Customer Reviews

Stardust

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you love great old songs (including obscure, should-have-been-standards-that-somehow-got-overlooked) then you will love this album -- which is "five star" in every respect.

And if great albums, deserve great liner notes, then Nat King Cole's best friend Dick La Palm (who Natalie recalls "has known me since I was born") deserves to have won the "Grammy," (if there were such a category, when this album was released).

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"Tell me a story" Dick La Palm quotes Lester Young as saying --- by way of advice to up-and-coming jazz musicians: Meaning, `Give me more than just the notes.' If the sax giant were still around today to hear Natalie Cole's delivery of Rodgers & Hart's "He Was Too Good to Me" (my favorite here) Lester would surely bestow his benediction on Natalie Cole as a great story teller in song.

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Just this week, Natalie told fans (at a forum devoted to her music) that "My (only) instrument is my voice." Well, her instrument is the best in the business - according to the "Who's Who" of musicians, arrangers and producers involved in this classic album. Truly, Natalie Cole is a `musician's musician' whose greatest admirers include some jazz giants -- who went out of their way to make this album the best of its kind (rivaled in greatness only by Natalie's multi-platinum "Unforgettable" which preceded this one, and the subsequent "Ask a Woman Who Knows").

One of the album's (three) co-producers Phil Ramone, noted that Natalie was her own executive producer and took complete charge of the album's `concept.' She consulted with her producers - (the others were David Foster and George Duke) - but then, Ramone says, "She challenged everything I believe in musically." Even more significantly, Ramone noted: "Rarely (do) the musicians hang around long after the session is over." (They always did for Sinatra and they did it here for Natalie.) Ramone said, the all-star cast of musical greats "thanked (me) profusely for being called to (this) date. Clearly I was not the only one moved by her."

Featured soloists included giants of the trumpet, harmonica, piano, guitar and saxophone --- Wynton Marsalis, Toots Thielemans, Bob James, Lee Ritenour and Michael Brecker. The stellar cast of (nine) arrangers was headed by the current dean of orchestrators, Johnny Mandel (who arranged an updated "Silent Night" on Frank Sinatra's 2004 Christmas Collection). There is even a snippet of Nat Cole's original Hammond organ solo (from 1961) on Natalie's powerhouse update of Irving Berlin's "Let's Face the Music and Dance."

There are too many highlights to list here - but Natalie herself singled out one or two of the solos in her full page of (small print) `Thank You's.' In praising the greatest harmonica player who ever lived, Toots Thielemans, Natalie said -- of his breathtakingly beautiful contribution to the Victor Young classic "Love Letters": "You have brought just the right touch of grace and style to this music. I am honored."

And of trumpet giant Wynton Marsalis' "dazzling" solos in the middle and at the end of "He Was Too Good to Me" Natalie said simply, "It brings me to my knees."

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Her great father's best friend deserves the last word, when he observes that "Songs of love - requited or unrequited -- don't come any better than these!"

"Each deals with passion deftly; lightly enough to fit neatly into thirty-two bars; heavily enough to elicit sighs and tears from the ladies, and even a twinge or two from the gentlemen. "The Torch" (in these songs) is carried on the INSIDE. And so is the heat. (Only) the surface is cool!"

The import version appears to be identical to the domestic version. The problem here is that the import version is more than twice the price.

"You wander down the lane and far away
Leaving me a song that will not die
Love is now the stardust of yesterday
The music of the years gone by"
~ Stardust ~
Hoagy Carmichael & Mitchell Parish

"Stardust" was nominated for 1997 Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal performance.

"When I Fall in Love" won a 1997 Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Accompanying Vocals.

"Teach Me Tonight" was nominated for 1997 Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement with Accompanying Vocals.

This 1996 recording is truly remarkable. Three Grammy nominations and one of them a winner! With her impeccable and incomparable style of singing, Ms. Cole's performances prove to be her shining moments. The repertoire of songs was tastefully chosen and the guest musicians are very impressive, the likes of Lee Ritenour, Bob James, Michael Brecker, Wynton Marsalis, John Pizzarelli, Toots Thielemans, Harvey Mason, and George Duke, among many others. Not to mention the best arrangers you can think of...Johnny Mandel, Alan Broadbent, Jim Hughart, Clare Fischer, Rob Maunsey, Jerry Hey, John Clayton and Charles Floyd. And of course this recording wouldn't be possible if not for David Foster, Phil Ramone, George Duke and Ms. Natalie Cole herself. What a great team!

Being a hopeless romantic, I can't help being moved by the beauty of songs in this CD and the way they were performed to perfection, the loveliest songs ever penned by famous songwriters and composers starting with my all-time favorites "When I Fall In Love," "Stardust," "Teach Me Tonight," "Like A Lover," "Let's Face The Music And Dance" and "Love Letters".... (straight from your heart... keep us so near while apart... I'm not alone in the night... when I can have all that love you write... I memorize every line... I kiss the name that you sign...").

