Ask A Woman Who Knows
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Ask A Woman Who Knows
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The DVD comes complete with concert, the facility for song selection and “special features”, which is pretty much an after concert interview with the opportunity to include sub-titles in a variety of languages. On the cover sleeve the photos of Natalie in her tight dresses reveal a very shapely figure, looking extremely glamorous and healthy. The “All Music Guide to Soul” describes Natalie thus, “The daughter of jazz and pop legend Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole has forged a successful career in two phases, doing R&B/Urban contemporary and then jazz based pop”. Unfortunately for the Soul fan most of the material for this concert comes from her second rising, that of jazz based pop. Also having recently seen the film made of her biography I am also aware that her first R&B career was ruined through an increasing dependence on drugs, and she may consider herself lucky to have resurrected her career the way she has. Certainly the surroundings she finds herself in for this concert are a long way from any earthy roots she has left behind, (though many might argue the daughter of Nat King Cole has never led a deprived lifestyle). Nonetheless not many R&B acts would find themselves playing to this kind of clientele and in these surroundings. We are told on the box that the concert was recorded in London, but not which theatre. To me it looks suspiciously like the London Palladium. The front of the stage sees several intimate candlelight dinners taking place for an audience of well-heeled men and women. Behind Natalie is a complete orchestra with a massive horns section, all of who turn out to be top class musicians. Nor is there any chance of Natalie falling victim to the dodgy sound engineer. A lot of money has clearly been spent on the performance, and nothing is left to chance. Conditions are perfect as Natalie takes to the stage. As befits this kind of concert Natalie takes the stage in a tight sequined dress, which sparkles in the lights. She looks extremely healthy and presents an image that does justice to the glamorous photographs on the DVD sleeve. I suspect she might be taking time to work out a little because for a woman she appears quite muscular. None the less she certainly seems to be fully recovered from her addiction days. She opens with the number “I haven’t got anything better to do”, a slow jazz number with a moody piano. It is impeccably delivered with her voice strong and melodic with clear enunciation. The performance sets the tone for the rest of the concert, wonderfully sung to the accompaniment of quality musicians. My only beef is the material, which offers very little compromise between the two phases of her career and is almost exclusively jazz to the detriment of R&B. During the interview that followed she was asked about her R&B roots and how she can slip so easily from one genre to another. Natalie is honest enough to say she loves all music and does not want to be pigeon holed into any single “bag”, she also pays tribute to Motown and its influence on her. At the end of the day however where this concert is concerned it is little more than lip service. Her bread is now buttered by the middle classes and her mixture of pop-jazz and MOR standards are clearly aimed in their direction. There are four exceptions of note, the title track, “Ask a Woman Who Knows” which has a tinge of blues about it, and reminded me of Billie Holiday, the Nina Simone classic, “My Baby Just Cares For Me”, but which was spoiled by a jazz tinged arrangement, the excellent R&B number which brought her to the attention of the world, “This Will Be” but for me the outstanding track was the Leiber and Stroller penned, “I’m a Woman” which Natalie absolutely belts out in a Tina Turnereque way, and which she clearly enjoys performing. For the first time the largely anonymous backing singers gain prominence in a “call and response” setting. This is proof if ever it were needed that R&B’s loss is Jazz’s gain. I cannot possibly disrespect a film where the performances are so good and the filming so exquisite. Even the way she links the songs is professionally done, though a tad unimaginative. This is a great film for jazz or even general music lovers, but from the perspective of the R&B aficionado the material that is there is good, but there just isn’t enough of it.
Song Listing
I Haven’t Got Anything Better To Do
Lets Face The Music And Dance
Ask A Woman Who Knows
Tell Me All About It
My Baby Just Cares For Me
So Many Stars
It’s Crazy
More Than You’ll Ever Know
S’Wonderful (Sung by Guest Artist Diana Krall)
Route 66 (Duet with Natalie Cole and Diana Krall)
Soon
I Told You So
I’m A Woman
I’m Beginning To See The Light
Calling You
Better Than Anything (Duet with Natalie Cole and Diana Krall)
This Will Be
I’m Glad There Is You |
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