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Joe Bourne: Remembering Mr. Cole
Tribute albums often seem like an act of masochism. Inevitably, the reconceived performances will compare unfavorably to the revered classics. This divide between old and refurbished becomes even more apparent in an age such as ours when the products of the past are fetishized with frequent reissues of the original article. Back when works by older folk and blues artists were difficult to find, covers by the likes of John Hammond Jr. served an educational purpose in addition to fulfilling an artistic impulse.
Today, Nat King Cole is such an ubiquitous figure that the educational or promotional value of an album like Remembering Mr. Cole is virtually nil. In addition, it is surely no slight to observe that Bourne cannot match the warmly burnished beauty of Cole's voice (who can?).
Remembering Mr. Cole is, almost by definition, a pleasant album. However, the ease with which a listener can hear the Cole versions of most of these songs raises questions about the album's necessity. Joe Bourne is an appealing talent and it would be interesting to hear his take on material that has been defined less authoritatively than the tunes on this set.
Track Listing
This is My Night to Dream; The Best Man; Besame Mucho; You're Looking at Me; Frim Fram Sauce; Satchel Mouth Baby; Slow Down; Sunny Side of the Street; 'Tis Autumn; Little Girl; When I Fall in Love; Walkin' My Baby Back Home; Sweet Lorraine; Orange Colored Sky; Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby; For All We Know.
Personnel
Joe Bourne
vocalsJoe Bourne- vocals; Gary Moran- piano; Scott Black- bass; Ed DeLucia- guitar.
Album information
Title: Remembering Mr. Cole | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: JONAJA Records