Snowfall On The Sahara

by Natalie Cole

Product Description:

Personnel includes: Natalie Cole (vocals); Rob Mathes (electric guitar, dobro, piano, Wurlitzer piano, keyboards, programming, background vocals); Michael Thompson (guitar); Dave Tofani (tenor saxophone); Ronnie Cuber (baritone saxophone); Jeff Kievit (trumpet); Dave Bargeron (trombone); John Clark (French horn); Charles Floyd (piano); Rob Mounsey (electric piano, keyboards, programming); Clifford Carter (Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Peter Wolf (keyboards, bass, drum programming); David Foster (keyboards); Will Lee, Nathan East, Tony Levin (bass); Steve Gadd, John Robinson (drums); Phil Ramone, Luther Vandross, Curtis King, Fonzi Thornton, Darryl Tookes, James "D-Train" Williams (background vocals).

Producers: Phil Ramone, David Foster, Natalie Cole, Peter Wolf.

Engineers include: Eric Schilling, Felipe Elgueta, Brad Gilderman.

Principally recorded at Right Track Studios, New York, New York; Capitol Studios & Chartmaker Studios, Los Angeles, California.

Like fine wine, Natalie Cole improves with age. The masterful vocalist first achieved success via the R&B charts in the mid-'70s, but truly broke through with 1991's five-times-platinum UNFORGETTABLE WITH LOVE, in which she covered her father Nat "King" Cole's standards. On SNOWFALL, Natalie comes into her own as an artist. Her wonderful vocal range is showcased on some of her best material in years. Producer Phil Ramone adds his magic touch.

Ms. Cole's elegance is evident on "A Song for You" and "More Than You'll Ever Know". She gets gritty and soulful on "Reverend Lee" and "Corinna," while the title track is both metaphoric love song and a smooth jazz classic. "Say You Love Me" is a piano ballad with a great arrangement, and despite its title, "Everyday I Have the Blues" keeps the affair swingin'. She demonstrates her technical prowess on the '50s style R&B "With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming." Cole also both delivers her own soulful rock spin and gives props to Bob Dylan on his "Gotta Serve Somebody."