Tag Archives: Natalie Cole

Van Morrison: Duets: Re-working the Catalogue

On March 13, 2015, “RCA” label released “Duets: Re-working the Catalogue”, the 35th Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded in 2014, at “Manchester Evening News Arena”, “Slieve Donard Hotel” in Newcastle, “British Grove” in Chiswick, London, “Air Lyndhurst Hall” in Hampstead, London and was produced by Van Morrison and Bob Rock.

Personnel:

  1. Van Morrison – vocals, acoustic guitar, alto saxophone
  2. Dave Keary – guitar, banjo
  3. Marcel Camargo, Ryan Lerman – guitar
  4. David Garfield, Alan Chang – piano
  5. Paul Moran – Hammond organ, piano, flugelhorn, trumpet
  6. Paul Moore, Stanley Banks, Craig Polasko – bass
  7. Jeff Lardner, Robbie Ruggiero, Khari Parker, Marion Felder – drums
  8. Abass Nii Dodoo, Mike Osborn, Lilliana de Los Reyes – percussion
  9. Jake Saslow, Rob Wilkerson – alto saxophone
  10. Christopher White – tenor and baritone saxophone, tin whistle
  11. Jacob Rodriguez – baritone saxophone
  12. Jean Caze, Jumaane Smith, Justin Ray – trumpet
  13. Alistair White – trombone, euphonium
  14. Mark Nightingale, Joshua Brown, Nick Vayenas – trombone
  15. Bobby Womack – vocals
  16. Mavis Staples – vocals
  17. George Benson – vocals
  18. Joss Stone – vocals
  19. P.J. Proby – vocals
  20. Clare Teal – vocals
  21. Gregory Porter – vocals
  22. Mick Hucknall – vocals
  23. Natalie Cole – vocals
  24. Georgie Fame – vocals
  25. Shana Morrison – vocals
  26. Steve Winwood – vocals
  27. Chris Farlowe – vocals
  28. Mark Knopfler – vocals
  29. Michael Bublé – vocals
  30. Taj Mahal – vocals

Track listing:

  1. Some Peace of Mind (with Bobby Womack)
  2. If I Ever Needed Someone (with Mavis Staples)
  3. Higher than the World (with George Benson)
  4. Wild Honey (with Joss Stone)
  5. Whatever Happened to P.J. Proby (with PJ Proby)
  6. Carrying a Torch (with Clare Teal)
  7. The Eternal Kansas City (with Gregory Porter)
  8. Streets of Arklow (with Mick Hucknall)
  9. These are the Days (with Natalie Cole)
  10. Get on with the Show (with Georgie Fame)
  11. Rough God Goes Riding (with Shana Morrison)
  12. Fire in the Belly (with Steve Winwood)
  13. Born to Sing (with Chris Farlowe)
  14. Irish Heartbeat (with Mark Knopfler)
  15. Real Real Gone (with Michael Bublé)
  16. How Can a Poor Boy? (with Taj Mahal)

Natalie Cole: Thankful

On November 16, 1977, “Capitol” label released “Thankful”, the fourth Natalie Cole album. It was recorded August – November 1977, at “ABC Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy.

Personnel:

  • Natalie Cole – lead vocals
  • Criss Johnson – guitar
  • Ray Parker Jr. – guitar
  • Lee Ritenour – guitar
  • Linda Williams – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes
  • Marvin Yancy – acoustic piano, organ, clavinet
  • Reginald “Sonny” Burke – organ
  • Michael Boddicker – synthesizers
  • Larry Ball – bass guitar
  • James Gadson – drums
  • Donnell Hagan – drums
  • Paul Humphrey – drums
  • Teddy Sparks – drums
  • Alan Estes – percussion
  • Chuck Jackson – handclaps
  • Hal Brooks – handclaps
  • Gene Barge – alto saxophone, arrangements
  • Richard Evans – arrangements
  • The Colettes – backing vocals
  • The “N” Sisters – backing vocals
  • Anita Anderson – backing vocals
  • Yasmine “Sissy” Peoples – backing vocals
  • Barney Perkins – engineer, mixing, mastering
  • Zollie Johnson, Lester Smith – engineer assistant
  • Barney Per – mixing
  • Dean Rod – assistant
  • John Golden – mastering
  • Roy Kohara – art direction
  • Craig Nelson – illustration
  • Gene Barge – co-producer
  • Larkin Arnold – executive producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy, except where noted.

