2:00 A.M., Paradise Cafe

What the heck. I've stuck my neck out so many times defending "uncool" artists that I think I'm going after the biggest target yet. Yes, faithful "Da ...

2:00 A.M., Paradise Cafe
2:00 A.M., Paradise Cafe
Barry Manilow
Arista Records, 1984
REVIEW BY: Duke Egbert
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 06/05/2000
What the heck. I've stuck my neck out so many times defending"uncool" artists that I think I'm going after the biggest targetyet. Yes, faithful "Daily Vault" readers, I'm going to review aBarry Manilow CD, and (WARNING: I'm about to give away the reviewending) to make matters worse, I'm going to approve of it. (Insert horrified gasp here.)
OK, enough drama. Open your mind for a moment and listen to me.Yes, I know Manilow was responsible for some of the worst schlockof the 1970s. ("Copacabana" comes to mind, and makes me immediatelydesirous of a way… any way… to get it out again.) He'll do time inpurgatory for "You Deserve A Break Today", as well. Butinterspersed with these bacchanalia of banality, there were somepretty good songs. "Weekend In New England", "Even Now", "Song ForLinda"… these weren't too damn bad, folks.
So what about 2 A.M., Paradise Cafe? Well, by 1984 Manilow had, by his ownadmission, lost track of why he got into music in the first place.In an attempt to get back to his roots, he settled in over a periodof two months to write a series of jazz and blues songs, the kindof music he'd grown up listening to -- and when it came time torecord it, he was joined by his hand-picked all-star band of jazzsidemen and the late, great Mel Torme and Sarah Vaughan. Even moreincredible, when Manilow was asked how he wanted to record thealbum, he shrugged and said, "Start the tape. Let's see how far wecan get". And 2 A.M., Paradise Cafe was recorded in one, single, unbroken,flawless take.
Flawless is the appropriate word, indeed. 2 A.M., Paradise Cafe is a magnificent piece of modern jazz,torchy, rich, and sweet. There isn't a bad song on the CD, andthere are some that are little short of magnificent. "Big CityBlues", the duet with Torme, is funny and sad, with clever turns ofphrase. "Where Have You Gone", "What Am I Doin' Here", and "I'veNever Been So Low On Love" are all sweet, well-crafted lovesongs.

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