I am very satisfied with the purchase that I made from Amazon. The product arrived as described. I would continue to shop Amazon and telling my friends to do the same.

With "Lazy Afternoon" Regina Belle has undoubtedly done just that - recording an album drenched with soul, brimming with life, full of sensuality and great grooves.
It's also a highly personal recording - as the set of songs reveals. It's a tribute acknowledging her major influences and inspirations (favourite songs and artists who sung the tracks before her). It's as close an insight into where the artist is right now as you're likely to get.
She exudes a real depth of personality and musical substance that separates her from her influences or comparisons.
She is also blessed with a spellbinding and soulful voice that draws you in like a siren's call.
Elevated and enhanced by some excellent arrangements that incorporate soul and jazz, she has an earthy yet sophisticated quality that is beautifully displayed.
The best moments are the most simple - "If I Should Lose You" - with a fantastic, unmatched George Duke on piano - employs a stripped-bare up-close microphone technique that creates an ambiance that's almost uncomfortably intimate; the a cappella "For The Love Of You" - with sublime vocal harmonies from the Perri sisters - builds on a deliciously breezy, summery atmosphere.
Take a listen to the album and I guarantee you'll be left astonished at just what this artist has turned in. In short, there's barely a trace of the Regina Belle that most people came to know several years back when she was considered one of the world's Pop/R&B upstarts...Check the albums All by Myself, Stay with Me and Passion.
Whether it's the bossanova groove that defines the gloriously sultry "Corcovado", or the jazz tones that underpin "The Man I Love" or even the undeniable allure of "Why Do People Fall In Love" (a song that moves like a slow dance through contemporary jazz), Regina is s capable of extending her musical gaze just about anywhere.
At turns soulful, at others jazzy, with this album Ms. belle has placed herself firmly alongside the world's greatest songstylists - and unquestionably has what it takes to occupy a spot on the global stage.

Love Forever Shines

Cannot put into words the sultry sounds of vocal and jazz. Ms Regina will make you want to curl up into a warm blanket in front of a crackling fireplace. This CD is a keeper.

There is one word that everyone associates with Regina, and that's diva.

It's over-used shorthand for any black woman in the soul/jazz genre, but Regina Belle truly does belong next to Aretha Franklin and Billie Holiday with the pipes, attitude and emotions to match them.

Better still, she is not resting on her laurels.

The sophisticated songstress who came to fame in the late 1980s still sounds spectacular. On this aptly titled album, she swings through stirring renditions of many classic tracks.

"Lazy Afternoon" is a fantastic album that neatly mixes state of the art riffs, soulful phrasing and production trickery on excellent tracks like "If I Ruled The World", "Why Do People Fall In Love" and "IF I Should Lose You" with a handful of elegant and powerful jazzy ballads.

An absolute joy and a career high .

Regina (from Latin 'queen') wears the crown.

I'll admit it.
Whenever I'd think of Regina Belle, I'd instantly think "Oh yeah, Alladin's Love Theme - A Whole New World".
Of course, I certainly understand that such thoughts are not only unfair, but are also something that Regina Belle has had to deal with a lot over the years.
"Lazy Afternoon" is, quite simply, one of the loveliest CDs that I've ever had the pleasure to listen to.
As it might casually get lumped in with the seemingly endless stream of albums containing standards sung by artists on the downside of their fiery brush with fame, I'll bravely stand here and say "Yes, sure, but this one is good, dammit!" to anyone who would outright dismiss it into the discount bin containing the 99 volumes of, say, Rod Stewart doing the same.
Who told Rod he could sing standards, by the way?
Ms. Belle can sing the hell out of standards. With the same amazing voice that she's always had, it seems, she is able to pluck the heartstrings of anyone and everyone within earshot of a stereo that is playing this album.
It helps, of course, that she selected some of the loveliest songs ever written to sing.
In the end, though, I find myself liking this album not because of the songs themselves, but because of the amazing specter of Regina's voice as it floats dreamily above the music and melody.
If you've ever listened and loved anything Ms. Belle has sung before, then this album won't tremendously surprise you; it's lovely, it's beautiful, and it's still the same ol' wonderful Regina's voice that it's always been.
It is those of us that have, perhaps, unfairly dismissed her as the other voice on "A Whole New World", that might get a bit extra out "Lazy Afternoon".
It is the most recent release from Regina and is a nostalgic and romantic collection of covers from The Great American Song Book.
The album features breezy renditions of songs that bring the listener back to a simpler and more golden time, even if one hasn't lived it! The compilation features Gershwin's "The Man I Love", Tony Bennett's classic "If I Ruled The World", the exquisite "Why Do people Fall In Love" and "If I Should Lose You" where Regina's long-time friend and now producer, legendary George Duke plays piano.
With "Lazy afternoon", Regina lays claim to a destiny that's likely to see her confirmed as one of the greatest artists of her generation and a contemporary jazz artist of real substance.
Everything about the CD defies expectations - from the fact that Regina chose the tracks or co-wrote or one of the album's 14 songs, to the astonishing musicality that defines every song, the wide-ranging scope of the material and, mostly, Regina's quite devastating vocal gift.
It's this - Regina's voice - that occupies the spotlight on LAZY AFTERNOON.
Capable of conveying gritty intensity, raw emotion and light-hearted delights, it moves with the sureness of someone who's finally come home.
I bought this album for little money, only a little bit over ten bucks from overstock.

Few R&B artists can balance class with emotional honesty like Grammy-winner Regina Belle. Musically, however, Regina's seventh solo album leans heavily in favor of subdued, soulful and jazzy tracks.
The result is an exciting and sometimes moving experience.
"Lazy afternoon" is a sonic mélange of jazz, classic R&B, and scat, all fused with rib-thumping bottom notes of unadulterated funk and gospel, and Regina moves fluidly between these genres, mixing it up to create a flavorful aural Gumbo that is melodically lush, lyrically appealing and unabashedly soulful.
Her latest album, which was was produced by Grammy-Nominated Artist George Duke, continues Regina's journey through the worlds of jazz, soul, and the blues.
This selection of mainly Jazz standards is delightful and showcases just what a fine voice she possesses.
"Lazy Afternoon", "Why Do People fall In Love", the spiritual "If I Ruled The World" and "If I Should Lose You" are all gorgeous slow numbers, whilst "Moanin'" and "There's A Love" are lively upbeat cuts.
Once again, she embraces a sultry and saucy mix of fabled vocalists who've inspired her : Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee...
While exploring the American songbooks, she adds her warm vocals and playful personality to a hand-picked mix of familiar classics and forgotten jewels.
The album features contributions by a number of stellar artists. Regina is joined by piano and keyboard pioneer George Duke and bass virtuoso Christian McBride.
The album also features Gordon Campbell (drums), Ray Fuller (guitar), Lenny Castro (percussion), Alex Al (electric bass), Everette Harp(tenor sax), Oscar Brashear (trumpet) and the Perri Sisters (bg vocals).
Organic and earthy yet also fluid and flexible, this fantastic album showcases Regina's renowned phrasing, vocal ability and powerful pipes in a delightful shift from predictable jazz singer fare.
You may get this great treat for much less, at only 10.56 at overstock dot com.