  1. Lovers – Chuck Jackson, Marvin Yancy, Natalie Cole
  2. Our Love
  3. La Costa – Natalie Cole. Linda Williams
  4. There Ain’t Nothing Stronger Than Love
  5. Be Thankful
  6. Just Can’t Stay Away
  7. Annie Mae – Natalie Cole
  8. Keeping a Light – Natalie Cole

Natalie Cole: Stardust

On September 24, 1996, “Elektra” label released “Stardust”, the 15th Natalie Cole album. It was recorded June – September 1996, at “Ocean Way Recording”, “Capitol Studios”, “Conway Studios” and “LeGonks West” in Hollywood, “Record Plant” in Los Angeles, “Chartmaker Studios” in Malibu, California, “The Hit Factory” and “Sony Music Studios” in New York, “The Shire” in Bedford, New York, “Wisseloord Studios” in Hilversum, Netherlands, and was produced by George Duke, David Foster, Phil Ramone and Natalie Cole. At the 39th “Grammy Awards”, Natalie Cole won the “Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals” for the song “When I Fall in Love”, a duet with Nat King Cole. The song also won the “Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement with Accompanying Vocal(s)” for arrangers Alan Broadbent and David Foster.

Personnel:

  • Natalie Cole – lead and backing vocals, vocal and music arrangements, album concept, executive producer
  • Nat King Cole – lead vocals, Hammond B3 organ
  • John Chiodini – guitar, acoustic guitar
  • John Pizzarelli – guitar
  • Paul Jackson Jr. – electric guitar
  • Lee Ritenour – guitar
  • Terry Trotter – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, keyboards
  • Michael Lang – acoustic piano
  • Rob Mounsey – acoustic piano, keyboards, music arrangements
  • George Duke – acoustic piano, keyboards, vibraphone, music arrangements, horn arrangements, vocals arrangements
  • Bob James – keyboards, acoustic piano, music arrangements
  • Toots Thielemans – harmonica 
  • Jim Hughart – bass, music arrangements
  • Chuck Domanico – bass
  • David Finck – bass
  • Reggie Hamilton – bass
  • Chuck Berghofer – bass
  • Nathan East – bass
  • Harold Jones – drums
  • Ralph Penland – drums
  • Chris Parker – drums
  • John Guerin – drums
  • John Robinson – drums
  • Harvey Mason – drums
  • Bashiri Johnson – percussion
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion
  • Rafael Padilla – percussion
  • Dan Higgins – saxophone
  • Everette Harp – alto saxophone
  • Michael Brecker – saxophone
  • Wynton Marsalis – trumpet
  • George Bohanon – trombone
  • Jon Clarke – oboe
  • Alan Broadbent – music arrangements
  • John Clayton – music arrangements
  • David Foster – music and vocals arrangements
  • Johnny Mandel – music arrangements
  • Charles Floyd – music arrangements
  • Gordon Jenkins – original music arrangements
  • Clare Fischer – strings arrangements
  • Jerry Hey – horns arrangements
  • Janis Siegel – backing and harmony vocals
  • Al Schmitt – recording, mixing
  • Elliot Scheiner, Erik Zobler, Dave Reitzas – recording
  • Felipe Elgueta, Wayne Holmes, Henk Korff, John Patterson, Patrick Ulenberg – additional engineering
  • Jeffrey Demorris, Peter Doell, Koji Ejawa, Rob Frank, Barry Goldberg, John Hendrickson, Glenn Marchese, Eddie Miller, Charlie Paakkari, Rail Rogut, Robbes Stieglitz – engineer assistant
  • Gabrielle Raumberger – art direction
  • Emily Rich – design
  • Rocky Schenck – photography
  • Simon Ramone, Corrine Duke – production assistant
  • Shari Sutcliffe – project coordinator
  • Dick La Palm – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. There’s a Lull in My Life – Mack Gordon, Harrye Revel
  2. Stardust – Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish
  3. Let’s Face the Music and Dance – Irving Berlin
  4. Teach Me Tonight – Sammy Cahn, Gene de Paul
  5. When I Fall in Love – Edward Heyman, Victor Young
  6. What a Difference a Day Made – Stanley Adams, María Méndez Grever
  7. Love Letters – Edward Heyman, Victor Young
  8. He Was Too Good to Me – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  9. Dindi – Ray Gilbert, Antônio Carlos Jobim
  10. Two for the Blues – Neal Hefti, Jon Hendricks
  11. If Love Ain’t There – Johnny Burke
  12. To Whom It May Concern – Nat King Cole, Charlotte Hawkins
  13. Where Can I Go Without You? – Victor Young, Peggy Lee
  14. Ahmad’s Blues – Ahmad Jamal. Bobby Williams
  15. Pick Yourself Up – Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern
  16. If You Could See Me Now – Tadd Dameron, Carl Sigman
  17. Like a Lover – Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Nelson Motta
  18. This Morning It Was Summer – Bob Haynes
  19. When I Fall in Love (Spanish version) – Victor Young, Edward Heyman

