Snowfall on the Sahara

Performer: Natalie Cole
Artist: Peter Wolf; Luther Vandross; Tony Levin; David Foster; Will Lee; Nathan East; Steve Gadd
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: 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. Personnel: Natalie Cole (background vocals); Rob Mathes (vocals, electric guitar, dobro, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, programming, background vocals); Jeff Mironov (guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar); Michael Thompson (guitar); Gayle Levant (harp); Abe Appleman, Barry Finclair, Joe Ketendjian, Jennifer Walton, Donna Tecco, Gary Kuo, Kimiyo Takeya, Bob Sanov, Marti Sweet, Murray Adler, Isabella Lippi, Tiffany Hu, Regis Iandiorio, Sara Parkins, Paul Peabody, Avril Brown, Ann Leathers, Jan Mullen, Rafael Rishik (violin); Sue Pray, Crystal Garner, Mimi Granat, Andrew Picken, Mary Helen Ewing, Rick Gerding, Carol Landon, Juliet Haffner (viola); Lanny Morgan (flute, alto flute, alto saxophone); Louise de Tullio, Pamela Sklar (flute); Pete Christlieb, Terry Harrington (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Virgil Blackwell, John Moses (clarinet); Jack Nimitz (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Diane Lesser (oboe); Lawrence Feldman (alto saxophone); David Tofani, RIck DePofi (tenor saxophone); Ronnie Cuber (baritone saxophone); Warren Leuning, Jeff Kievit, Dave Trigg, Carl Saunders, Charlie Davis (trumpet); Chris Komer, Bob Carlisle (French horn); Phil Teele, Charles Loper, Bob McChesney (trombone); Dave Bargeron (tenor trombone, bass trombone); Jim Pugh (tenor trombone); Terry Trotter (piano); Rob Mounsey (electric piano, keyboards, programming, Theremin); David Foster (keyboards); Simon Franglen (Synclavier); Steve Gadd , Harold Jones (drums); Jan Folkson (programming); Curtis King, Darryl Tookes, Diva Gray, Fonzi Thornton, Luther Vandross, Phil Ramone, Vaneese Thomas, Robin Clark (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Frank Filipetti; Mick Guzauski. Recording information: Capitol Studios, LA, CA; Chartmaker Studios, LA, CA; Chartmaker, Inc; Flying Monkey Studios, New York, NY; Right Track Studios, New York, NY. Photographer: Michel Comte. Arrangers: Rob Mathes; Rob Mounsey; Peter Wolf ; Bob Krogstad; David Foster. 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."

Q (9/99, p.104) - 3 stars (out of 5) - "...ditches the pedestrian, over-arranged standards in favour of room to express herself, and the resulting variety and spark are a treat to hear..." Muzik (9/99, p.96) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...This collective of already proven mastercuts suits the lady's vocal range and takes her miles above the new young pretenders who think they've got soul in their bones..."

The daughter of celebrated singer Nat "King" Cole, Natalie Cole signed to Capitol Records in 1975 and went right to the Top 10 with her debut single "This Will Be," followed by two more hits in quick succession. An increasing drug dependency took a professional and personal toll. But after a successful spell in rehab, Cole re-launched her career in `87 with the album EVERLASTING, which spawned the transatlantic hit "Pink Cadillac." In 1991, Cole recorded a "duet" with her father on his original recording of the song "Unforgettable." The accompanying album won seven Grammy Awards, and sent her in a more jazz/pop direction from the early `90s and onward.

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