There can't be many more pleasurable ways of spending over one hour than in the company of "Lazy Afternoon", Regina Belle's latest collection of twelve hand-picked jazz standards and Broadway tunes. Including material recalled from her childhood and teenage years, the singer's most personal recording to date features one spine-tingling song after another.
From the the gorgeous opener "Lazy Afternoon" to the stunning, colloquial closer, "Try a Little Tenderness", the singer delivers the set with an unswerving honesty and molten intensity. Whether burningly expressive in "Why Do People Fall In Love", playfully lyrical in "For The love of You" or heartbreakingly sincere in the emotional tour de force of "If I Should Lose You" (featuring her great friend George Duke in the piano chair in his best performance ever), Regina has you hanging on her every note.
The singer's inventive approach to standards is evidenced by the kaleidoscopic textures and varied moods of "Corcovado" - slowly chiming chords one moment, a sinuous groove the next. One of the singularly most powerful records I've heard all year.
This, you feel, is the album that Regina Belle has been waiting to record her whole life.
Baby Come to Me: The Best of Regina Belle
To Grover, With Love
Ladies' Choice

It is an album for your senses and emotions, sometimes it's fast, sometimes slow.
There are upbeat tempos and bluesy rhythms.
There's lots of romance, some humor and even a few heartbreaks.
It's the type of album that could sit in the player for years and you'd never get sick of it.
Regina and her musicmates are phenomenal, as usual.
The talented group creates a full sound on their own.
Check out "If I Should Lose You" for an amazing piano solo by George Duke.
Next time you feel happy, sad, romantic or lonely, this album is perfect.

What else could I write that has not already been written ?
The opening song, "Lazy Afternoon", is sung with such gusto, that it immediately draws the listener in till the very end.
Pick yourself up, the concluding song nicely wraps up this fabulous album of jazz jewels that one would ask: when is her next being released?
It's her touch, her formidable voice and her phrasing skills that make "Lazy Afternoon" an album that is subtly and (often quite beautifully) unique and a quite compelling listen.
The choice of covers seems to be more discerning than the usual trawl through the so-called Great AmericanSongbook.
Regina's delivery is warm, urbane and relaxed, The mood is intimate and late night; a chanteuse in a little club somewhere with a piano trio augmented by sax, vibes and guitar.
Ms.Belle has the knack of giving straight, unadorned readings of well worn standards with a freshness that's rare and sweet.
She doesn't reinvent on a grand scale or dazzle with vocal pyrotechnics but draws you in with the clarity of her delivery.
It's subtle, unforced stuff.
She can be cute without cloying, sassy without being smug and handles ballads with an assured delicacy and depth.
What could easily become cliche is never in danger of being so.
Check the sensual treatment of the title track, the sophisticated tone of "Why Do People Fall In Love" or the heart-wrenching pathos of "If I Should Lose you".
Highly recommended.

Let's be fair: she's one of the few industry-saviours with soul and class.
This wondrous vocalist has been a staple in my musical diet for more than a decade and she continues to astound and delight me with each album she puts out.
What a pleasure it would be to be able to open your mouth and make a sound like the voice of Regina Belle: soulful, sensuous, sweet, high, pure, fluty, and quite beautiful.
Considered one of the leading female vocalists on the scene today, vocalist Regina Belle is an award-winning stylist with an intuitive feel for the mood and flavour of a song.
Often compared to Nancy Wilson and Billie Holiday, she's the modern, updated version of the classic jazz singer.
Blessed with exquisite delivery, sensitivity to melody and a lyrical imagination, Regina Belle's singing is as natural as breathing.
The production is spare yetlush, elegantly underscoring the presiding moods as they turn. The sound seems to defy context, gracefully blending the nostalgic and the contemporary, the organic and the improvized into an immensely palatable, and wholly consistent.
Joining Regina there are Everette Harp (tenor sax), George Duke (piano), Christian McBride (bass), Lenny Castro ( percussion), Alex Al (electric bass), Oscar Brashear (trumpet), Ray Fuller (guitar) and the Perri sisters on vocals.
Let's be fair: she's one of the few industry-saviours with class, style and soul, and is indeed being herself, no trouble.
On "Lazy Afternoon", she fully explores all the textures of her vocal instrument like never before and flashes all the unseen colors of her intriguing voice! The songwriting and song choices are of a more mature quality than before.
This is a first rate Jazz recording from the very first note played to the very final one.If you don't like a cd album when you first play it, put it on the "repeat mode", let all the sounds surround you and LISTEN to WHAT the record is all about.
This is Regina Belle's VOCAL TOUR DE FORCE...an excellent, superb performance by a still improving, growing and maturing artist in her prime.
The slow dazzle and smooth subtlety of her seventh album is sure to win her more converts. Reworking Broadway and torch songs and jazz standards shows her incredible ability to make them sound absolulety new and refreshing, in a unique, brave way which is miles away from the saccharine trend on many new jazz albums currently on the market.
Her vocals don't dominate the mix, which highlights the interplay between her and her guest musicians.
George Duke, as producer and arranger, lends a hand, but it's the whole that makes the astonishingl and engaging deal here.
So, hold on. Why hasn't Regina got more Grammies and platinum discs coming out of her ears? Why is she such an unsung singer? Why is she so neglegted by talk-shows and celebrities' celebrations?
At least this conspiracy means that we haven't lost her to the impersonal gigs that megastardom brings...yet.

