Ann Hampton Callaway - Signature

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:27
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:27) 1. Tenderly
(3:36) 2. You Turned the Tables On Me
(3:47) 3. Route 66
(3:05) 4. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
(4:09) 5. The Best Is Yet To Come
(5:06) 6. For All We Know
(3:49) 7. Mr. Paganini
(4:17) 8. In The Wee Small Hours Of Morning
(4:16) 9. Is That All There Is?
(3:25) 10. Twisted
(6:16) 11. Good Morning Heartache
(4:08) 12. Pick Yourself Up

With each release, cabaret singer, Broadway performer and apparently soon to become TV star with her own show on PPBS, Ann Hampton Callaway amazes with her versatility. Becoming even more adventurous than ever on this latest release with a play list that brims with interesting and varied material, from the Vocalese gem, "Twisted", made famous by Annie Ross, to the Louis Armstrong favorite "A Kiss to Build a Dream on" with lots of good stuff in between. On top of that, Callaway has managed to garner some of the top musicians around including Wynton Marsalis, Rodney Jones, Kenny Barron, Frank Wess and Lewis Nash. They provide the instrumental underpinning for the singer as she recognizes the great ones who have gone before. It turns out that one of the more poignant, and unintentionally melancholy, tributes the is the one to the irreplaceable Peggy Lee who died after this album was recorded. Callaway does Lee's "Is That all There Is?" and includes the narrative recitation that Lee used.

There's some fine Dan Block clarinet on this cut. Other singers whom Callaway celebrates include Billie Holiday ("Good Morning Heartache"), Sarah Vaughan ("Tenderly") and Ray Charles and Betty Carter ("For All We Know"). Freddie Cole shows up to duet with Callaway on this tune. Marsalis does an especially ardent solo on "Good Morning Heartache" as does Frank Wess on "Tenderly", while Kenny Barron's piano lay down a soft, supple cushion for Callaway on virtually all the cuts. It's important to recognize that while this is a tribute album, Callaway doesn't simply duplicate what these singers who helped make the music famous. She stamps her own imprimatur on each of them. So you have the best of two worlds. Music made famous by great artists sung by another of similar caliber backed by some of the best musicians in the business. Signature is one of the first really outstanding vocal albums for 2002 and is easily recommended. Visit Ann's web home at www.annhamptoncallaway.com.~ Dave Nathan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/signature-ann-hampton-callaway-n-coded-music-review-by-dave-nathan.php?width=1920

Personnel: Ann Hampton Callaway, New York Voices*, Freddy Cole** - Vocal; Kenny Barron - Piano; Rodney Jones - Guitar; Wynton Marsalis - Trumpet; Frank Wess - Alto Sax; Dan Block - Clarinet; Ben Wolfe - Bass; Lewis Nash, Neil Smith - Drums

Signature

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Freddy Cole - Waiter, Ask the Man to Play the Blues

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz 
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:13
Size: 75,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:17)  1. Waiter, Ask The Man To Play The Blues
(2:36)  2. Black Night
(2:36)  3. Rain Is Such A Lonesome Sound
(2:39)  4. Bye Bye Baby
(3:24)  5. Just A Dream
(2:16)  6. Muddy Water Blues
(2:40)  7. Black Coffee
(2:29)  8. The Joke Is On Me
(2:45)  9. I Wonder
(2:22) 10. This Life I'm Living
(3:42) 11. Blues Before Sunrise
(2:23) 12. I'm All Alone

Originally released either in 1956, according to Freddy Cole's official website, or 1964, per the reissue's information, Waiter Ask The Man to Play the Blues: Freddie Cole Sings & Plays Some Lonely Ballads isn't as the title might tempt one to think an exercise in despondent blues and wrist slashing. Actually, it has plenty of tight, low, sizzling bluesy swing. Cab Calloway alumni Milt Hinton and Sam "The Man Taylor (the latter being the instrumental star of the session) are the most notable musicians in the quintet. Cole sings and plays the piano in fine form, Osie Johnson offers smartly played drumming, and Barry Galbraith and Wally Richardson split the guitar duties. The New York recording is a product of its time, with assured long-lasting worth nonetheless. All of the cuts are short and to the point. They do, however, generate interest and radiate musicality. "Muddy Water Blues is a cool, yet engaging percussive piece with a characteristic blues march. Taylor seems eager to jump in until he does exactly that about halfway through with energetic aplomb and swing. This one is a jumping jive that would make an audience clap with abandon. On "I Wonder, Cole sweetens the pot with his tasteful piano playing on a mellow blues, Hinton lays back ever so strong, Taylor seduces with his classic jazzy saxophone tone, and Johnson eats this romantic cooker up. "Black Night and "Rain is Such A Lonesome Sound are similar in scope, extension, and sonic character. On both of these numbers, particularly the second, you'll find yourself marking time with your feet or snapping your fingers to the steady beat. This release is a superb example of urban settled and cosmopolitan blues arousing affection through sheer straightforwardness even when as expected of the blues many of the lyrics are thematically inclined to the loneliest travails of love and life. ~ Javier Aq Ortiz https://www.allaboutjazz.com/waiter-ask-the-man-to-play-the-blues-freddy-cole-verve-music-group-review-by-javier-aq-ortiz.php