Russell Malone

On August 23, 2024, Russell Malone died aged 60. He was musician (guitar), recorded and performed with Jimmy Smith, Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall, Benny Green, Ron Carter, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, Kenny Barron, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Jack McDuff, Mulgrew Miller, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Hank Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Sonny Rollins, Houston Person, David Sanborn, Mose Allison, Kenny Barron, Gary Bartz, Stefano Di Battista, David Benoit, Don Braden, Gary Burton, Regina Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, The Chieftains, Jimmy Cobb, Natalie Cole, Will Downing, Jon Faddis, Macy Gray,  Dave Grusin, Vincent Herring, Shirley Horn, Freddie Hubbard, Etta Jones, B. B. King, Gladys Knight, Jeff Lorber, Christian McBride, Bill Mobley, New York Voices, Johnny O’Neal, Kenny Rankin, Tony Reedus, Stephen Scott, Janis Siegel, Terell Stafford, Joss Stone, Billy Taylor, Steve Turre and Gerald Wilson. As leader, Malone released 15 albums.

Michael Lang

On August 5, 2022, Michael Anthony Lang died aged 80. He was musician (piano, keyboards, organ, synthesizer) and composer, recorded more than 2500 film scores, and worked with some of the biggest names of modern music such as Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Vince Gill, Milt Jackson, Lee Konitz, Diana Krall, Arturo Sandoval, Josh Groban, Frank Zappa, Lee Ritenour, Oliver Nelson, Bud Shank, Kenny Rogers, Barbra Streisand, Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Peggy Lee, Vanessa Williams, Jose Feliciano, Bette Midler, Russell Watson, Michael Bolton, Don Ellis, Robbie Williams, Paul Anka, Sarah Vaughan, Amy Grant, Willie Nelson, Natalie Cole, Dusty Springfield, Melissa Manchester, Neil Diamond, Shelly Manne and Stan Kenton.  

Jeff Porcaro

On August 5, 1992, Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro died aged 38. He was a songwriter, musician (drums), and record producer, best known as the drummer with Toto. He was one of the most south after session drummers in popular music, played on hundreds of albums and worked with numerous artists such as Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson, George Benson, Greg Lake, Seals & Crofts, Les Dudek, Joe Cocker, Steely Dan, The Jacksons, Tommy Bolin, Jackson Browne, Leo Sayer, Boz Scaggs, Carly Simon, Eric Carmen, Valerie Carter, Lisa Dal Bello, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Colin Blunstone, Larry Carlton, Allen Toussaint, Dave Mason, Warren Zevon, Ruben Blades, Bim, Jerry Williams, Al Stewart, Marc Jordan, Rickie Lee Jones, Janne Schaffer, Lowell George, Aretha Franklin, Jon Anderson, Luis Miguel, Love and Money, Patti Austin, Mariya Takeuchi, The Brothers Johnson, Peter Frampton, Bee Gees, Char, Christopher Cross, Randy Crawford, Al Jarreau, Amii Ozaki, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Eye to Eye, Donna Summer, Elton John, Melissa Manchester, Donald Fagen, Herbie Hancock, Don Henley, Michael McDonald, Lionel Richie, Paul Simon, Randy Newman, Russ Taff, Chicago, David Gilmour Joe Walsh, Eric Clapton, Peter cetera, Earth Wind & Fire, roger Hodgson, David Benoit, Dr. John, Steve Porcaro, Nik Kershaw, Poco, Clair Mario, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole, Madonna, Jude Cole, Sandy Patty, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Bolton, Cher, Dire Straits, Richard Marx, Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, B-52’s, Go West, 10CC, Roger Waters, Paul Young, and David Crosby. In 1993, Porcaro was posthumously inducted into the “Modern Drummer Hall of Fame”.