One of the most versatile and artistically daring singers and musicians to emerge in recent decades, Regina Belle has always kept her admirers on their toes, never giving them a hint of what to expect next.
"Lazy Afternoon" is no different in that respect: it's full of surprises, both in its luxuriant, floral arrangements and production and its singular conceptual focus on songs that ask why so much in our world has gone just plain wrong, when it would be so simple to flip it over and make it all right.
To get her point across, Belle has chosen a number of Broadway songs and jazz classics taking on the uneasy task to re-invent them and make them sound totally new and absolutely gorgeous.
Regina also contributed material, and in choosing pianist /keyboardist maestro Gorge Duke, one of the country's most visionary record-makers of the day, to produce, she ensured that her ideas would be taken to fruition with a maximum of creative juices flowing on all sides.
Duke and Belle work closely together to complement the singer's alternately graceful and robust, ever sensual, remarkably flexible jazz-like phrasing with equally bright, sonically rich accompaniments. Bringing in a number of different arrangements and a roomful of extraordinairy guests ), Regina has succeeded in making a poignant statement without resorting to proselytizing.
With hits such as "Baby, Come to Me" and "Make It Like It Was" from Stay with Me and "If I Could" from Passion, Regina Belle has always been categorized as an R&B singer, though one never needed to dig too deep to discover the jazz inflections and influences in her music (check this To Grover, With Love out) .
Still, it's taken nearly two decades for her to release what the singer calls her first "in-your-face" jazz record.
"I always wanted to do a jazz record, but the thing for me was making sure I hooked up with the right people," says Belle about her latest offering.
"I have a special feeling for jazz, and I don't want to disrespect anybody because it requires a different type of study, a different type of focus.
"At the same time, I wanted to make sure that what I was doing was Regina Belle, not Ella Fitzgerald or Nancy Wilson as much as I love them. I needed to make sure that what I did had my signature on it.
Although she's performed such jazz songs as "You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" and "If I Should Lose You" in concert, whenever the Grammy winner broached the topic of making a jazz album, record label officials had a hard time believing.
"They wanted an R&B vocalist, and I could do that, so I did that", she says. "It's a rare occasion when you get an opportunity to do what you want to do".
That opportunity came when Belle, 40somehing now, signed to Peak Records, which also released her Grammy-nominated R&B album, This Is Regina in 2001.
Still, with Belle's versatile, supple voice, Andi Howard, president of the contemporary jazz label, encouraged her to finally make a jazz CD.
"We said, 'Let's do something different, let's do something that shows a side of you maybe your concert-going audience has seen, but maybe your record-buying audience has not heard," Howard says. "At a time when everybody is talking about doing these standards records and jazz records, this is perfect for her".
"Lazy Afternoon" is an album of standards, but unlike similar collections by such diverse artists as Diana Krall, Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, Bette Midler or Carly Simon, Belle doesn't hesitate to radically reinterpret American classics -- such as turning Frank Sinatra's finger-snapping "Fly Me to the Moon," into an elegant ballad.
"I needed to put on a new dress on these songs, some 'Regina-bling,' and that made the difference," says Belle, who lives in suburban Atlanta.
"Trying to sing these songs the same old way they've been sung over the past 50 years wasn't going to work for me, and getting to do my own renditions of songs I've loved for so many years was a real honor."
For "Moanin'", which has been recorded by such artists as Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Ray Charles, and Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (Jon Hendricks wrote the words for Bobby Timmons's original composition), Belle recorded the song as gospel-tinged blues.
"That's the way I used to do it in college with these guys I used to work with," she says. "We did it in a gospel way, and for this I really wanted to do something different."
Helping Belle was an array of noted jazz musicians, including bassist Christian McBride, guitarist Ray Fuller, Everette Harp, Lenny Castro and the Perri Sisters.
"George is just a gifted individual," Belle says, who adds that Duke was her first choice to produce. "He's underrated. There's so much he's done, so much he's accomplished, and George made this album so easy for me."
Secure with the talents surrounding her, Belle even felt comfortable performing "Try a Little Tenderness", a song closely associated with Otis Redding.
The late soul great made the tune his own when he performed a staggering version at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, and it remains one of his signature songs.
Still, Regina was not reticent in giving it her own spin.
"You can't keep his version out of your head," Belle says. "My challenge was making sure I gave the song some justice without going in there and trying to do an Otis Redding.
"I needed to be the best Regina I could be, and hopefully make him smile down on me."
Regina is at the forefront of a new generation of jazz singers. With one of the most distinctive voices in music, the singer - and now also songwriter, check it out on the latest Paul Taylor's Ladies' Choice - pushes the boundaries of conventional jazz performers and expands the jazz repertory creating modern jazz standards.
"Lazy Afternoon" is ultimately, in purely musical terms, a hopeful, sunny, simply wonderful record.

I've had this recording for 2-3 weeks now, and I can't seem to get enough of it. On first listening, from the first few notes breathed from Regina Belle's voice, I knew I was in for something magical.
Even though Regina's sound is recognizable immediately, no one should mistake that statement as characterizing her as standing still musically - her art is continuously evolving and growing. Since the issue of her first albums , I've been following the creativity of her music, and I've never been disappointed.
Regina's music expecting it to be limited to R&B - that would be a big mistake. When asked if her music should be called 'Soul', Regina wisely says `Time spent trying to define the music is time taken away from playing it. I always simply say, "I sing"....
At the peak of her maturity and her most subdued, as its title indicates, the CD sees the singer in full-on ballad mode, tenderly wrapping her burnished pipes around a cherry-picked collection of standards that range from achingly sad to romantically moody.
How good is she?
She manages to put her stamp on songs as well covered as the title tune, which has already been done by the likes of Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughn, Patti Austin...
This is a perfect album that will delight both afficionados of the American Songbook and those who just want music to sigh to...
Does the music touch you or not? This is what matters.
I've always felt that the mark of a master vocalist is the impression left with the listener that the voice is an extension of the performer's very soul - a window to their inner being, through which everything that makes them the person they are can be "seen" in the form of music.
This recording delivers on that rare level - and it soars even higher on repeated listenings.
It's a treasure in the fullest sense of the word.
It could be accused of being almost too sophisticated and tasteful at times, and you can certainly see all those people looking for dinner party music rushing to buy it. Yet that shouldn't detract from the fact that Regina Belle is a wonderful singer and this collection of songs is her best yet.

"If I Shoul Lose You" and ""Why Do Peple Fall In Love" perfectly capture the originals' heartbreaking poignancy quite beautifully.
Although maybe 'cover version' isn't really the right word - Ms. Belle is really a reinterpreter of songs, putting her own spin on most of the numbers here and often making them her own. They're split between standards that most people will recognise and some rather more obscure material.
It won't change your mood, or alter your emotional state, but when it's listened to in a certain frame of mind it soars. I listened to it first on a Sunday afternoon, with a cup of iced tea : it's that kind of music, a warm, slowly engulfing hug of an album that puts Regina's glowing vocals at the forefront.
Ignored by mainstream press and radio, LAZY AFTERNOON is the latest example of an artist - and an album - bypassing the traditional publicity routes and finding success by word of mouth on the internet.

American vocalist supreme Regina Belle is plenty more than the easy-listening artist it's easy to typecast her as, though this album - mixing originals and classics - may be one of the first ones of hers to prove it beyond doubt.
Her engaging,wonderful tones are complemented by George Duke's piano sound and deft contributions from soloists including saxman Everette Harp, percussionist Lenny Castro, bassist Christian McBride, just to name a few.
The tracks are short and the solos are brief but the restrained instrumentation gives Regina's voice plenty of space to charm.
Passionate and emotional it may be, but there's no theatrical wailing and gnashing of teeth here.
Regina Belle has the knack of sounding natural and even offhand when she sings - as if she's talking with a friend.
Regina Belle is elegance personified, putting her sultry stamp on the most popular jazz standards. In fact, she's a rather elegant time-machine, turning back the clock to a time, warmer than this, when music was still for dancing; proverbially, cheek-to-cheek. When all's said and done, she's a torch singer; and, in this respect, and many others, few can hold a candle to her. Her music is the stuff of which memories are made.
On her self-penned "There's A Love", she shows how powerful a word, a whisper can be.
Her liquid gold voice takes on a dark edginess, and on Nina Simone's "If I Should Lose You", a heartbreaking interpretation with piano by Duke and Regina's voice only. A masterpiece of a song, worth alone the price of the album.
It's clear that these songs have been chosen for their lyrics.
The one-time pop goddess has taken a leaf out of Diana Krall's book with this new CD.
The emphasis is firmly on love songs and Regina' lived-in voice is ideal for such jazz ballads as the Gershwins' "The Man I Love" and the splendid Tony Bennett's "Why Do People Fall In Love".
Listen to it, please!