There are two versions of "When I Fall In Love" - - digitally remastered duets with Nat King Cole. The first one with English lyrics, and the last track in English and Spanish. Ms. Cole's rendition of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Dindi" proves that she can also sing in Portuguese.

On liner notes, Ms. Cole dedicated this album to her late brother, Nat Kelly Cole, whom she knows is "listening with all ears up in Heaven." And to quote the last paragraph on her "Thank You's" ...."Most importantly, I thank my Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, for His unfailing grace and mercy in my life. You don't know what He's done for me--He gave me the victory!!!"

And Ms. Cole's victory is through sharing with us her gift of making beautiful music for our listening pleasure of a lifetime!

"Though I dream in vain
In my heart, it will remain
My stardust melody
The memory of love's refrain"

Natalie Cole could sing out the phone book and I'd be standing there cheering her on for more! She has a wonderful voice and she always delivers ballads with a lot of grace and genuine emotion. You can just tell by listening to her sing. This is a wonderful CD for her fans; and the sound quality is excellent. The artwork is also very nice.

The track set begins with Natalie Cole performing "There's a Lull in My Life." Her excellent diction enhances her performance all the more; and the strings are well used in the musical arrangement. "Stardust," of course, is a major highlight of this album; Natalie aces this as effortlessly as if it were mere breathing--but of course we know it really wasn't all that easy. Natalie's talents always carry her through. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" shines equally bright and I love every minute of it. What an arrangement for "Let Face the Music and Dance!"

"Teach Me Tonight" is a ballad I first heard sung by the immortal Dinah Washington; and I think Dinah would surely approve of Natalie's fine rendition! "Teach Me Tonight" is a huge number on this album; and I really like the synchronized duet between Natalie and her father on "When I Fall in Love." "What a Diff'rence a Day Made" is another Dinah Washington standard that gets the royal treatment from Natalie Cole; and that's grand. Natalie delivers this without a single superfluous note--terrific!

"He Was Too Good to Me" has a very lush musical arrangement; and it's very easy on the ear. "Two for the Blues" is quite strong and jazzy; Natalie does this one up right! "To Whom It May Concern" is very poignant; Natalie sings this with all the grace of the songbird that she is and always will be! "To Whom It May Concern" lacks nothing--this music is all THAT good. "Ahmad's Blues" just plain sounds good; I love this tune and it works very well.

"Pick Yourself Up" is another tune that has a very jazzy arrangement; Natalie plays with tempo and key changes that showcase her talent--she's right on target and she never skips a beat, either! "If You Could See Me Now" is a sad love song but it's still quite pretty as a torch song; and listen for "Like a Lover." "Like a Lover" features Natalie squarely front and center--right where she belongs! The CD ends very well with Natalie Cole performing a mixed duet with her father on a Spanish version of "When I Fall in Love." This leaves me wanting more and thankfully there are other Natalie Cole CDs to keep me rather happy!

Natalie Cole sings with all her heart and soul on this album; and her fans will cherish this for years to come. This is also a fine album for people who like torch songs and jazzy pop vocals. People just discovering Natalie Cole won't be disappointed with this album.

Natalie Cole has a definitely 'Unforgetable Voice.' Stardust brings me some of the best memories of my life. If ever in need of relaxation, Stardust with soothe your entire mindset. I can't say enough good about this. 'He Was Too Good to Me' is a definite winner

I loved this cd. Natalie is at a high point on Stardust. Especially with songs like Pick Yourself Up, If You Could See Me Now, There's A Lull In My Life, This Morning It Was Summer, and Ahmad's Blues. To me, these were the songs that stood out from the rest. Although it doesn't have the flow and the consistency that the Unforgettable cd (a five star rater) had, I'm thankful that Natalie continued in the tradition of singing classic Standards. These standards almost most make me forget her pre-Unforgettable work. I hope she continues to follow this tradition. She works it so well.

I really would like to hear her sing more original tunes, or perhaps if she's going to remake songs, don't rely so much on Daddy Nat's catalog. One of the reviewers counted three of Nat's songs on this CD. I counted more than three. Maybe they're not as well known as the others, but Nat did make them...I should know because I own them. Natalie was obviously attempting to recapture some of the magic of her UNFORGETTABLE WITH LOVE CD, and I can understand that to a degree. With something as phenomenal as that CD was, why not go back and try the same formula? It isn't quite the same. I still recommend this, though. Natalie's voice is in fine form and she makes everything sound great. Particularly outstanding: the Nat/Natalie duet "When I Fall In Love"...worth the price of the CD alone.

Dear Amazon.

Excellent service. I recieved the c.d. which I ordered within 1 week.
The Quality of the c.d was first class.
I will be happy to order more from you in the future and will happily
recommend your site to all my friends and family.

Many thanks
Carolyn D.

Natalie has put together a BLOCKBUSTER array of hits on this CD... Her voice is as clear as a bell and the selections are just perfect.

I'll keep it short. This is better than the similiar Linda Rodstadt/Nelson Riddle albums, for one simple reason. Natalie knows when to hold back, instead of doing the "power" thing that Linda did, too often!