Capitol Records

Capitol Records

On June 4, 1942, “Capitol Records” was founded by Johnny Mercer, Buddy DeSylva, and Glenn Wallichs. Over the decades, the label became home to artists such as Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Bobby Darin, Glen Campbell, Steve Miller, Dr. Hook, Bob Seger, Tina Turner, Heart,  Nat King Cole, the Four Knights, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Stan Kenton, June Christy, Louis Prima, Keely Smith, the Louvin Brothers, Judy Garland, the Andrews Sisters, Harry James, Andy Griffith, Shirley Bassey, the Kingston Trio, Dean Martin, The Four Freshmen, Helen Reddy, Anne Murray, April Wine, Blondie, Bloodrock, Burning Spear, Buzzcocks, David Bowie, Kim Carnes, Rosanne Cash, Max Webster, Lee Clayton, Natalie Cole, The Goose Creek Symphony, Sammy Hagar, The Knack, Maze, Mink DeVille, Juice Newton, Raspberries, Minnie Riperton, Diana Ross, Sweet, The Specials, The Sylvers, Ten Wheel Drive, The Stranglers, Tavares, George Thorogood, Triumvirate, Little River Band, Wings, The Persuasions, Richard Marx, The Motels, Billy Squier, Crowded House, Peter Blakeley, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, The Doobie Brothers, Willie Dixon, Glass Tiger, Katrina & The Waves, Grace Jones, Lloyd Cole, Pet Shop Boys, Sawyer Brown, Queen, Roxette, Brian Setzer,The Smithereens, Spandau Ballet, The Tubes, Paul Westerberg, Butthole Surfers, Concrete Blonde, Billy Idol, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Megadeth, Exodus, W.A.S.P., Poison, Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche,  Beastie Boys, King Tee, Mantronix, Mellow Man Ace, Robbie Robertson, Dave Koz, Ashford and Simpson, Freddie Jackson, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Skinny Puppy and others.

 

Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa

NMT

On April 16, 1990, concert named “Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa” was held at Wembley Stadium, London. It was held two months after Nelson Mandela was released from prison and was broadcasted in 60 countries. The concert artist line-up included: Anita Baker, Bonnie Raitt, Chrissie Hynde, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Natalie Cole, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Simple Minds, Tracy Chapman, Stetsasonic, André A. Jackson, Aswad, Ben Elton, Caiphus Semenya, Daniel Lanois, Denzel Washington, Dudu Pukwana, Geoffrey Oreyama, George Duke, Jerry Dammers, Johnny Clegg, Jonas Gwangwa, Jungle Brothers, Lenny Henry, Letta Mbulu, Little Steven, Manhattan Brothers, Mica Paris, Neneh Cherry, Neville Brothers, Patti Labelle, Shikisha, Steven Van Zandt,Terence Trent D’Arby and Youssou N’Dour.

Nat King Cole

On February 15, 1965, Nathaniel Adams Coles alias Nat King Cole died aged 46. He was musician (piano), singer and songwriter, became widely popular for his soft, baritone voice and had more then 20 US and UK Top 40 singles. In 1956, he became the first black American to host a television variety show “The Nat King Cole Show”. Father of singer Natalie Cole.