This year has proved a CLASSIC year for lovers of quality music. Here comes an essential album that defies musical pigeonholing; knows no boundaries or lines of demarcation. Regina delighted us with some fantastic albums years ago and now she returns with a vengeance with "Lazy Afternoon", which is what I will call an interpretation album.
These are not simple cover songs. That is the domain for the less able artist, and plenty spring to mind. Regina Belle is much above the arch-mediocrity of proliferating acceptable middle-class orientated "jazz" artists that are seeping their way into the charts with their "cover sets".
As far as I am concerned Regina excels herself with this album of timeless American classics. The album cannot be described as anything less than sheer luxury, sumptousness and exuberance, and overflows with the lady's gospel/jazz/r&b roots, her ever-expansive talent and her boundless energy and enthusiasm. The tempo is down, the mood firmly in the traditions of Soul, Jazz, Groove idiom ( with a hint of Bossa Nova..).
Also she is extremely comfortable with jazz and you can easily sample her gorgeous jazz phrasing on the sax master Paul Taylor's latest Ladies' Choice.
The multi-talented George Duke (keyboardist/pianist/arranger/producer) joins Regina, and we fondly remember them from the fantastic track "JUST THE TWO OF US" (with Steve Cole on sax) from the gorgeous tribute album To Grover, With Love, produced by Jason Miles.
The Perri Sisters, Everette Harp, Lenny Castro, David Parks, Ray Fuller, Gordon Campbell, Alex Al, Oscar Brashear and Christian McBride join in the fun, too. And yes, I do mean fun!
On this album one can clearly hear that all the musicians involved are masters of their craft, in the studio making the music they want to make and are getting their thrills from doing it. The sheer elegance and smoothness of production is palpable and together they work as one to re-craft, remould, tear apart and gently reassemble some of the most well known songs in America's standard songbook.
The opening song will have you hooked; the gentle, lazy, sexy "Lazy Afternoon" and velvet-rich vocals turning this into a song that I may as well never heard before. Sheer quality. The piano and the guitar make this an essential summer song by anyone's standards. This pattern is repeated and each song is a considered, expertly performed track in its own right.
Many conventional readings of such standards as "Fly Me To The Moon" and the Gershwins' "The Man I Love" have given me a lifetime of cold ambivalence to songs which actually contain exquisitely beautiful lyrics. Regina proves its not what you have, it's what you do with it. I think these great songwriters, those past masters that I had once grimaced at, would be very proud of these interpretations. The melodies are pure Regina Belle, the lyrics often precise and cleverly juxtaposed with the bubbling, passionate nature of George Duke's productions yet the perfect match is made and we here we have one of the essential albums for 2005!
"Lazy Afternoon" is perfect for that lazy afternoon (like the one I wish I was having!), "Why Do People Fall In Love" and "For The Love Of You" are Regina-penned gems. George Duke, the Perris and Regina have crafted an indispensable album that will delight established fans, lovers of standard songs, those of a romantic nature and, if justice be done, SHOULD be known to the wider, mass record buying public.
Next time,I'd like to hear Regina making some jazz covers of songs by the unforgettable,legendary LOST VOICE of SOUL : TIMI YURO.
Summer is here. So, in the meantime,enjoy a 'Lazy Afternoon' with Regina!

Regina Belle burst onto scene in 1987 after audaciously giving the Soul/R&B world a renovation so funky, passionate and soulful that hit the charts with All by Myself.
The subsequent album Stay with Me, with its fusion of Anita Baker-inspired licks and contemporary Soul vibes was a musical cocktail that defined the industry standards for best Rhythm and Blues vocals.Eventually it was even nominated for a Grammy award.
"LAZY AFTERNOON" is certainly a radio-friendly and a jazzy treat for her legions of fans.
With sultry vocals and lush accompaniments and arrangements by the one and only George Duke,tracks like
"Why Do People Fall In Love", "If I Ruled The World", "The Man I Love", "If I Should Lose You" allow her to squeeze the maximum amount of jazz juice from the ripe fruit of her artistry.
"Try A Little Tenderness" and "Moanin'" deliver a far more funky sound with some more gorgeous, sexy beats over which Regina pulls an endless series of hook-laden rabbits from her vocalese top hat.
She has had her fair share of success but I think that she wanted to make a record that would stand the test of time with the general public.
It appears that she has succeded,indeed.
This album is a summer soundtrack of such seductive power that Soul/Smooth Jazz lovers will be playing it on lazy...afternoons....
Warning : this album will not cure cancer,solve the Third World debt crisis, convince to face the global warming or unlock the mysteries of the universe..It will not make you more attractive to the opposite (or same !!) sex..It will not defeat STAR WARS....It will not help you pass your exams, make your cup of tea, stop your next door's dog digging up your garden or explain the enduring popularity of Celine Dion or Mariah Carey...
Though given the huge debate (is she still good? where has she been? have you seen her in concert? in tv ? why did she sign with an indie label ? why has Oprah, Regina long-standig admirer, never invited her to her TV talk show...) generated around its release,you could be forgiven for supposing otherwise.
So, if you are feeling tired of the usual stuff that is around,set adrift on JAZZ bliss with this sensuous,beautiful collection of down tempo magic and moody, jazz grooves.
She'll give you the perfect treat for.....ROMANCING !

Good things come to those who wait.
For fans of Regina's incomparably smooth, rich and inimitable voice, it has been a long wait indeed, and what has now come to us is amazingly good. In fact, I think it's perfect.
'Lazy Afternoon' is a very immediate listening experience.
The songs were all recorded in an ensemble fashion, i.e. the way you hear them on the CD is the way they were performed in the studio, with all the musicians playing together as a band. This alone lends a distinct warmth to the recordings, almost a small live club sound.
The arrangements are at times sparse and simple, at times lush and slick, but always beautifully executed.
I don't think Regina's voice has ever been this lovingly underscored by the instrumentation on any of her previous releases.
The Perri sisters' backup vocals and the original a cappella version of "For The Love Of You" that they sing with Regina are an additional treat and create a perfect, heavenly harmony. A wonderful choice.
One might be tempted to describe Regina's new album, "LAZY AFTERNOON" as a transitional CD. She delves into jazz standards, Broadway tunes and torch songs, which could give cynics the impression that, around 40, Regina is moving from her "Make it like It Was" pop/R&B base to the career-prolonging pages of the Great American Songbook.
I don't think that this is the case, and after listening to George Duke's arrangements of tracks such as "Lazy Afternoon", "If I Ruled The World", "Why Do people Fall In Love", you will agree with me.
George Duke has meshed the R&B pathos - background vocals and a brooding bass (supplied mostly by Christian McBride) - that usually accompanies Regina's work with the familiar jazz and show tunes.
It's an honest merger that exemplifies her past hits and her roots.
When you listen to her fantastic hits like "So Many Tears", "What Goes Around" and "My Man", this new recording is really a more pronounced continuation of what she has already done.
Even "Baby Come to Me" is not an R&B song.
It has R&B inflections, but a lot of what she has been doing, the jazz, the gospel...surface together.
Regina singing jazz isn't new to fans who've regularly attended her concerts over the years.
Regina is her true self in this new release. She has always made it a point to sing a jazz number in every recording. "My Man", "Someday We'll All Be Free/Save The Children", "I'm The One" from Believe in Me, "Just The Two Of Us"...
Jazz is such a part of her roots, her fabric...she wants to give people a taste of what she really is.
The title comes from a song she remembers by an idol of hers, Tony Bennett The Essential Tony Bennett.
George Duke adapts the music to suit her. He understands who she is. He's not trying to pigeonhole her or put her in a environment that can't be recaptured during her live shows. Nor does she perform jazz in the Diana Krall kind of way...she just sings it her own way.
The nicest thing about this album is that while some tracks instantly stand out, (say, "Lazy Afternoon" and "Why Do People Fall in Love"), it's impossible to pick favourites after listening to this album a few times: there isn't a single song here that I feel like skipping, something that was not always true for Regina's past releases.
As far as Regina Belle's longtime devotees are concerned, I'm of course preaching to the converted.
But what about the occasional listener who's still checking back to see if a successor to "If I Could" from Passion has finally come along?
Well, it hasn't, and I don't think it will, or even should. That was a great song, of course. But so is each and every track on "Lazy Afternoon".
Start listening.
Baby Come to Me: The Best of Regina Belle
To Grover, With Love
Ladies' Choice