Personnel: Piano & vocal: Freddy Cole. Tenor sax: Sam "The Man" Taylor.Bass: Milt Hinton. Drums: Osie Johnson. Guitar: Barry Galbraith & Wally Richardson.

Waiter, Ask the Man to Play the Blues

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Freddy Cole - My Mood Is You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:02
Size: 119.1 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[5:43] 1. My Mood Is You
[4:52] 2. Temptation
[5:37] 3. Almost In Love
[5:42] 4. I’ll Always Leave The Door A Little Open
[6:19] 5. First Began
[4:32] 6. They Didn’t Believe Me
[6:29] 7. My Heart Tells Me
[5:10] 8. The Lonely One
[4:16] 9. Love Like This Can’t Last
[3:18] 10. Marie

Freddy Cole, vocals; John di Martino, piano; Joel Frahm, soprano & tenor saxophones; Randy Napoleon, guitar; Elias Bailey, bass; Quentin Baxter, drums.

Very few artists stay at the top of their game for their entire career. However, Freddy Cole’s velvet unhurried singing style remains every bit as cool and hip as it was when his first record was released in 1964. Pianist John di Martino, bassist Elias Bailey, guitarist Randy Napoleon and drummer Quentin Baxter, are trusted associates of Cole who respond to his inimitable sense of swing with now intuitive assurance. Guest saxophonist Joel Frahm displays a sympathetic style that puts him in league with such earlier illustrious Cole saxophone allies as Houston Person and David “Fathead” Newman. Time has been kind to Freddy Cole, who is currently singing with the vitality and zest of a man half his age. His seasoned voice is as affecting as ever, his understanding of a song's expressive anatomy never more incisive. His unimpeachable artistry, rather than longevity, is what positions him as today's vocal jazz master.

My Mood Is You mc
My Mood Is You zippy

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Grover Washington Jr. - All My Tomorrows

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:27
Size: 172,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:57)  1. É Preciso Perdoar
(6:19)  2. When I Fall In Love
(6:58)  3. I'm Glad There Is You
(4:56)  4. Happenstance
(6:18)  5. All My Tomorrows
(8:11)  6. Nature Boy
(4:03)  7. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(7:32)  8. Overjoyed
(5:01)  9. Flamingo
(7:15) 10. For Heaven's Sake
(8:55) 11. Estate ('Ess-Tah-Tay') (In Summer)

Eddie Henderson's lovely flugelhorn colors the opening track, "E Preciso Perdoar (One Must Forgive)," setting the mood for a very mellow set. Washington, accompanied by six pieces, plays the standards straighter than Johnny Mathis sings them; everything is ratcheted down '40s-ish/'50s-ish cozy nightclub style. Freddy Cole resembles his brother, Nat King Cole, on "Overjoyed," while "Happenstance" showcases Henderson's absolute trumpeting skills. But if you expected to exercise your fingers with a few impromptu snaps, these tracks won't take you there. 

Washington's Winelight album, one of his best, was laid-back also but Washington's M.O. was stamped all over it; here you need credits and liner notes for verification, and only the opening tune emits any sparks. An attempt to silence the die-hard jazz critics who considered him a lightweight, but a disappointment for his Mister Magic fans. ~ Andrew Hamilton http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-my-tomorrows-mw0000119244

Personnel: Grover Washington, Jr.(soprano, alto & tenor saxophones); Jeanie Bryson, Freddy Cole (vocals); Bobby Watson (alto saxophone); Bobby LaVell (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Cozier (baritone saxophone); Eddie Henderson, Earl Gardner (trumpet, flugelhorn); Robin Eubanks (trombone); Freddy Cole, Hank Jones (piano); Romero Lubambo (guitar); George Mraz (bass); Billy Hart, Lewis Nash (drums); Steve Berrios (percussion).

