In retrospect, everything in this album worked perfectly. Produce by the genius Tommy Lipuma, it catapulted Natalie Cole from an R&B artist to one of the great jazz interpreters. Originally eschewing the roots created by her legendary father Nat, she embraced them here, taking on her father’s songbook and interpreting them to make them all her own. The supporting mix and match cast, which included (but not limited to) the likes of Joe Sample/p, Dave Weckl/dr, John Pattitucci/b, Ray Brown/b, Jeff Hamilton/b, Al Viola/g, Alan Broadbent/p, John Clayton/b, John Pisano/b, John Collins/g and John Chiodini/g along with a rich string section, set the stage like a Verdian jazz get together, mixing lyricism with gorgeous orchestration.
Of course, the most well known piece is the technological meeting of Natalie with dad on “Unforgettable”, but the rest of the tunes are just as magical. “Smile” is transformed into a glowing night of stars, “L-O-V-E” is joyful without being nostalgicf, and she shows she can swing it like dad on “This Can’t Be Love” and “Straighten Up And Fly Right”. This album holds up well, and who wouldn’t want to go back in a time machine to be in the photo with a young Natalie with dad, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong in the studio. Where did we go wrong?