Almost ignored by mainstream press and radio, "Lazy Afternoon" is the latest example of an artist - and an album - bypassing the traditional publicity routes and finding success by word of mouth on the internet.
Male jazz vocalists would do well to take note of the fact that a veritable army of jazz ladies are beating them at their own game. When we consider the spread of male vocal talent on the scene today, we can barely perceive a whisker of a difference between a Harry Connick Jr., a Peter Cincotti, a Michael Bublé or a Jamie Cullum. It's all good, but sometimes the sheer volume of similar material becomes overwhelming. Crossing over to the feminine side, however, we see the broad range from Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, through Norah Jones and and onward to Madeleine Peyroux..
Somewhere along the way, woven into that rich tapestry, is Regina Belle. Belle is a successful R & B artist who has taken advantage of an often commented upon "jazzy" feel to her live performances to produce a highly original album.
True to its hybrid, innovative nature, "Lazy Afternoon" takes in an impressive spread of genre and influence, from Broadway to soul by way of the Isley brothers and some original material. The songs featured may be familiar, but the arrangements are fresh and often surprising.
Regina Belle's name may be familiar to many due to her Grammy-award winning performance alongside Peabo Bryson on Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme), the theme to Aladdin (Disney Special Platinum Edition Collector's Gift Set).
Her success here points towards a flair for polished performance, which serves her well as she interprets such frequently recorded classics as "Fly Me To The Moon".
Michael Bublé lamented his decision to record this song using the same arrangement as Sinatra, recognising that he may have descended into mere pastiche whilst not adding anything new to the piece.
In the hands of Belle, the song is stripped of any hint of swing and becomes something fluid, full of emphatic and heartfelt interpretation. It is elegantly performed without being bland.
It is interesting that Belle cites Tony Bennett as a key influence on her jazz work. She seems keen to pay homage to the man by way of the material that she records, yet she makes that material profoundly her own.
"If I Ruled The World" is removed from its famous punchy crispness by a languid, smooth arrangement that makes the most of Belle's well honed R & B vocal talents.
It is those vocal talents that contribute most to the quality of "Lazy Afternoon" as an album. Belle intended this album to be something very personal, and she achieves this through the expressiveness of her voice. Her ability for lyrical interpretation reinforces her unique vocal sound and the producer George Duke is right to firmly foreground her voice in the mix.
The rich depth and tone that she possesses is shown to great effect on "Why Do People Fall In Love?" whilst the dark classic "Moanin'" showcases her expressive range well.
She manages to put a very personal veneer on "Try A Little Tenderness" and definitely gets through to the sentiment of the Gershwin standard "The Man I Love".
She does, however, like to build to a big finish and I admit that many may find her vocal gymnastics, in the style of the great divas Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Whitney Houston, a little too much to bear. Often you feel as if she should go for the more understated approach of communicating the lyric to the listener, something for which she clearly has a gift, rather than giving her vocal chords a workout. I suppose, though, that if you possess a big voice you want to use it, and we can easily forgive Ms. Belle a little self-indulgence given her fresh yet personal interpretations of the songs she has recorded.
The invigorated freshness that Belle gives to the songs on "Lazy Afternoon" is enhanced by her choice of musical collaborators.
Producer, arranger and keyboard player George Duke helped Belle to write "There's A Love", the gospel-tinged, lively, sole original piece on the album.
He also provides great backing for Belle's singing, most notably on the delicate "If I Should Lose You". Ray Fuller's guitar and Oscar Brashear's trumpet work well with Belle's voice on "What Are You Afraid Of?" whilst Everette Harp closes the same track with some masterful saxophone playing.
The vocal harmonies created by Belle along with backing singers Lori, Sharon and Darlene Perry hit exactly the right spot, too, especially on "The Love I Lost/For The Love of You".
Overall, the album is a quality recording that manages to be smooth and polished, yet original. Regina Belle definitely wears her R & B heart on her sleeve, but in doing so she injects some character and personal touches into jazz songs which may have become a little stale through their frequent performance.
"Lazy Afternoon" is an album by a clearly talented artist that goes beyond the ordinary, confounding the impression that R & B and jazz have both become bland and formulaic by daringly and quite successfully crossing the boundaries between the two musical genres.
I have loved this album since it came out. I have never grown tired of the unmatched vocal stylings of M.Belle and still listen to this album regularly.
The songs are beautiful, sometimes haunting, sometimes fun, but never boring. There are so many talented singers in the world, but none quite like Belle.
Her voice is pure silk, pure control, perfect pitch. Of course, we all have different tastes in music, but your time won't be wasted for trying something as unique as this.
The Essential Tony Bennett
Duets: An American Classic
A Single Woman
Lazy Afternoon
It's Time
Spotlight on Peggy Lee
The Art of ExcellenceSweet 'N' Sassy

Now here's a gorgeous album that I seem to like more and more with each play. At first, to some ears, Regina Belle's style may sound like a nice jazz-inclined variation of Anita Baker's music, but then you'll soon realize that Regina's own style does not entirely fit into the traditionally melodic and quiet-storm genre, and it also takes a while to grow accustomed to her personal, jazzy phrasing and sinuous tone.

However, after a few spins I started to enjoy Regina's original, mellow, jazz interpretations and gradually the CD has become my favourite album of this spring.
Regina herself describes this album as an assortment of fusion jazz, R&B with a dash of Brazilian flavour, but probably BILLBOARD's description is more precise. While enthusing that Regina has created an astonishingly original album which neatly fuses jazz with contemporary soul, it states that "Lazy Afternoon" is "a vocally and musically tantalizing recording that unequivocally delineates the difference between mere singer and talented songstress. Delivering fresh interpretations, Belle's sparkling vocals and sharp phrasing transport listeners to another time and place..."

And indeed, despite the very familiar Baker-ish overtones, Regina certainly has her own, unique style, and as a singer she seems to be at her best when she gets a chance to start some jazz-style improvisation.
This is best displayed in the fabulous "Why Do People Fall In Love", in which Regina romances your senses, with her full-blown vocals over a bassy, slow-tempo groove with some acoustic piano soloing. At the end of the song Regina really is in her element while phrasing over the lively backing in an inspired way.

Another great personal favourite on the album is the track "Fly Me To The Moon", which is a classic, timeless jazz ballad with Ray A.Fuller colouring the guitar-based backing with some tasteful saxophone by Everette Harp.

More robust saxophone playing can be heard on the conventional, yet worthwhile bossanova classic "Corcovado" , while the sensually floating title tune is spiced by Oscar Brashear's muted trumpet performance.

The beautifully stirring "If I Should Lose You" is one of the most memorable tunes on the album and features some awesome acoustic piano soloing by the incomparable George Duke.

The much used cliche' "there's no bad track on the whole album" certainly applies to this 12-tracker, too.

Another ESSENTIAL purchase for lovers of quality soul-jazz by one of the finest female vocalists on the market.

