Re:Generations

Re:Generations is a remix album, consisting of songs by the American singer Nat King Cole, reimagined by contemporary artists. It was released on March 10, 2009, by EMI/Capitol. Executive produced by Cole's daughter Carole Cole and a music director Michaelangelo L'Acqua, the album brought together a diverse range of producers from various genres. Re:Generations received positive reviews from music critics, with some of them praising Nat King Cole's vocal performance that blended well with the modern production.

Re:Generations
A red-tinted photo of Nat King Cole singing, superimposed over a picture of a nebula; bottom part of the cover contains "Nat King Cole" text in all caps plain font and "Re:Generations" stylized as a graffiti tag
Remix album by
Nat King Cole
ReleasedMarch 10, 2009 (2009-03-10)
Genre
Length46:26
Label
Producer

Recording

Re:Generations was created by Carole Cole, Nat King Cole's daughter, who took the role of an executive producer. Her sons Sage and Harley came up with the idea for the album. After 2 years of discussing the idea, the work on the album started. Cole was joined by an associate producer Mark Van Wye and an executive producer Michaelangelo L'Acqua,[4] who previously worked as a music director for Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci, and produced fashion shows for various brands.[5] L'Acqua made a list of producers for the project,[4] who each then received a list of songs to choose from.[6] The producers were given a creative freedom, with the only request from Cole being to keep Nat King Cole's voice central to the track.[4] According to her, the goal of the project was to "musically bridge the so-called generation gap and hopefully create mutual admiration and respect between young people and their parents and grandparents". She believed her father would have been excited about Re:Generations, as he "loved music of all kinds".[3]

Release

Re:Generations was released on March 10, 2009,[2] by EMI/Capitol Records. To celebrate the release of the album labels held a release party at Crewest Gallery in Los Angeles, California, alongside a Nat King Cole-inspired art exhibition.[7] Upon release Re:Generations charted in Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums, where it peaked at number three.[8]

On May 19, two months after the release of Re:Generations, Carole Cole died of lung cancer.[9][10]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
The Guardian[12]
HipHopDX[1]
PopMatters[2]
Robert Christgau(2-star Honorable Mention)(2-star Honorable Mention)[13]

Re:Generations received positive reviews from music critics. John Bush, writing for AllMusic, commended the album's "parade of talented names" who made Nat King Cole's standards "as fluid as water", noting that "crossover fusions" from Re:Generations "will become dated far sooner" than Cole's original recordings.[11] Ben Thompson of The Guardian praised Re:Generations, calling the album "unfeasibly witty and entertaining".[12] HipHopDX applauded the album's producers who kept Nat King Cole's vocals "the star of the track".[1] Will Layman of PopMatters gave the album a positive review, calling Cole's performance a "guiding star" of the album that blends well with the music on it.[2] Robert Christgau commended the album in his "Consumer Guide", praising Nat King Cole who "slips suavely into the beats of the day".[13]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Lush Life"Billy StrayhornCeeLo Green3:16
2."Straighten Up and Fly Right" (feat. Natalie Cole)Irving Mills, Nat King Colewill.i.am2:16
3."Day In, Day Out"Johnny Mercer, Rube BloomCut Chemist2:44
4."Brazilian Love Song" (feat. Bebel Gilberto)Al Hoffman, Breno Ferreira, Dick Manning, ColeMichaelangelo L'Acqua4:48
5."The Game of Love" (feat. Nas)Armando Peraza, Milt RaskinSalaam Remi2:27
6."Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (feat. The Roots)Fred Ahlert, Roy TurkThe Roots4:15
7."Hit That Jive, Jack" (feat. Izza Kizza)Johnny Alston, Skeets TolbertSoul Diggaz3:42
8."Calypso Blues" (feat. Damian Marley & Stephen Marley)Don George, Cole
  • Damian Marley
  • Stephen Marley
4:31
9."More and More of Your Amour"George David Weiss, Joe ShermanBitter:Sweet3:18
10."El Choclo"Bill Schluger, Cole, Aaron Johnston, Didi Gutman, Sabina SciubbaBrazilian Girls4:55
11."Pick-Up"Dorothy Wayne, Raymond RaschJust Blaze3:54
12."Anytime Anyday Anywhere"Lee Wiley, Ned Washington, Victor YoungAmp Fiddler3:08
13."Nature Boy"Eden AhbezTV on the Radio3:12
Total length:46:26

