Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Joe Bourne: Remembering Mr. Cole

136

Joe Bourne: Remembering Mr. Cole

By

Sign in to view read count
Joe Bourne: Remembering Mr. Cole
Remembering Mr. Cole is an easy stroll through 16 Nat King Cole-associated numbers by silky-smooth vocalist Joe Bourne, backed by the Gary Moran Trio. Not surprisingly, there is little of the shock of the new here, but the Moran Trio is more than adept at light and airy swing, while Bourne sings with warmth and enthusiasm.

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
vocals

Joe Bourne- vocals; Gary Moran- piano; Scott Black- bass; Ed DeLucia- guitar.

Album information

Title: Remembering Mr. Cole | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: JONAJA Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.