Dallas Austin and Stevie
 

Anyone know if there is anything from these sessions? Not even sure if they recorded together, but I know it was talked about pre TSL.

I believe he worked on "Bombay Sapphires," but Stevie wasn't pleased with how it was turning out, so she did it herself.

I don't think the Austin versions have ever surfaced.

I heard that the first ("alternative") Bombay Sapphires was produced during the Dallas Austin sessions. I like that version a lot.

I didn't think they did, somehow can't picture stevie with a hip hop beat :]

wow, I just youtubed that version, never heard it b4. Love it!!

Is this the version you're talking about?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHemfyjSVAs

Yes. I believe that to be a Dallas Austin outtake. And I actually totally dig the atmosphere and especially the extra verse.

My feelings exactly.

I prefer that version more than the Album.

This too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdjROqjEN8g

Ditto. It's more heartfelt, more Stevie. Love that bewitching smoky voice. I'm referring to the link by Musicman.

Ever since Entertainment Weekly announced that Stevie was in Atlanta in May 1999 to work with Dallas Austin, there has been speculation. Once I got the "Bombay Sapphires" outtake from the original 16~track Trouble In Shangri~la, I tried to see if I heard hallmarks of his music, what little I knew from his work on Madonna's "Secret".

It sounds like a Stevie Nicks song. Not that different than the demo, not that different from the album version with Macy Gray. What makes the sonic experts so positive that he produced this outtake? Enlighten me with specifics.

Oh, I can't say definitively at all. It's just the atmosphere and mixing of that outtake of Bombay Sapphires reminds me very much of Madonna's Bedtime Stories album, which Dallas Austin was involved in. Dallas has worked with artists all across the spectrum of musical styles. He doesn't leave a hip hop/rap/r&b stamp on everything he does. He's much broader and more varied than that. I have no idea if the Bombay Sapphires Ethan posted a link to can be traced to Dallas, but I wouldn't discount it either. :)

I hear Jay Z is going to be doing a guest rap on the remix for Secret Love.......


:]

Again, exactly what I thought. Bedtime Stories has a slower paced, dreamy feel, not unlike what I hear in this song. Although I don't think it was mastered or remixed since it sounds raw, it's interesting how the arrangement is very different from the other demo and the final album version. No, I wouldn't discount it as a Dallas Austin production at all. I wonder if anyone could Twitter DA to get the scoop? Like Stevie, I don't Tweet!

I think dallas' hallmark is all the intricate "little" sounds happening in the music. It's very fast paced compared to the rest of the layers of the song. It reminds me of TLC's unpretty. Which Stevie said had prompted her to try and recruit him to produce TISL.

I honestly think he could have done a much better job with TISL than Sheryl did... Musicians should not just start producing. Leave that to the producers. Thats what they're there for.

Stevie and R&B producer?
 

I thought I had read that Stevie had worked with R&B producer Dallas Austin, who has worked with TLC, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Pink, etc.

She had recorded several tracks with him for Trouble In Shangri-La, but decided against releasing any of them in the end.

I would love to hear some of these R&B demos/tracks. Does anyone know anything about this or if any songs ever surfaced?

No one knows anything. Whatever songs they recorded together is not known by any of the fans.

Stevie liked TLC's Unpretty, which was produced by Dallas. That was the reason she chose to work with him, if I recall.

Fans speculate it's that outtake of Bombay Sapphires. I think it's a safe bet because it is heavy on bass and one of the first things you'll notice about this outtake. My guess is that Stevie didn't like the bass at all and the effect added on her voice.