a song may have been sung from the wheelchair, while lines 5 thru 9 may have been sung from the hospital bed. However, every line was only done when I was in the emotional mood to sing."

Crucial to the seamless completion of After Tonight was the return of Will's longtime co-producer and friend Rex Rideout, in whom Downing placed his complete trust above and beyond the normal call of duty. Rideout has been working with Downing since his fourth album, Love's the Place to Be, introduced during a Roy Ayers gig Rex was playing on by singer Audrey Wheeler, who is now Will's wife. So the work on After Tonight was very much a family affair. "Family and familiarity played a major role," Downing continues. "Being immobile made me put a lot of my trust in my producers and musician friends. We used technology to its highest heights. We swapped tracks over computer lines when - under normal circumstances - I would sit with each musician going over line by line. But because our musical tastes are so completely in line, I trust Rex Rideout implicitly."

"I am deeply touched by the trust that Will placed in me," Rideout shares. "My job was to help make After Tonight the best possible representation of Will's artistry during this challenging space and time. It was an honor and a heavy responsibility - one that I took very seriously. Will was really counting on me. He couldn't be with me during all phases, so we did a lot over the internet - me in my west coast studio and he back east in his wheelchair at home or his hospital bed. At one point, I even flew to his house to set up a little studio for him in his room. Knowing how difficult this process was becoming for him, I kept asking 'Are you sure you can do this?' He always responded, 'Man, I got it!' The most nerve-racking part for me was sending him mixes then waiting for his response. Everybody from Will and I to mixing engineer Ray Bardani was looking at this under a magnifying glass. I did everything in my power to make After Tonight the Will Downing experience that his fans expect. And I am so proud of the job done my man, Will."

After Tonight opens with the soulful introduction of "Will's Groove," a mood piece that smoothly sets the scene for all that follows. And what you hear in the beginning of it is exactly how the song was conceived. Rideout shares, "Will called me up and said, "I have a bass line I want to use to open the album. Do you have your computer on?' I booted up and that's the groove he gave me."

Immediately following is a string of seriously sexy tunes as only Downing can deliver them. "Fantasy (Spending Time With You)" sports a Corvette cool West Coast love man groove featuring Randy Bowland on guitar while "Satisfy You" finds Will playfully interpolating a line from the film Dreamgirls as he croons, "The first time that I saw your face / All I said was oh, my...oh, my..." The reassuring "All I Need Is You" is the album's jazziest piece musically and most romantically vulnerable lyrically as Will sings about a couple at a moment of insecurity. Kirk Whalum contributes some tastily multi-tracked tenor lines. Meanwhile, Roy Ayers lays down some delicious vibes solos on a second mood piece, "Lover's Melody," a classy club jam for cupids who like to move.

The album's first single and title track, "After Tonight," captures Will on par with the sound of today's younger male soul singers, but with the sentiments of a grown man with long term love on his mind. "My mission tonight is to please you / Baby, we're gonna take this love and make it do what it do / `Cuz After Tonight I'm gonna show you how to make love / After Tonight I'll be the only love you're thinking of." This particular track was so strong that it is reprised at album's end with a dreamy remix.

The first of After Tonight's two covers, "No One Can You Love You More," is from the pen of the incomparable Skip Scarborough, a man also responsible for Quiet Storm classics such as "Can't Hide Love" by Earth, Wind & Fire," "Don't Ask My Neighbors" by the Emotions and "Love Ballad" by LTD. The song was originally recorded on the self-titled 1977 debut album of dearly departed vocal legend Phyllis Hyman, a woman that Will shared stages with on many a night in the later years of her life. "We had some amazing shows together and shared some great laughs...most of which I can't share with you," Will teases. "But the song 'No One Can Love You More' was suggested to me by a friend. Honestly, I barely remembered the song but that's what made it easy for me to interpret in my own way. It's such a great lyric." Updating the unforgettable sax work done by Gary Bartz on Phyllis' original version is Gerald Albright, another old friend of Will's with whom he cut an entire album in 1998 titled Pleasures of the Night.