All My Tomorrows

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Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra - Joyful Jazz (Feat. Freddy Cole)

Size: 161,5 MB
Time: 69:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Beyond Jazz, Xmas
Label: MCG Jazz
Art: Front

01. Jingle Bells (5:05)
02. Jingles, The Christmas Cat (Feat. Freddy Cole) (3:49)
03. Carol Of The Bells (6:04)
04. Blue Christmas (7:15)
05. A Cradle In Bethlehem (Feat. Freddy Cole) (6:19)
06. Do You Hear What I Hear (3:58)
07. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (4:55)
08. White Christmas (In The Sahara) (Feat. Freddy Cole) (6:34)
09. Merry Christmas, John Coltrane (4:03)
10. Snowfall (5:21)
11. Sleigh Ride (4:56)
12. The Christmas Song (3:58)
13. Joy To The World (6:59)

One way in which to launch an appraisal of this outstanding seasonal album, the first ever by the world-class Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, is to check out its candid—and uncommonly accurate—title. Joyful? Most definitely. Jazz? Without a doubt. For five years, the orchestra's annual holiday celebration has been a welcome tradition for families in the greater Pittsburgh area; now, the ensemble has decided to spread the good cheer to a wider audience by re-creating its exhilarating brand of Joyful Jazz in a recording studio.

When planning an album like this (or any album, for that matter), it certainly helps to have co-music directors of the caliber of trumpeter Sean Jones and saxophonist Mike Tomaro who are not only tasteful moderators but extraordinary musicians to boot. Jones opens and closes the album with gusto, gently caressing the melody before unfolding high-energy solos on Tomaro's buoyant arrangements of "Jingle Bells" and "Joy to the World" (the latter tossing in a Dixie-style coda for good measure). Tomaro scored everything else save the "colorful" themes "Blue Christmas" and "White Christmas" (arranged, respectively, by trombonists Jeff Bush and Jay Ashby). Guest Freddy Cole sings on "White Christmas," as he does on "A Cradle in Bethlehem" and "Jingles, the Christmas Cat" (an agreeable tune but not nearly as charming as the holiday evergreens it aspires to emulate, "Frosty the Snowman" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"). At age eighty-four, Cole has more limited vocal assets than in his prime but compensates with personality and savoir-faire. Another seasonal favorite, "The Christmas Song," is marvelously sung by Pittsburgh favorite Maureen Budway who, sadly, succumbed to cancer at age fifty-one not long after the album was recorded.

In addition to those already noted, Tomaro's invariably handsome charts include "Carol of the Bells," "Do You Hear What I Hear?," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Snowfall," "Sleigh Ride" and "Merry Christmas, John Coltrane" (interweaving elements of "Deck the Halls" with Coltrane's "Giant Steps" and encompassing heated solos by Jones and tenor Eric DeFade). "Do You Hear," deftly introduced by drummer Thomas Wendt, is especially seductive; on the other hand, so are the radiant "Carol of the Bells" and "Most Wonderful Time." Tomaro's soprano sax helps enliven that one, as it does "Sleigh Ride," and he adds a crisp alto solo on "The Christmas Song." Masterful as they are, however, Jones and Tomaro are by no means the whole show, as trombonists Bush and Ashby, trumpeter Kenny Rittenhouse, flugel James Moore, guitarist Marty Ashby, bassist Paul Thompson and pianist Alton Merrell complement their artistry with impressive statements along the way.

If you're keen to spruce up the holiday season with appetizing big-band fare, you couldn't do better than inviting the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra into your living room for a bounteous serving of Joyful Jazz. ~by Jack Bowers

Personnel: Sean Jones: co-conductor, co-artistic director, trumpet, flugelhorn; Mike Tomaro: co-conductor, co-artistic director, soprano, alto sax, flute, clarinet; Steve Hawk: trumpet, flugelhorn; James Moore: trumpet, flugelhorn; Kenny Rittenhouse: trumpet, flugelhorn; Curtis Johnson: alto sax, flute; Eric DeFade: tenor sax, flute, clarinet; Kenny Powell: tenor sax, clarinet; Brad Wagner: baritone sax (1-3, 9, 11, 12); James Germann: baritone sax, bass clarinet (4-8, 10, 13); Jeff Bush: trombone; Keith Jackson: trombone; Jay Ashby: trombone, percussion; Chris Carlson: bass trombone (1-3, 9, 11, 12); Glenn Wayland: bass trombone (4-8, 10, 13); Marty Ashby: classical and electric guitar; Alton Merrell: piano, keyboards; Paul Thompson: acoustic, electric bass; Thomas Wendt: drums; Lucas Ashby: percussion (3); Maureen Budway: vocal (12). Special guest – Freddy Cole: vocals (2, 5, 8).