Regina Belle,vocals with: (aggregate personnel) Everette Harp, alto and tenor sax; Oscar Brashear, trumpet; George Duke,keyboards/piano; Ray Fuller, guitar; Christian McBride,basses; Alek Al,electric bass; Gordon Campbell,drums; Dean Parks, acoustic guitar; Lenny Castro,percussion; The Perri Sisters,background vocals.
Time : 63:38 minutes
Highly recommended.

Ever since Passion, Reachin' Back and a couple of tracks "Ooh Boy", "Johnny's Back" from her previous CD This Is Regina and her collaboration with George Duke and saxman Steve Cole on the track " Just The Two of Us " on the album To Grover, With Love, I've been missing her full emotional range, her voice and her stylish phrasing back at the center again.
" Lazy Afternoon" is that promise fulfilled.
George Duke produced the miracle, reaching for Regina's heart, and recording a set of jazz standards that is both eclectic and finely wrought together. This is an album, that rare species of CDs that contain no duds, it's all great.

Still, gems abound. Listen for instance to her voice in the gorgeous " Why Do People Fall In Love ","Corcovado"," For The Love of You", or the lyrics and groove of " Try A Little Tenderness". She can sings!

George Duke's gift is in the nuances and details, here he offers precisely what each song needed. Some almost a wisp of guitar and a quiet bass , or piano , guitars or saxes in those places where it was the thing to have.

Quite simply , this is the best record Belle has made in a long , long time. It seems she has given herself a wake-up call .
All the tracks are beautiful in their purity, with her trademark downbeat, passionate , soulful vocals very much in excellent form . It just feels authentic, as if she is singing from the depths of her soul.

This is a great album , an obvious choice for anyone who'd followed her career, a perfect place to start in your way back to her first album All by Myself, or just a tremendous addition to any respectable collection.

In all,this is an album of a calibre that few will be able to match, with her intimate, stark simplicity demonstrating perfectly that substance and sincerity will always triumph over hype.

It is a truly superb album, sung so beautifully that it will make you have chills up to your spine over and over again.
" Lady 'Belle' Afternoon " really has a voice that would make angels jealous. Buy it, I implore you.

An artist has a right to grow and explore every musical desire and curiosity that lives within their soul and being.
This album is a very adventurous journey and exploration of her vocal abilities and her artistry as a musician.
She growls, she purrs, and intensely soars from the lowest octave to the highest octave she can smoothly reach as she sings passionately in her own distinct style.
Regina Belle pushes herself beyond all her previous vocal barriers and excels beautifully to greater heights as a singer.
This record displays her rawest and most accomplished singing to date both as a Soul singer and Jazz songstylist.
The essence and power of her voice is out front and center all over this tour de force project which Regina was obviously quite involved in from the songwriting ("There's a Love"), choice of musical collaborators and the excellent production, provided by George Duke in state of grace.
She takes some risks here, but they pay off successfully throughout the entire record.
In a time when many pop artists issue strong mainstream jazz vocal records, Regina Belle once again stands out for the originality and distinctiveness of her approach, both vocally and in the spare, supple and sensuous musical accompaniments.
The singer brings her trademark treatments to both her own song and her versions of classics such as Jobim's "Corcovado", the Gershwins' "The Man I Love" and some songs previously recorded by Tony Bennett, one of her strongest influences and brightest points of reference.
In a word, this is a gem of a CD. Don't miss out on it.

These songs could belong to another place in time, but they certainly dust off well and thoroughly shine when Regina sings them.
Just let's think about this fantastic vocalist,at the peak of her splendour and artistic maturity.
To date,as for as Ms.Belle's music is concerned,nothing has changed.Her style,her range,her class : the modern reincarnation of Billie Holiday.
She sings,they listen and nothing else matters but the music.
This CD is a masterpiece, and a sample of a class act,which remains untouched by the highest and greatest accolades.
Piano/keyboard master and producer George Duke assembles an all-star lineup for this romantic and soulful contemporary soul/jazz album.
This album is a perfect mix of instrumentals and vocals that provides all the music you need for a romantic night.Far removed from the clever beats and big-name producers that mark most fashion-conscious hopefuls, Regina's brand of Jazz luxuriates in honey-sweet harmonies and smouldering sexy grooves.
Definitely a strong effort, but I look forward to a second set for her 2nd outing in this arena.
But you've got to give the Lady credit for trying something new. While most artists of her generation are content doing the same thing over and over, it's nice to see the Queen ( Regina = Queen in Latin) take a well calculated risk.

Anyone who's remotely paid attention to the pop scene of the last 20 years knows that Regina Belle ( while not exactly a TV staple or a household name in North America like her peers Anita Baker , Diana Krall , Queen Latifah , Celine Dion....regrettably I've not seen her on TV in years !! ) is a critics' darling and one of the most expressive and distinctive vocalists of our times. Her voice is instantly recognizable : rich, deep, with an incredible flexibility that allows her to move effortlessly from rumbling low notes right up to all of the higher notes.
Although Regina has usually experimented with pop/r&b in many formats before, she is no stranger to covering standards and singing jazz.. She had a hit single with "What goes around " in the 80s , another huge 'radio' smashing hit " Just The Two Of Us " ( from the Tribute album "To Grover,with Love" , with Steve Cole and George Duke ) in 2001 and has also tackled a few other golden chestnuts over the course of her brilliant career. However, "Lazy Afternoon" is the first time that she has dedicated an entire album to that musical genre, perhaps because many veteran artists have managed to stay in the spotlight with such recordings in the last few years.

But there is something different about "Lazy Afternoon", in that these songs are not solely romantic ballads that one can play over dinner parties. There is a honesty, a sincerity , a lyricism to some of these songs, and to Regina's rendition of those songs, that sets the album apart from the rest. Her selection of material does include the more familiar romantic songs ("The man I love", "Lazy Afternoon", "Fly Me To The Moon", the Brazilian classic " Corcovado"), but also reaches for lesser known numbers that sometimes tug at the listeners's heart strings (the startling " If I Should Lose You " may be one of her finest recordings ever) , the wondrous "Why Do People Fall In Love", previously recorded by Tony Bennett...

It has to be said that producer George Duke's arrangements are an example in sobriety, highlighting Belle's vocals and setting the atmosphere without retorting to muzak strategies.

Regina's vocal delivery also shows some remarkable nuances, especially on the closing " Try A Llittle tenderness ," where she sometimes goes from the softest singing to soaring notes within the very same verse.

Their combined efforts result in a very cohesive album that beautifully flows from song to song, with a nostalgic edge that contributes to the album's somber tones.

Regina Belle has never let me down. To me she is the epitome of the "thinking woman's" soul/jazz singer. In an ever-increasing world where marketing and target groups merge with what I call the globalization effect where music, games, video and film are being molded together there is little or no scope for quality artists to express themselves exactly how they feel fit.
In other words, there is no room for individuality and uniqueness.