The second cover of After Tonight is far more personal and profound for Downing. "You Just Can't Smile It Away" is a relatively obscure yet no less galvanizing composition from the peerless Bill Withers who recorded it on his last album to date, Watching You, Watching Me (1985). It is the second Withers song that Will has recorded, followed by "Grandma's Hands" from his CD All The Man You Need (2000). It speaks plainly yet poetically about problems that demand to be faced, something very much top-of-mind with Will as he struggled to complete his latest work. Downing reflects, "When Bill writes, he paints...and I enjoy a good painting. Bill tells a story of America - sometimes in an urban way, sometimes in a classic way, but always from the heart. Bill tells it like it is and that has always drawn me to record his songs." Downing's deep connection to this song did not go unnoticed by co-producer Rideout who found himself quite moved as he watched Will chisel his take into perfection. "In the Withers song - more than any other - I detected a vulnerability from Will that I've never heard before," Rideout states. "He told me he tried different takes during daylight hours with other folks around him. But around midnight, it hit him to sing the song while he was all alone lying in bed. That take is pretty much that you hear on the record. My eyes welled-up the first time I heard it."

Will Downing has been wowing sophisticated soul fans with his soothing, sensual baritone voice for two decades now. After behind the scenes work ranging from `80s club production king Arthur Baker to vocal diva Jennifer Holiday, the Brooklyn-born singer/songwriter made his solo debut in 1988 with the self-titled album, Will Downing. It was highlighted by a dance cover of John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" and Deniece Williams' "Free." These numbers set Downing up as a sensitive interpreter of classics. Covers became a staple of his CDs and eclectically include Paul Davis' "I Go Crazy," Angela Bofill's "I Try," Thom Bell & Linda Creed's "Stop, Look, Listen (To You Heart)," Janet Jackson's "Anything," Ephraim Lewis' "Drowning In Your Eyes" and Luther Vandross' arrangement of Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlett's "Superstar."

Will Downing's winning musical blend has landed him on radio stations across the R&B, smooth jazz and adult contemporary dial. His hits include "Sorry, I," "Do You Still Love Me," "Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This" (a duet with Rachelle Ferrell), "When You Need Me" (a duet with Chante' Moore), "Don't Talk To Me Like That" and "A Million Ways." His engaging live shows have made him a familiar touring presence, performing in Europe and stateside at venues ranging from nightclubs to outdoor festivals and, particularly, all-star packages. Downing has graced stages with cross-pollinating peers such as Gerald Albright, George Duke, Regina Belle, Jonathan Butler, Art Porter, Lee Ritenour and Vesta, just to name a few.

Beyond the music, Will Downing has proven himself to be an outstanding photographer. His lens work was showcased in a 2004 calendar featuring portraits of singer/musician friends. And in 2006, he self-published (through Will Downing Productions) a coffee table book titled Unveiled, filled with his work as well as that of several other African American graphic artists from Philadelphia's ArtJaz Gallery scene.

Will Downing was the official 2005 spokesperson for the American Stroke Association and continues to lend his name and efforts on its behalf. He also supports the Myositis Association.

The Herculean and purposeful approach that Will Downing undertook to complete After Tonight - for himself, his wife, three children, extended family and fans - cannot be overstated. It is a reflection of determination, faith and character comparable in contemporary soul music to the strength that the great Curtis Mayfield - who was permanently paralyzed at the end of his life - mustered to make his final album, New World Order (1996). But unlike Mayfield's, Will's condition will hopefully only be temporary.

The very source of the fortitude that Downing is leaning upon is addressed in a moving song of faith that Will composed with his wife Audrey Wheeler-Downing (who also harmonizes with her husband on the background vocals) and Noel Goring titled "God is So Amazing." Touching on what is perhaps the greatest gift that has come from his challenges with Polymyositis, Will Downing witnesses, "I've learned that God plays a bigger role in my existence than I ever realized. This was a difficult project to record, but every time I felt down - mentally or physically - I looked to Him for inspiration."

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"... something utterly timeless about Downing's approach. His new soul m.o. brings his mellifluous baritone to the listener in a silky smooth yet beat-driven tunnel of emotive reflection that goes right to the heart....."
                                                                 -AMG.com
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Soul Symphony opens with the seductive beat of “Put Me On” and winds through a range of grooves and emotions.  The first single from the album is the hit-bound slow jam, "Crazy Love”.  Other songs on the album include the emotive “A Promise,” “Make Time for Love,” a romantic ballad, and a rendition of Brian McKnight’s “What’s It Gonna Be,” from his album Superhero (Motown Records).

Downing co-wrote several of the songs featured on Soul Symphony, including the beautiful “Heart of Mine,” “Soul Steppin” with its danceable groove, and “Will Still Loves You,” a respectful dedication to hard-working women and mothers everywhere.

One of the album’s highlights is “Superstar,” a song originally made famous by The Carpenters and later closely associated with one of Downing’s idols, the incomparable Luther Vandross.  In fact, Downing brought down the house when he performed this song at the “Forever, For Always, For Luther” tribute and benefit concert held in New York at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in October 2004.