Joyful Jazz

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Hilary Kole - You Are There

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:40
Size: 139,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. If I Had You (with Hank Jones)
(5:03) 2. Every Time We Say Goodbye (with Cedar Walton)
(4:53)  3. It's Always You (with Freddy Cole)
(6:58)  4. Lush Life (with Kenny Barron)
(4:11)  5. These Foolish Things (with Dave Brubeck)
(4:15)  6. I Remember (with Mike Renzi)
(4:32)  7. How Do You Keep the Music Playing (with Michel Legrand)
(4:37)  8. But Beautiful (with Hank Jones)
(4:12)  9. Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise (with Benny Green)
(4:18) 10. Strange Meadowlark (with Dave Brubeck)
(4:16) 11. You Are There (with Alan Broadbent)
(4:24) 12. Two for the Road (with Steve Kuhn)
(5:01) 13. All the Way (with Monty Alexander)

Vocalist Hilary Kole is more than a mere interpreter of songs. Like the great singers who came before her, Kole is a master storyteller who merges cabaret sensibilities, jazz vocal craft and a slight hint of folk charm into one appealing package. She possesses a voice that could fit naturally on a Broadway stage or in a swanky jazz club, and she puts it to good use on this all-standards affair. Kole sticks to the softer side of the jazz canon, interpreting thirteen ballad gems with eleven different pianists of note. Had she only been able to get one of these master craftsmen like Hank Jones or Dave Brubeck the project would likely have drawn interest from the jazz listening public, but with a roster of ivory ticklers that's as deep as the ocean, she ups the interest quotient considerably.

Each pianist merges with Kole in a different, wondrous way, bringing a little bit of themselves into the songs. Hank Jones largely takes a back seat to Kole, befitting a pianist who spent many a year supporting singers, but his playing on "But Beautiful" is all class and charm. Kole brings an overwrought sense of drama to Michel Legrand's "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?," as the composer also magnifies the intense emotional outpouring on piano. Mike Renzi provides rippling tides of sound on "I Remember," and Kole's vocals are as lovely as a clear blue sky.

While the aforementioned differences from track to track might not pop up on everybody's radar, there are other things to help make certain songs stick out. Freddy Cole adds his vocals to the mix on "It's Always You," while Benny Green brings more of himself into his performance, perhaps, than anyone else, with some bluesy licks and a bit of honky tonk machismo taking "Softly, As A Morning Sunrise" to a different place. Kenny Barron's superb playing ups the ante on "Lush Life," and Kole proves up to the challenge, delivering a jewel of a performance. 

When Barron solos, he takes the music in a different direction, with his staccato left hand playing against his running right. Other highlights include Alan Broadbent's masterful shaping of the title track, and Kole's two meetings with Brubeck. If people are truly measured by the company they keep, then Kole deserves all the accolades in the world for You Are There; fortunately, she does just as well when measured on her own merits throughout this captivating set. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/you-are-there-hilary-kole-justin-time-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Hilary Kole: vocals; Hank Jones: piano (1, 8); Cedar Walton: piano (2); Kenny Barron: piano (4); Dave Brubeck: piano (5, 10); Alan Broadbent: piano (11); Freddy Cole: vocals and piano (3); Benny Green: piano (9); Steve Kuhn: piano (12); Michel Legrand: piano (7); Mike Renzi: piano (6); Monty Alexander: piano (13).

