Introduction:
Some albums become classics the moment they are released. Others spend years waiting for the world to discover them. For Johnny Mathis, one of the most remarkable examples was The Island — a beautiful collection of Brazilian-inspired songs recorded in 1989 but left unreleased in its entirety for nearly three decades.
It was an unexpected musical journey for a singer whose name had long been associated with timeless romantic ballads. Working with Brazilian music legend Sérgio Mendes, Mathis explored the gentle rhythms of bossa nova and samba, creating a sound that was both sophisticated and refreshingly different from his familiar recordings.
The sessions also brought together an impressive group of musicians. Guitarist and arranger Dori Caymmi helped shape the album’s Brazilian character, while percussionist Paulinho da Costa, keyboardist Robbie Buchanan, bassist Jimmy Johnson and Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro contributed to its warm, polished arrangements. Rather than overwhelming Mathis’s voice, the instrumentation gave it room to breathe.
Across ten tracks, the singer embraced melodies influenced by some of Brazil’s most celebrated songwriters. The title track, “The Island,” established the album’s dreamy atmosphere, while “Like a Lover” and “So Many Stars” offered elegant interpretations of songs closely associated with the Brazilian music tradition.
One of the collection’s most special moments was “Who’s Counting Heartaches,” a duet with Dionne Warwick. The longtime friends brought their distinctive voices together in a performance that blended tenderness with understated sophistication. Their musical connection added another layer of intimacy to an already personal project.
Yet despite the talent involved and the quality of the recordings, The Island never received a full release when it was completed. The reasons behind its long delay have not been clearly established in the available release documentation. For years, the album remained an intriguing missing chapter in Mathis’s extensive recording career.
That changed in December 2017, when the complete album finally appeared as part of The Voice of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection, a career-spanning box set celebrating his Columbia recordings. For devoted fans and collectors, it was an opportunity to discover a project that had remained largely out of reach since its creation.
The story did not end there. On February 14, 2020, The Island received its first standalone CD release through Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music. The edition featured remastered audio, new liner notes based on interviews with Mathis and Warwick, and photographs that helped bring the album’s original artistic vision back to life.
Nearly 31 years after its recording, the music could finally be appreciated as a complete work by listeners beyond the collectors who owned the box set.
Today, The Island stands as a fascinating reminder of Johnny Mathis’s willingness to explore new musical territory. It captures a softer, more adventurous side of his artistry, guided by the unmistakable influence of Brazil.
Some recordings are forgotten because they were never meant to last. Others simply wait for the right moment. For The Island, that moment finally arrived — and its music proved worth the wait.