I think it’s very easy to get caught up in the commercialized version of Christmas, the Gift giving, Christmas Trees, lights, Shopping etc . . . I openly admit that I’m guilty but some of the songs recorded on this CD put things into a different perspective for me, when I started arranging  the classic songs (The First Noel, White Christmas etc…) it wasn’t about the content of the song but . . . How could I put a twist on them so that my version would be one that you remembered – which is the wrong way to look at it – you have to feel the song and understand the song before you can sing THE SONG and I of all people should know better. “The Little Drummer Boy” was the last song recorded on this project and it’s lyrical content struck a chord in me & everyone who participated on the song, we talked about how every year we kill ourselves to get the biggest and Best materialistic thing that Money could buy and then you listen to the lyric on this song that paints an image of a Little Boy Kneeling at a Manger before the New born King who has nothing but Love in his heart and a Drum then says “I have no gift but can I play for you?”  I’m not trying to sound preachy but it kinda makes you look at this Christmas thing a little differently, so please listen to this Music with your heart and enjoy!!
                                                           Will Downing

Emotions is an exclusive invitation to the secret places in the heart and creative mind of Will Downing. Soothing us once again with his rich and sensual baritone voice, the Grammy nominated soul-jazz vocalist continues to mesmerize fans with intoxicating intensity on what is probably his most personal album to date. “With Emotions, I wanted to get things off my chest,” the talented vocalist reveals. “A person listening to my music can get a clear and vivid composite of where I am in my life.”

Melodies laced with testimonies of love and ecstasy are inviting in songs like “Falling in Love” and “A Million Ways.” Downing reunites with his old sax mate Gerald Albright on a sweet rendition of the Aretha Franklin classic, “Daydreaming.” On a groovier note, “Rhythms of U & Me” will stir some excitement and lead you to the dance floor. With production by hit-makers Barry Eastmond, Chris Davis, Rex Rideout and Ronnie Foster, this 10-track set offers collaborations from some of the most talented singers and sidemen in contemporary R&B music. Continuing his evolution as both a gifted songster and talented composer Downing creates a work that is tenderly sweet and engaging.

Also visit Will Downing's site at www.willdowning.com.

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It is appropriate that the new album by Will Downing is called Sensual Journey, a phrase that suits every aural encounter with this vocalist. His first recording for the GRP label, Sensual Journey is the magical distillation of Downing's essence: romance bred with soul, married to jazz, and touched with the timelessness of classic pop, all firmly aimed at the hearts of all who listen.

"I try to look at my performance from an emotional standpoint," says Will. "Are the words that I'm saying being portrayed the right way? Is the person on the other end of the speaker, getting it, is it touching them, did it make them think? If I did that, then the mission's accomplished. And I think that on a great portion of this album I felt very comfortable about what I delivered and what I said and the way I said it, and I think that people will get it."

Sensual Journey is an enchanting collection of intimate ballads and romantic grooves from this master of soulful seduction. Produced by Downing with a host of top-notch musicians/producers from the worlds of Smooth jazz, R&B, and traditional jazz.

Greatest Love Songs compiles many of smooth vocalist Will Downing's best and most passionate songs, beginning with his self-titled album (1988) and reaching all the way to his later work with Motown, All the Man You Need (2000). This albums is a nicely balanced compilation, which highlights a few songs from each of his previous albums, including some of his R&B hits such as "Free," "I Try," and "I Go Crazy." As a bonus, this album includes brief thoughts from Will on each of the songs in the liner notes. 

MasterTones from this album are now available!  Search with your cell carrier using your phone to listen and purchase! or click here ==========================

On Pleasures Of The Night vocalist Will Downing & saxophonist Gerald Albright come together as co-leaders for the first time for their joint Verve debut. This musical dream team brings each artist to a new level, finding common ground in a winning combination of romantic ballads, timeless jazz standards, and original R&B compositions. On their first project as co-leaders, Downing and Albright accomplish one of the most difficult tasks in music - at once meeting the high expectations they have generated among their faithful fans and defying whatever categories might have been previously constructed around their art. "This is a departure for us both," Downing explains. "It's pretty much a traditional sounding record with flavorings of contemporary jazz sprinkled in so as not to exclude the audiences we've already built up over the years. It gives both of us an opportunity to stretch out more than we normally would on our own records. It's not often that you have the opportunity to do exactly what you want to do, no holds barred," Albright adds enthusiastically. "Recording this with Will was a dream come true." With its soulful musicianship and heartfelt expressiveness, Pleasures of the Night is a musical dream realized.