You Are There

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Freddy Cole - Merry-Go-Round

Size: 130,7 MB
Time: 56:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Watching You, Watching Me (6:45)
02. It's Impossible (4:49)
03. Merry-Go-Round (5:49)
04. I Remember You (5:10)
05. Forgive My Heart (4:07)
06. Through A Long And Sleepless Night (4:14)
07. If You Went Away (5:34)
08. Take A Little Time To Smile (4:09)
09. I Realize Now I Miss You So (5:46)
10. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (4:09)
11. You're Sensational (5:31)

Personnel:
Alto Saxophone, Flute – Lou Marini
Baritone Saxophone – Gary Smulyan
Bass – George Mraz, Herman Burney (tracks: 4, 5, 8, 9, 11)
Drums – Curtis Boyd
Guitar – Jerry Byrd (2)
Piano – Cedar Walton (tracks: 1 to 4, 6, 7, 10)
Piano, Vocals – Freddy Cole
Tenor Saxophone – Eric Alexander
Trombone – Steve Davis (7)
Trumpet – Lew Soloff

Freddy Cole is a songwriter's dream, able to impart his own distinct personality to a song while remaining faithful to its lyric and melody. He surrounds a song with the warm presence of his voice, but within that breathy glow, he's capable of the subtlest inflection, from irony to wary satisfaction and the most wistful sense of loss. He's also able to swing masterfully at medium tempos, as he does on "I Remember You" and the relaxed rendition of "It's Impossible." While Cole can stamp his own identity on a familiar tune, he can also bring out the best in an unexpected song. "Merry-Go-Round," by the team of Bobby Scott and Herb Martin, stands out here, as does a medley of lesser-known songs recorded by Cole's brother Nat, "I Realize Now" and "I Miss You So." The settings are always apt, whether it's Cole's own piano and rhythm section contributing to the intimacy of "Forgive My Heart" and the ebullient swing of Cole Porter's "You're Sensational," or Cole's ceding the piano chair to Cedar Walton, adding a horn section, and sharing several songs with distinguished soloists. Trombonist Steve Davis adds a crisp solo to "Watching You, Watching Me," a Bill Withers song that readily adapts itself to the light-bop groove, and tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander complements Cole's voice with some thoughtful fills on "It's Impossible." Stuart Broomer

Merry-Go-Round

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Freddy Cole - The Cole Nobody Knows

Size: 80,3 MB
Time: 34:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1977/2010
Styles: Jazz/Soul Vocals
Art: Front

01. Correct Me If I'm Wrong (4:34)
02. Moving On Place In The Sun (3:50)
03. Wild Is Love (2:53)
04. A Man Shouldn't Be Lonely (3:02)
05. Brother Where Are You (4:54)
06. Miss Otis Regrets (3:48)
07. Live For Life (3:21)
08. He'll Have To Go (3:22)
09. Medley: I Keep Going Back To Joe's/Waiter Ask The Man To Play The Blues (4:52)

The younger brother of Nat King Cole and uncle of Natalie Cole, singer/pianist Freddy Cole sounds a great deal like his celebrated sibling, yet has a personality of his own. Cole, whose vocals tend to be a bit darker and slightly rougher, began playing piano at five or six. He was interested in playing football professionally, but decided to pursue a career in music after a hand injury ended his career as an athlete. He debuted on vinyl in 1952 when he recorded the single "The Joke's on Me" for the obscure Chicago-based Topper Records. His next single, "Whispering Grass," on Columbia's OKeh label, was a moderate hit in 1953. In the '60s and '70s, he developed a small following recording for various small labels. Cole founded his First Shot label in the '80s and went on to record for Sunnyside and LaserLight in the early '90s. A few years later, he signed with Fantasy and enjoyed greater visibility with Grand Freddy. By 2000, Cole had signed with Telarc and released his first disc for the label, Merry-Go-Round, followed by Rio de Janeiro Blue in 2001. In the Name of Love appeared two years later featuring Cole's approach to soft pop hits made famous by Smokey Robinson, Bonnie Raitt, and Van Morrison, among others. In 2004, GRP reissued Cole's 1964 recording Waiter, Ask the Man to Play the Blues. It was followed in 2005 by This Love of Mine, in 2006 by Because of You, and in 2010, by Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B, all on the Highnote label. In 2011, Cole released Talk to Me featuring guitarist Randy Napoleon, saxophonist Harry Allen, trumpeter Terell Stafford, and others. ~by Alex Henderson

The Cole Nobody Knows

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Freddy Cole - Singing The Blues

Size: 105,3 MB
Time: 44:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Label: High Note
Art: Front

01. Muddy Water Blues (3:24)
02. This Time I'm Gone For Good (4:59)
03. Another Way To Feel (4:05)
04. Goin' Down Slow (2:53)
05. Meet Me At No Special Place (4:55)
06. All We Need Is A Place (4:10)
07. My Mother Told Me (3:46)
08. Singing The Blues (3:51)
09. The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men (5:15)
10. Pretending (3:37)
11. An Old Piano Plays The Blues (3:57)

