Joe Bourne and the Gary Moran Trio have made a new
recording of 16 brilliant arrangements from the Nat Cole Trio circa 1944.
Gary and his trio capture the exuberant swing and joy of the Nat Cole Trio,
and Joe's romantic voice and effortless manner make this new recording a
wonderful jazz experience.
Nominated for the "Top 10 List" of the Jazz Journalist Association Poll 2004!
What the reviews are saying
Carol Cole / King Cole
Productions, Inc. Many thanks for sending me Remembering Mr. Cole with
Joe Bourne and The Gary Moran Trio. I always appreciate it when artists do
tribute albums to my father and this is one of the best. Joe has such a smooth
vocal quality so reminiscent of Nat's and the trio does a great job with
the arrangements.
Dr. Herb Wong / IAJE Jazz Educational Journal
Devotees of Nat "King" Cole and his Trio will dig Bourne's warm, captivating
interpretative singing and arrange-ments. His wonderful baritone voice and jazz-infused
delivery paired with the impressive Gary Moran Trio resurrect fond memories of the K.C. Trio. Joe Bourne has a winner.
William Cooke / Arizona Jazz Magazine-
Joe Bourne has reintroduced the smooth silky vocal sound that seems to have gone the way
of eight -tracks and VHS movies. It is refreshing to hear a pure singer captivate the
excellence and quaintness of songs of love and romance.It is of a time when life was
simple, sincere, and carefree. Remembering Mr. Cole has a relaxing and spontaneous appeal.
It has a definitive association with the late Nat King Cole and it displays the quality that
made Cole famous. The Gary Moran trio provides an excellent accompaniment. They are really cool
and accomplished musicians. Each mood
and each song is a musical statement that provides something different, interesting intriguing
There are just enough piano solos by Moran and guitar riffs by Ed Deluca to maintain the mood
and groove. Bringing up the rear and keeping everyone in cadence is the sultry bass work of
Scott Black. This group, the song selection and arrangements are wonderfully intertwined to
produce a very fine CD. Remembering Mr. Cole with Joe Bourne and the Gary Moran Trio is a must
have musical treasure that will delight and withstand the test of musical time for years to come.
Dave Miele Jazz Improv Nat King Cole was
undoubtedly one of the most influential jazz singers ever. The recordings he made with his
drummer-less trio set standards for the way a jazz song should be delivered vocally.
Singers from all musical genres cite Mr. Cole among their influences. So too, does
Joe Bourne, as he pays tribute to the master singer with his latest release,
Remembering Mr. Cole. Bourne has assembled a wonderful team of musicians
to back him on this most traditional of dates. The Gary Moran trio, featuring
Mr. Moran on piano, Ed DeLucia on guitar and bassist Scott Black provide a wonderful
cushion for Bourne's silky smooth voice to lie upon. Together these men
pay homage to Mr. Nat King Cole in a most traditional and respectful manner.
Oscar Groomes / O's Place Jazz Newsletter
O's notes: Joe is a crooner and he separates himself from the pack with this
release. To start, it is a swinging session that is easy to engage in. The crucial
ingredients are good material, a strong band and good singing. The sixteen songs
are fresh arrangements of well-known classics. The band includes excellent performances
from the Gary Moran (p) trio with guitarist Ed Delucia and bassist Scott Black, Joe really
sings vs speaking the words and this makes the songs flow regardless of the pace.
We loved the entire program, especially "Frim Fram Sauce" and "Tis Autumn".
JRoy Booth / Jazz Views UK
Joe Bourne has a pleasant rich voice which is ideally suited to ballads but is equally at home on
lightly swinging pieces. I was won over by the artistry of the group. This album has been on my CD
player at least half a dozen times since I received it for review and I can't think of a better
recommendation, but then I'm a sucker for this type of thing.
Howard Feldstein /Jazznow.com
Bourne and his musicians bring a real feeling of joy to the entire date.
I found myself enjoying repeated listenings.
The sound quality and production values are wonderful on every track.
Steve Emerine /Tucson, AZ
Joe Bourne's newest CD is showing American music fans what their counterparts in Europe have
known for years: He's a great singer and entertainer. The American-born baritone has returned
from 25 years in West Europe to pay tribute to one of his role models. Providing the arrangements
of some early King Cole Trio favorites, pianist Gary Moran handles Nat's piano playing while Bourne
does a great job on the vocals. They're joined by bassist Scott Black and guitarist Ed DeLucia.
We in the Tucson Jazz
Society feel truly blessed. You'll see why when you buy this CD.
Jim Santella /All About Jazz.com
Joe Bourne's charming rapport places the "Frim Fram Sauce," "Besame Mucho," and "Sweet Lorraine"
in our laps with a hearty welcome. His accompaniment does a swell job of keeping the mood genuine.
The session swings lightly and holds a cohesive grip on ensemble interaction. Ed DeLucia and Gary
Moran provide stellar solo work alongside Bourne's comfortable vocal manner.
Jack Bowers / Alberqurque All That Jazz.com
You may have noticed that there aren't a whole lot of male jazz singers on the scene
today. I ran across one of that vanishing breed last January at the IAJE
Conference in Long Beach, California, and he handed me a copy of his most
recent CD, Remembering Mr. Cole. The singer in question is Massachusetts-bred
Joe Bourne, and he and the Gary Moran Trio, who share top billing, are much
better than expected.
The album is of course a tribute to the incomparable Nat King Cole, which is
entirely appropriate, as there's a lot of Cole in Bourne's silky-smooth
phrasing and articulation. The liner notes speak of his dynamic showmanship
which can't be seen on the album but can certainly be felt. He must be a
pleasure to see. Stylistically, he's not a Nat Cole clone but has just
enough of the master in his approach to serve as a reminder of Nat's
unrivaled genius. And I can't say enough nice things about Moran's trio,
which is supportive at every turn, making this a near-perfect partnership.
ZeZeitgeist, PO Box 13499, Edinburgh EH6 8YL, UK
Well there's no faffing about here - as you will have surmised from the title,
this is a tribute to Nat 'King'Cole from Joe Bourne and the Gary Moran Trio.
Taking on 16 tunes associated with Nat 'King' Col using the same instrumentation
as the original 'King' Cole trio. Now that may seem like a safe bet, but it's
actually a huge risk. After all, get it wrong and you're going to be on the
receiving end of some serious stick. But Joe Bourne has taken to his task admirably,
digging some lesser known material from the vaults to sit alongside the classics,
and with the sympathetic arrangements and backing to go with his rich voice, come
up trumps. He's also went for a lot of up tempo material which casual listeners
may not be aware of, with a lot of the pop hits of the day having been from Cole
the balladeer. Granted, there's nothing new or original here - it is an out and
out tribute - but who cares when the music is classic and the performances match.
There are even a couple of songs here which were new to me, with "The Best Man"
being a particular treat.