Will Downing sighs sexily into the microphone.  In the silence of the recording booth, he’s in a world all his own.  Savoring every last drop of the music cascading around him, he finally takes off his headset and smiles a smile best described as an extremely satisfied one.  And he has every right to be just that, having just completed the finishing touches on his latest CD, All The Man You Need.  As he high-fives his way through the recording studio, Will Downing quietly exudes the confidence of a singer extraordinaire who knows this latest project—his eighth overall and first for the Motown label—is destined to be his best received yet.  Not a small feat given his well-earned place in the upper echelon of today’s truly talented recording stars.  

The fact that Will Downing, despite the critically acclaimed CDs and the sold-out concert tours, still seeks to broaden his horizons comes as no surprise to those who work with him.  “Will is one of those special artists whose star will continually shine brighter than the day before,” says longtime friend and music cohort Rex Rideout.  The words of praise are fact, not exaggeration.  Long recognized as the “people’s champ” of smooth R&B and contemporary jazz midtempos and groove ballads, All The Man You Need deftly adds new perspectives to Will’s amazing discography without sacrificing his artistry.

“We wanted to push the envelope a bit,” he explains in his seductive baritone.  The “we” he refers to is himself and Motown president Kedar Massenburg.  The two put their heads together and crafted a disc that compromises neither side while subtly enhancing both.  “Motown had some interesting ideas and I had some things I’ve been wanting to try for a while now.  I feel really good about this disc because we achieved our mutual goals without losing the essence of who I am.”

The essence of Will Downing rests comfortably in his ability to effortlessly embrace a tender lyric and caress it with a hypnotic music bed.  Sharing production and writing chores with the likes of Rideout, Regis Branson and Kyle Bynoe, Will has fashioned songs like “Summer Day” and “Love Of My Life” in which edgy drum rhythms add a new and refreshing twist to his already impressive repertoire.  On another front, the first single, “When You Need Me,” is a soul-stirring duet with Chante Moore (produced by Stanley Brown) that has classic R&B written all over it while “Share My World” (produced by Kevin Deane) and “Tired Melody” (produced by James Poyser and featuring Nicholas Payton on trumpet) strike the perfect balance between smooth-groove R&B and Will’s contemporary jazz roots.  A must-hear rendition of the Bill Withers smash “Grandma’s Hands” rounds things out to perfection.  “It’s On,” the CD’s intriguing opening intro, is one of Will’s personal favorites on this twelve song collection because, he says proudly, “everything you hear on that track is me.  My voice.  Completely acapella.  It was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun too.” 

Fun is clearly something Will Downing has had throughout an illustrious career that began with the Brooklyn native doing background sessions in the early 1980s.  After singing on several dance hits, Will’s solo career took flight in 1988 when his self-named debut effort yielded an unforgettable version of “Free,” the song originally popularized by Deniece Williams in the ‘70s.  The second project, Come Together, included a remake Rose Royce’s “Wishing On A Star.”  It was Will’s third CD, 1991’s groundbreaking and aptly titled A Dream Fulfilled, that put him squarely on the map with his now classic versions of “I Try” and “I Go Crazy.”  

From there Will kept getting his groove on and in short order became a perennial favorite and top concert draw both at home in the U.S. and abroad in England.  In between dates at such prestigious theatres as New York’s Carnegie Hall and London’s Royal Albert Hall, Will recorded 1993’s Love’s The Place To Be, 1995’s Moods, 1997’s Invitation Only and his 1998 collaboration with saxophonist Gerald Albright, Pleasures Of The Night.  Now comes All The Man You Need, his first offering of the new century.  “Not at all,” Will laughs when asked if the title reflects the way he feels about himself.  Or, for that matter, the way his female fans feel about him.  “I think to get a true depiction of who I am you would have to listen to all my CDs, to all the songs I’ve written, and then put together the pieces of the puzzle.”

An interesting piece of the puzzle is the new CD’s cover photo.  It was shot by Downing himself.  “Photography,” he confides, “is my other passion.  I’m actually in discussions now for a book based on my photographs.  Along those lines I’ve quietly shot other people’s covers—like Rahn Lawrence--but this is my first self-portrait.  It was a way to bring together my mutual love for aural art and for visual art.  I’m proud of it.”

And well he should be.  Whether you admire Will the recording artist or Will the photographer, it’s clear that Will Downing the man is poised to forge new ground in the new millennium.  All The Man You Need is an admirable first step.