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes and AllMusic.[14][15]

Musical personnel
Technical personnel
  • Carole Cole – executive producer, art direction
  • Michaelangelo L'Acqua – executive producer
  • Mark Van Wye – associate producer
  • William James Adams – engineering, vocal recording
  • Andrew Wright – engineering, mixing, photography
  • Chris Moore – engineering, mixing
  • Jon Smeltz – engineering, mixing
  • Franklin Emmanuel Socorro – engineering, mixing
  • Fabrice Dupont – engineering
  • Samuel Jacquet – engineering
  • Kyle Boyd – engineering
  • Dan Huron – engineering
  • Danna Rosenthal – engineering
  • Steve Mandell – engineering
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Juan Blas Caballero – mixing
  • Dylan Dresdow – mixing
  • Collin Dupuis – mixing
  • Ryan West – mixing
  • Kyle Boyd – mixing assistant
  • Joel Douek – arranger
  • Aaron Johnston – programming
  • Susan Lavoie – art direction
  • Tom Recchion – art direction
  • Sage Zailm Cole – artwork, cover art
  • Ritzy Periwinkle – artwork, design
  • Man One – artwork, hand lettering, paintings
  • Overton Lloyd – artwork
  • Gustavo Alberto Garcia Vaca – artwork
  • Chago Akii-Bua – photography
  • Kwaku Alston – photography
  • Scott Berkson – photography
  • Danny Clinch – photography
  • Joseph Cultice – photography
  • Henrique Gendre – photography
  • Edgar Hoill – photography
  • Brian Jones – photography
  • Michael Lavine – photography
  • Vladimir Radojicic – photography
  • Popsy Randolph – photography
  • John Roe – photography
  • Justin Smith – photography
  • Chuck Stewart – photography
  • Joshua Winstead – photography
  • Escaped Crusader – poetry
  • Jasmine Diaz – assistant
  • Frank Collura – A&R
  • Jane Ventom – A&R

Charts
Chart (2009) Peak
position
US Top Contemporary Jazz Albums (Billboard)[8] 3

References
  1. Dre, A.L. (11 March 2009). "Nat King Cole - Re: Generations". HipHopDX. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  2. Layman, Will (23 April 2009). "Nat King Cole, Re: Generations". PopMatters. Archived from the original on November 25, 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  3. Boucher, Geoff (17 March 2009). "Nat King Cole is reinterpreted on 'Re: Generations'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  4. Murph, John (25 April 2019). "Nat King Cole: Getting Their Kicks". JazzTimes. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  5. Peters, Mitchell (11 September 2009). "6 Questions With Michaelangelo L'Acqua". Billboard. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  6. Paine, Jake (27 February 2009). "Cut Chemist Remixes Nat King Cole, Talks J5 Reunion". HipHopDX. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  7. "Nat King Cole Re:Generations Album Party". Spin. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  8. "Nat King Cole Chart History (Top Contemporary Jazz Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  9. "Natalie Cole gets ready for comeback show". ABC7 New York. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  10. Stoynoff, Natasha. "Natalie Cole's Sister Dies During Singer's Kidney Transplant". People. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  11. Bush, John. "Nat King Cole - Re: Generations". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  12. Thompson, Ben (15 February 2009). "Pop review: Nat King Cole, Re:Generations". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  13. Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Artist 6151". Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  14. Nat King Cole (2009). Re:Generations (liner notes). Capitol Records. 509992 08414 23.
  15. "Re: Generations - Nat King Cole | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
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