Night

"The night time is the right time"... It's a musical statement the great Ray Charles and many others have made gloriously. But for singer Holly Cole, the feeling expressed in this classic blues/jazz motif is much more than just celebratory. To her, the comfort of the nighttime is central to her personal and artistic life. As is usual when it comes to this iconic Canadian songstress, this is an album that features a stylistically diverse and emotionally stirring collection of songs. Supported by musicians the singer recognizes as soul mates and companions, the album presents a fullblown reunion of the original Holly Cole Trio, featuring pianist Aaron Davis and double-bassist David Piltch. The current line-up is complemented by drummer Davide DiRenzo and reeds man Johnny Johnson plus guests Greg Leisz (lap steel), Kevin Breit (guitar), Cyro Baptiste (percussion) and others. As ever, songs from different corners of the musical spectrum meet, ranging from a John Barry Bond theme (You Only Live Twice) and a Mort Shuman classic (Viva Las Vegas) to Tom Waits (Walk Away, Whistling Past the Graveyard), Jacques Brel (If You Go Away) and Gordon Lightfoot (If You Could Read My Mind). All of this is completed by Danny O'Keefe's memorable Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues, a Capt ain Beefheart tune (Love Lies), a timeless pop classic (I Only Have Eyes for You) and a Holly Cole original (You've Got a Secret).