Journeyman jazz vocalist/pianist Freddy Cole digs deep into a burnished, bluesy vibe on 2014's Singing the Blues. The album follows up his similarly engaging 2013 effort This and That, and also brings to mind the 2010 Grammy-nominated Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B. Backing Cole this time out is a superb ensemble of musicians including pianist John di Martino, drummer Curtis Boyd, bassist Elias Bailey, and guitarist Randy Napoleon. This is urbane yet earthy vocal jazz performed by a true master of the genre. ~Review by Matt Collar

Singing The Blues

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Freddy Cole - Love Makes the Changes

Styles: Vocal, Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:39
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Love Makes the Changes
(5:59)  2. On My Way to You
(5:31)  3. Wonder Why
(5:42)  4. The Right to Love
(6:19)  5. Alone With My Thoughts of You
(4:36)  6. A Sinner Kissed An Angel
(5:42)  7. Brother, Where Are You?
(4:01)  8. Do You Know Why?
(6:09)  9. Just the Way You Are
(6:02) 10. Like a Quiet Storm

When jazz vocalist Freddy Cole sings, it's with a built-in groove that's unshakeable, with warm, honeyed tones that wrap the lyrics in velvet and set them down firmly in the pocket. Cole has one great little album here; if you thought it was impossible to produce a modern-day jazz vocal album that's not infused with endless oodles-of-noodles riffing that shows you nothing except the ability of the vocalist to sing everything but the melody, be prepared for greatness. With a small combo led by pianist Cedar Walton and tenor saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., Cole has a backdrop that never gets in the way of his magic nor does anything that doesn't help the song. Timber-wise, he owes a lot of his phrasing to his older brother, Nat "King" Cole, and Francis Albert Sinatra, but Freddy ultimately remains his own man and that's what makes this album such a success. Ten or 12 stars, at least. ~ Cub Koda   http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-makes-the-changes-mw0000038669

Personnel: Freddy Cole (vocals, piano); Grover Washington, Jr. (soprano & tenor saxophones); Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone); Cedar Walton (piano); Hiram Bullock (guitar); George Mraz, Will Lee, David Williams (bass); Ben Riley, Kenny Washington (drums).

Love Makes the Changes

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Freddy Cole - Rio De Janeiro Blue

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:41
Size: 122.3 MB
Label: Telarc
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Rio De Janeiro Blue
[5:09] 2. I Concentrate On You
[4:15] 3. Delirio
[5:00] 4. Invitation
[5:23] 5. Words Can't Describe
[3:30] 6. Wild Is Love
[5:50] 7. Yellow Days
[3:04] 8. Sem Voce
[4:28] 9. Something Happens To Me
[5:03] 10. There, I've Said It Again
[6:23] 11. To Say Goodbye

Freddy Cole's second Telarc release features him in a variety of jazz and Latin settings, with a stellar cast of musicians -- most notably pianist/arranger Arturo O'Farrill. Cole plays very capable piano on five of the 11 tracks and arranges six of them. Gravel-voiced and relentlessly laid-back, the younger brother of Nat "King" Cole is true to form on this romantic collection of songs, most of which aren't too well known, with the exception of "Invitation" and "I Concentrate on You." The nicest surprise comes on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Sem Voce," which Cole sings in the original Portuguese; Joe Beck plays the changes on alto guitar and solos beautifully on acoustic. Cole's regular band, with guitarist Jerry Byrd, bassist Herman Burney, and drummer Curtis Boyd, splits the program with a larger Latin ensemble that includes the likes of O'Farrill, "Papo" Vazquez on trombone, Lou Marini on sax and flute, and Steve Berrios on drums and Latin percussion. Even though Cole's voice is not "pretty" in a conventional sense, this definitely works as turn-the-lights-down-low music. O'Farrill's choice of Fender Rhodes electric piano on the first and last tracks is an inspired touch. ~ David R. Adler

Recorded at Sear Sound Studios, New York, New York from September 19-21, 2000. Includes liner notes by Bob Blumenthal.

Freddy Cole (vocals, piano); Joe Beck (guitar, acoustic guitar); Lou Marini (flute, tenor saxophone); Michael Mossman (trumpet, flugelhorn); Angel Vazquez (trombone); Rubén Rodríguez (electric bass); Steve Berrios (drums, congas, shaker, surdo, bells); Curtis Boyd (drums).

Rio De Janeiro Blue

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