She was well ahead of this game when she realized that she and major label thinking were not compatible. Thankfully this was the making of Regina and through her own efforts she gives us exactly what she wants us to have.
As it happens it is exactly the sort of material I want to hear. Furthermore I feel that "Lazy Afternoon" is a defining moment in Regina's career.
Regina has always addressed issues of love and relationship, and rightly so, and she takes this theme of love to another level, and also a lot deeper.
It is a piece of powerful music, strong, positive music all wrapped up in that unique blend of haunting, erotic, soulful sound that we all love. I can't really pick out a favourite song. Just put it in the CD player and press play.
This album deserves massive airplay and recognition. For me it is a timely release, and serves as an evaluation for all who wisely invest their time listening to it. I get the impression, through Regina's music and this CD in particular that she is a very serious, intelligent and very deep woman.
She herself admits that she can be 'opinionated', and this CD lets her do that in a very poignant way.
"Lazy Afternoon" is a real goose-bump maker; an exercise in ethereal beauty. This sumptuous song is followed by a real Broadway gem called "If I Ruled The World". This song focuses on love and relationship, reminding us of better days when the world was more discreet and poetic about the act of love, unlike many of today's discourses of graphic crassness and material greed. There is such a love feeling revealed in this song, and if only more took this sentiment to heart then the world around us would be a much better place.

In "Why Do People Fall In Love" Regina sings of a lonely woman and broken heart. This type of sensitivity explores one woman's pain in relation to the world. Love is important and needs to be handled with care. This is really a beautiful song with modern lyrics that gives me chills up to my spine anytime I listen to it.
Oh, I love this song...so beautiful !!
Every song on here has a rich musical tapestry interwoven amongst the words. The melodies, instrumentation and sheer synchronicity of emotion with purpose and direction is really awesome.
Musicianship is stellar, the production impeccable and superb.A dozen of the most incredible jazz masters join Regina in spectacular fashion.
This is not simply just another Regina Belle album - and if it was it would still be essential - it is a landmark recording for the chic songstess, and an album which needs to be widely heard to encourage free thinking more than anything else.
It is emotional, it is thoughtful, it has passion and pain. It is outstanding. One of the best jazz albums of the decade, pure and simple.

She's been one of my favorite singesr for years and years -- I've seen dozens of her live shows over the years -- and she's still going strong with LAZY AFTERNOON.
The wide range of songs shows to distinction her ability to shift moods and tempos, all the while retaining her unique style, casting her own mood.
Thanks to the producer George Duke and to an outstanding supporting cast of musicians, LAZY AFTERNOON has got the kind of visibility and enthusiasm that the venerated jazz/soul vocalist doesn't usually keep nowadays, when people are very much on the taste level not higher than American Idol.
The album drops her in a whole new world of earthy, textured sound.
No one else sounds like Ms. Belle, and that's a good and great thing.
On this CD, her version of "Why Do People Fall In Love" shows her in full bloom, maturity, elegance and experience.
"Try a Little tenderness" is an engaing, modern, perfect ending.
You'll get a grand musical tour from this CD.
On a related note, Regina's REACHIN' BACK, from the '90s, remains my all-time favorite CD. I've heard it hundreds of times.
To this day, it's my standard go-to gift when I want to treat a friend or colleague to something truly special. You can't go wrong with this great LADY!
Don't play this CD for the first time without having time to relax and enjoy it with a glass of your favorite wine--you'll want to listen to it again after you've played it through because it's that beautiful and special.

Why do record companies put so much of their money and energy into creating acts that are hugely, but only briefly, successful?
Sooner or later the record industry will have to throw out its current business model, because listeners are more and more aware of the quality of CDs that they may or want to buy.
Just let's think about this fantastic vocalist, at the peak of her splendour and artistic maturity.
To date, as for as Ms.Belle's music is concerned, nothing has changed .Her style, her range, her class : the modern reincarnation of Billie Holiday.
She sings, they listen and nothing else matters but the music.
The healing touch will always be there...
This CD is a masterpiece, and a sample of a class act, which remains untouched by the highest and greatest accolades.
Piano/keyboard master and producer George Duke assembles an all-star lineup for this romantic and soulful contemporary soul/jazz album.
This album is a perfect mix of instrumentals and vocals that provides all the music you need for a romantic night.
On first listening, you can't say that you are immediately taken only by her gorgeous and powerful voice.
It takes a little more time and after a while you are addicted to this top-notch CD.
The combination of Soul/Jazz was always going to be a winner and this CD proves the point in spectacular fashion.
Regina's startling technical virtuosity is obvious but she is also a wonderfully musical artist and retains a lyrical grace at even the most searing tempos.
The beautiful standards are equally compelling and are interspersed with well-chosen traditional R&B/smooth jazz material.
This disc is really UNIQUE in its own right !
Far removed from the clever beats and big-name producers that mark most fashion-conscious hopefuls , Regina's brand of Jazz luxuriates in honey-sweet harmonies and smouldering sexy grooves.
I am glad to notice that LAzY AFTERNOON is still on heavy rotation on jazz radio stations and well received by web buyers, despite the bad start due to a total lack of promotion.
Quality speaks for itself!!
It's just a matter of time.
Regina Belle uses all her skills, her sultry delivery and her accumulated musical acumen : you can't resists her.
LAZY AFTERNOON is refreshing enough to carry the singer far beyond the inner circle of R&B aficionados who claim her as their own.
It's a front-runner for Jazz/Soul/Lounge disc of our days.

An exceptionally talented singer, Regina Belle brings lustre and excitement to an attractive selection of standards.
Her voice is full and flowing and she interprets the lyrics with wit, sexiness and integrity and she is always supremely musical.
She is supported by several noted musicians on the international jazz scene.
This CD is filled with beautiful music, wonderfully well sung and played.
I had the chance to see her performing LIVE : it was a sublime evening to remember with one of the greatest artists in the world today.
A truly exceptional talent who has it all: grace, elegance, charm, rhythm, energy, passion, romance, and a voice that reaches deep into your soul, taking you to special places you never knew existed before.
I'd like to thank Concord Jazz for such a wondeful album: enchanting, melodic, entrancing and moving.

It's almost impossible to know where to turn at the moment if you are happy riding the wave of resurgent " accessible " jazz.
Jamie Cullum, Diana Krall and Michael Buble have all contributed to an upsurge in the popularity and the listenability of jazz. And you can add Regina Belle to the pile.
Belle is similar to Krall in that she doesn't only revisit jazz standards, and that she often takes quite big risks by completely reshaping a song, as a listen to the Gershwins' " The Man I Love" will amply confirm.
On the whole, the risk-taking pays out handsomely, with some excellent tracks, well-arranged and excellently performed.
The sublime Regina Belle has a prodigious jazz voice and has a backing band plainly in tune with where she wanted to take this album.
"Why Do People Fall In Love " is for me the stand-out track.
In an age of such mass produced commercial garbage in the music world it is unusual to come across such a great uncompromising honest album that works. Every track just hits the button.
Regina Belle is clearly a musical genius and will surely become a legend.
Well , she is already a LEGEND....
What a fantastic album!
I was recommended this by a friend and I just can't get enough of it. Regina's singing and phrasing is so exquisite, so moving and so enjoyable. This album is a genuine mix of styles and moods, all of which she combines masterfully.
This is one of those rare albums where you never have to use the skip button, as each track is such a joy, revealing something new on each listen.
Just magnificent - a real treat!
As it was to me, I strongly recommend you check this album out. It is not often you can claim to have found something fresh, new and exciting, but this album truly stands out. An absolute gem just waiting to be discovered.

