Maps of Music

2:00 AM Paradise Café (1984)

Where the lyrics of 2:00 AM Paradise Café take you, and where it was really made.

Barry Manilow recorded this album live in one take with veteran jazz players and no overdubs.

Key places

Recorded live at Westlake Studio 'C' (1984)

Recording site Westlake Recording Studios — The whole album was rehearsed for three days, then recorded live in one take at Westlake Studio 'C' in Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• 2:00 AM Paradise Café: tenth studio album by singer-songwriter Barry Manilow
• Released 15 November 1984 on Arista Records
• Available on long playing, cassette, and compact disc
• Produced by Manilow, who wrote all the music
• Recorded live with a jazz band rather than in layered studio sessions

Background

• Johnny Mercer's widow, Ginger, gave Manilow a set of Mercer lyrics that had never been set to music
• Manilow used only Mercer's 'When October Goes' from that set
• Veteran jazz musicians recruited: Bill Mays, Gerry Mulligan, Shelly Manne, Mundell Lowe, George Duvivier
• Mel Tormé and Sarah Vaughan enlisted for vocal duets

Recording

• The whole album was rehearsed for three days
• Then recorded entirely live, in one take, without overdubs
• Recording location: Westlake Studio 'C' in Los Angeles, California
• Recorded by Michael Braunstein, with Deni King as assistant engineer

Cover

• Front cover photography by Leon Lecash
• Back cover photography by Jay Thompson

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York City.
• Began as a commercial jingle writer and singer in the 1960s, writing and singing TV jingles for brands such as Band-Aid and State Farm.
• Signed by Columbia/CBS Music vice-president Tony Orlando, and recorded as Featherbed on Bell Records.
• Bette Midler chose him as her pianist and producer in the early 1970s.
• Breakthrough hit "Mandy" (1974), the start of a long string of hit singles and albums.
• Hits include "Could It Be Magic", "I Write the Songs", "Copacabana (At the Copa)", and "Can't Smile Without You".
• Has released 51 Top 40 singles on the Adult Contemporary chart, including 13 number ones.
• Has sold more than 85 million records as a solo artist worldwide.
• Nominated for a Grammy Award 15 times from 1973 to 2015, winning once.
• Performed a long Las Vegas residency at the Las Vegas Hilton and the Paris Hotel.

Members

• Solo artist; Featherbed was a studio group name used in the early 1970s.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released 15 November 1984 on Arista Records
• Available on long playing, cassette, and compact disc
• Discogs lists the copyright as ℗ & © 1984 Arista Records Inc.
• Sleeve notes state UK distribution by Polygram Record Operations Ltd.
• Singles: 'When October Goes' first, then 'Paradise Cafe' the following year
• Vocals and acoustic piano: Barry Manilow
• Acoustic piano and Rhodes electric piano: Bill Mays
• Guitar: Mundell Lowe; double bass: George Duvivier; drums: Shelly Manne
• Baritone saxophone: Gerry Mulligan

Records

• Billboard 200 peak: No. 28
• United States: Gold certification

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Trivia

• Sarah Vaughan sings a duet with Manilow on 'Blue'
• Mel Tormé sings a duet with Manilow on 'Big City Blues'
• The album's first single, 'When October Goes', was followed the next year by the title track 'Paradise Cafe'
• Side A has five tracks and side B has six, eleven songs in all

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

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