Classic Soul – Natalie Cole

CD Review: Natalie Cole – "Leavin"

(Soul/Funk/Pop)

I remember Natalie Cole all too well from back in the day. Perhaps my most lasting impression of her was her appearance at a 1974 Funk Festival at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena on a bill that also had Herbie Mann, Funkadelic, Ohio Players, George Benson and Weather Report. She followed Funkadelic and obviously she didn’t belong there at all, the crowd was polite and respectful to her, because of her dad and the fact that she had just come out with her first single. But to be honest everyone in the audience (including yours truly) was happy when she got off the stage! Of course Natalie Cole went on from there to become a very successful pop artist with many hit records and eventually crossed over and became successful in jazz as well. Her life story is well known and well documented. So here we are in 2006 and what does someone like Natalie Cole do? I think that she made an excellent choice in selecting the songs for this new CD. It’s very much in the vein of what our friend Bettye LaVette did. It’s full of "covers", however these songs are not the obvious ones that you might select for Natalie Cole, but in the end they are perfect. Just like you wouldn’t have placed Natalie Cole on the bill at a Funk Festival in 1974. The difference is that she takes these songs and makes them her own and with her voice she makes you a believer in the artistry of Natalie Cole. In today’s world of illusionary talent, misplaced hype and music that has little to do with art, that is an accomplishment. One of the reasons why many people are nostalgic for the music of the past is because back then you could believe in an artist. Even if it was an artist that you didn’t like, you knew that you could believe in them. I am far from being a Natalie Cole fan, however she’s got a great voice and she picked the right songs for this album. I believe in Natalie Cole, she takes songs that were great before she touched them and elevated the songs themselves (much like Queen Latifah did a few years ago). This is a great album and I suspect that journey of Natalie Cole isn’t over by a long shot.