WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW
written by Burt Bacharach & Hal David
A cover by Tori Holub & James Wilkas
My amazingly talented friend Tori Holub has gained much notoriety with her sweet voice, reminiscent of such great vocal artists as Karen Carpenter and Olivia Newton-John. Having already produced several Carpenters covers, I decided it was time to record a tune with Tori that could be done with her own interpretation. We did this Burt Bacharach/Hal David song that had been covered by many famous artists. Now, it's Tori's time to shine!
I chose this song not only because I knew Tori would do a terrific rendition, but also because its message is a beautiful one, much needed in today's world. I am so fortunate to have some incredible musician friends who are always willing to participate in these productions. This time around, they are all local friends from here in Connecticut. The musical credits are:
Tori Holub - Lead Vocal - MN, USA
James Wilkas - Euphonium, Piano, Keyboards, Glockenspiel, Backing Vocals - CT, USA
Tina Sampogna - Flute, Piccolo, Backing Vocals - CT, USA
Marianna Vagnini-Dadamo - Backing Vocals - CT, USA
Fran Cyr - Backing Vocals - CT, USA
Dave Daddario - Acoustic Bass - CT, USA
Tom Devino - Drums - CT, USA
I try to meticulously mix the sound to offer a quality recording rivaling that of a professional recording facility from my basement studio the best I can. I also create the accompanying video productions showcasing each of our musical contributions to the project.
Special thanks to Jason Schumacher for his help in allowing me to borrow the euphonium for this song, and the oboe for the previous one. I hope you all enjoy our efforts!
- James Wilkas 1-26-2025