A whole bunch of record companies rejected his demo. In a last act of despair Gino Vannelli more or less forced trumpeter and A&M record company executive Herb Alpert to listen to him at the entrance of the company building. Alpert saw potential in Vannelli's voice and music, and the rest is history. Of course there are the somewhat saccharine hit ballads like It Hurts to Be in Love and Wild Horses, but above all don't forget the famous albums of the 70's, Powerful People ('74) and Brother to Brother ('78), which are highly respected by serious pop fans and musicians. The Canadian singer with the incredible voice is back in the spotlight and not just because of the popularity of his song People Gotta Move in a Dutch TV commercial. His accomplishments in the field of jazz and classical music did not go unnoticed. Today the singer resides in The Netherlands and he has a special, productive collaboration with pianist, composer and bandleader Michiel Borstlap. This versatile musician, once winner of the prestigious American Thelonious Monk Award, has mastered many styles. Jazz and fusion with his bands, and pop music with singers such as Trijntje Oosterhuis and Edsilia Rombley, and there are also his operas and classical recitals; in the end Borstlap always delivers quality. This year he will record a CD with Vannelli and he's also busy writing film music.