This is yet another sensational album from Regina .
Her wonderful voice, songs' selection and the brilliant arrangements make for another great album to add to her already impressive body of work.
Produced by the legendary George Duke, the album has a very 'classic' feel to it.
I often feel that old songs reinterpreted can be a bit tired and clichéd, yet one never has this feeling when listening to this album.
The songs always sound fresh and the tone always spot on - it's as if she instinctively knows how these songs should be played.
The title track and ' Why Do people Fall In Love' stand out for me as personal favourites, but all 12 tracks work together wonderfully.
'Lazy Afternoon' is sure to further Regina Belle's already mightily impressive reputation.
Thank you, Regina !

It' s fair to say that the people of the Music Industry are a fickle bunch and often fully divided in their contrasting opinions of where lies the future of modern musical talent ( or , most of times , where is the gold mine which may exploited in the most profitable and commercial way ).

As rare as it is that these experts will agree on anything, it's interesting and refreshing to see that amongst them we currently have an artist that everybody is talking up with considerable acclaim as the modern reincarnation of Billie Holiday - the adorable and incomparable Regina Belle.

Of course the reason for this comparison is immediately apparent upon hearing this great lady's dulcet tones - soft, lilting, soulful, persuasive, immediately reminiscent of Lady Day but with a modern edge, it's the sort of liquid voice that soothes your brow and caresses your tired brain.

The 41 year old songstress has produced an album of soulful and sensual jazz covers that is just the perfect antidote to hectic modern life, leaving the listener wanting more..

This is a side of the artist that has been present in everything she ever recorded, and deserves the focus it receives here. In these dark times in the early 21st century, these are songs from the American songbook delivered by a true American original.

The highlights here are Ms. Belle's textbook reading of Tony Bennett's "Why Do People Fall In Love" and "If I Ruled The World", and her deeply moving version of the Gershwins' " The Man I Love " .

To sum up then, this palpable excitement is actually 100% pure diamond warranted - buy it now and tell your friends in a smug tone how you discovered it.

What you get here is that rare treat of audible talent: a voice which is unique, a soulful phrasing, fine, accurate technique, virtuoso, passionate playing and music that comes from deep inside the soul and achieves an effect that's at once old and familiar, fresh and intriguing.
Regina Belle and her guest musicians will entertain you till late night.
Because this is an album that has enough atmosphere and musicality to etch its way into any romantic's head after about three playings.
This is very much for lovers of tunes and life.
Be ready to get struck.

For the people who are not aware, Regina Belle, back at the end of the 80s, was at the top of her game, scoring with memorable R&B ballads like "Baby Come To Me" , "What goes Around" from Stay with Me, "Make it Like it was" , "If I Could" from Passion (recorded lately by the record selling "Sellin" Dion in her latest CD Miracle with a totally uninspired mood) and her Grammy Award winning Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme) with Peabo Bryson.
Her commanding but intimate vocals seem perfectly suited to this sumptuous set of jazz and R&B standards, most of which have been done to death before.
Regina, however, manages to put her distinctive own signature spin on these songs thanks in large part to the skilled approach of the seasoned, legendary producer George Duke who gives her the musical foundations to breathe NEW life into classics such as "Fly Me To The Moon" and "Try A Little Tenderness" at the crossroad of Jazz, pop and Soul.
Regina shimmies across the spectrum with cool yet vibrant, sexy struts, supported by a stellar musicianship and celestial vocal harmonies by the Perri Sisters.
An "UNMISSABLE" body of work. You have to have it in your CD collection if you like QUALITY music!

I have to admit that, at first listening, I found some aspects of Ms.Belle's interpretations of these pieces disorienting. However, as I listened to these covers repeatedly, I can now say that I understand better what the vocalist is after. Not that I always agree with her and with George Duke,the arranger/producer, but I agree with their choices and their totally new project and enjoy having had my horizons broadened.
Ms.Belle has immense talent, superb technique, and a clear idea of each piece, and she delivers the goods without faltering or compromise. I admire that a lot in a performer. Her choices ask us for a reaction and we are free to accept or reject what she has offered us. When I first heard these renditions, I was quite stand-offish, but over time I have come to appreciate them more and more - almost to the point of addiction - and am grateful to Regina and George for their strength of conviction as well as their superior musicianship.They do NOT want us to listen in a passive way, they are waiting for our reaction..and God, this is really so,so good....That's the true spirit in which an album should be recorded.
I'd encourage you to get this album because it is about strong, powerful and personal interpretations of some great jazz standards by Regina. You may love everything about it, or you may reject aspects of her interpretations. But in any case you will not remain indifferent; you will be enriched by hearing these pieces in a clear and beautifully personal way. That is an important aspect of why I love this imaginative, innovative quality music and why this recording is invaluable.
And it cannot be said enough that her backing band is incredible, giving this album the necessary push to take it over the edge. It is a success because it skilfully avoids being categorized. Regina has had the courage to break out of the traditional mould and make a successful cross-over, which some purists may not approve of...
Only time will tell....

This majestically brilliant album is an exploration of traditional standards from one of the most distinctive and celebrated voices of our generation.

Look at the title of the album, scan the songs, and even before you hear a word soar in on Regina's voice - this intimate, smoky, perfectly tuned, velvet-gloved nylon spring of a voice - you start to wonder... It's poignant , fresh , engaging , moving and elegant.

I was a little startled when I first listened to this CD. Ms. Belle has a very unusual voice that can be a bit distressing at first. However, I gave the album a second listen and found I loved it. Her voice is foggy and beautiful; giving the songs she sings a wonderful uniqueness.

' Lazy Afternoon ' is a collection of jazzy melodies to be treasured. With Ms. Belle's stunning presence and voice, it wouldn't surprise me at all if some film producers or movie directors like Sipike Lee, Woody Allen, Ang Lee or George Clooney discover this album and feature it and her in some well-acclaimed films of the future, and raise her stock considerably.

If that happens, well folks, you read it here first.

I heartily recommend this lady's music to all.

At 40something, jazz/soul vocalist Regina Belle has, no matter how unlikely, endured the heartbreak and romance that populates the lyrics of great jazz standards.
However, backed by a superb ensemble that includes pianist George Duke and bassist Christian McBride, Regina's latest outing is assured, intelligent and remarkably soulful.
With an obvious reverence towards Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, her voice pushes and pulls melodies to unexpected times and slides playfully between inside and outside notes.
It's the ballads like "The man I Love", "Why Do People Fall In Love" and "If I ruled The World" that sound timeless.
Complemented by relaxed saxophone playing from Everette Harp and sensuous guitar playing from Ray Fuller, supported by heavenly background vocals by the legendary Perri Sisters, Regina Belle has successfully created an album sentimental enough to make great background music.
Her honesty and creativity, however, will reward more serious listeners with hours of repeated listening.

Regina Belle changes her course with this magnificent album and with her superb vocal stilings. The mood is very relaxing, with track # 1 and # 7 standing out as real growers.

" If I Should Lose You " is a haunting piece of vocal artistry. George Duke provides quality piano/keyboard delights on all track while Everette Harp's sax playing gets better with every album. I don't think I took it out of the CD player for about a week after I first bought it.

A beautifully balanced work of mainly jazz standards and Broadway melodies combining instrumental gems and some cocktail jazz vocals courtesy of the very talented songstress. Thoroughly recommended and I don't think you even need to be a jazz fan. Truly magnificent and deserving to propel Ms.Belle to the very top.