Elliott Yamin – Elliott Yamin (2007)
Elliott Yamin
Biography
Yamin was born in Los Angeles, California to an Israeli father of Iraqi Jewish descent, Shaul Yamin, and a Jewish American mother of Ashkenazi descent, Claudette Goldberg. He relocated to Richmond, Virginia with his family when he was 11 years old. His parents divorced when he was 14 and his father moved back to Los Angeles. Elliott has resided in Los Angeles since competing in the fifth season of American Idol.
Yamin first discovered his vocal talent while singing karaoke in his late teens. Although he had not been musically trained, he sang in a local jazz band and in amateur performance forums emulating Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, and Donny Hathaway. He attended Douglas S. Freeman High School in Richmond, Virginia. He dropped out of high school in his sophomore year, but later achieved a high school graduation equivalence certificate while working in one of the many jobs he held before auditioning for American Idol.
Yamin auditioned in Boston, Massachusetts singing Leon Russell’s “A Song for You“. But his audition was not aired. He was sent through by the judges and made it through to the finals of the competition.
During one weekly rehearsal, Elliott was told by guest coach Stevie Wonder that he should definitely pursue a career in music. Simon Cowell even stated that he thought Yamin was “potentially the best male vocalist” ever on American Idol and later, after Yamin’s “A Song for You” performance, he declared that it was a “vocal masterclass.” Cowell also said after Yamin’s performance of “Moody’s Mood For Love” that Yamin’s song selection might be “too cool for the room.”
Yamin was eliminated from American Idol after the tightest race; each of the three top contestants received an almost exactly equal percentage of the viewer votes necessary for advancement to the remaining two spots.
About the “Elliott Yamin” Album
Can you have neo-blue-eyed soul? Guess so. American Idol star, Elliott Yamin has a new, self-titled record. It’s pretty good, and it’s pretty soulful. If you’re an American Idol viewer, you’ll be glad that Yamin’s cover of Leon Russell’s “A Song For You” is included here. It makes sense; you dance with the one who brung ya. This song is so strong and it works on several levels. Yamin is channeling Donny Hathaway — and he covered it in the early seventies. He’s an emotional singer, and gives a heartfelt rendering, if a little vibrato laden. Paula Abdul was particularly moved by his performance of this on the show, and he brings what he had then to the record. This is right up his street, and he makes the most of it.
A similar mood is at play on the CD’s first single, “Wait For You.” The simple arpeggiated piano accompaniment sets it up, but there’s a more contemporary soul city vibe. The best part of the package is that Yamin had a hand in much of the writing. He’s not Leon Russell, but he shoots his shot.
Helping the overall effect if plenty of juice behind the record. The eclectic Derek Bramble and versatile Michael Mangini both do some producing. One of the co-written efforts that hits pretty hard is, “Movin‘ On,” that opens the collection. He has a Brit-soul thing going on here. There’s a taste of the easy vibe that made Corrine Bailey Rae hot for a minute. Whether Elliott Yamin has the weight to sustain a career is still unknown, but you have to like his nerve. The weak spot on the record is in the depth of the arrangements. It sounds a bit too much like a singer showcase. While that makes sense, Yamin needs a bit more gravitas to go with the gravel. He’s not a pretty singer, but he is soulful. The record attempts to capture the emotionality and hunger that his TV performances did, and for the most part that works out well.
Yamin has a pleasantly unschooled voice. One of the plagues of the Idol crew, is the whole beauty pageant thing that permeates it. “Find A Way” counter acts that effect some. Yamin, clearly, will have more power in intimacy and sincerity than he does as a showstopper. The whole contest bag encourages performers to give it everything they’ve got, every time. When Yamin lays back a little, he gets a better groove on.
This record is worthwhile more for its promise and potential than its reality. Elliott Yamin is a star because of his TV exposure. He’s making all the right investments to keep that light burning. His debut CD doesn’t fulfill all his promise, but it keeps the crowd interested.
– By Dave Morgan
Wait for you
Elliott Yamin album tracklists are:
01
Movin On
02
Wait For You
03
Find a Way
04
One Word
05
You Are the One
06
I’m the Man
07
Trainwreck
08
Free
09
Alright
10
Take My Breath Away
11
A Song For You
12
Believe(Bonus Track)
Buy the CD album Elliott Yamin
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May 18th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
[...] Webconferencia wrote an interesting post today on Elliott Yamin – Elliott Yamin (2007)Here’s a quick excerpt Elliott Yamin Biography Yamin was born in Los Angeles, California to an Israeli father of Iraqi Jewish descent, Shaul Yamin, and a Jewish American mother of Ashkenazi descent, Claudette Goldberg. He relocated to Richmond, Virginia with his family when he was 11 years old. His parents divorced when he was 14 and his father moved back to Los Angeles. Elliott has resided in Los Angeles since competing in the fifth season of American Idol. Yamin first discovered his vocal talent while singing [...]