Red Hot & Blue: Cole Porter Tribute
There's a long tradition of artists banding together for a noble cause, but--needless to say--good intentions are no guarantee of good art. Fortunately, the twain do meet and the project even succeeds with creative flair in this compilation. It kicked off theRed Hot AIDS Benefit seriesback in 1990 and in fact launched its own sort of minigenre, including theme albums devoted toGeorge GershwinandDuke Ellington. In fact, this eclectic mix ofCole Portercovers interpreted by a wide swath of contemporary artists unfurls a pretty ambitious agenda in addition to its message of AIDS awareness and compassion. Here, the legacy of this ultra-sophisticated, closeted master of the popular song from the era of the "lost generation" is presented as a source of rejuvenating inspiration. Porter's craft seems validated by the very flexibility of the original songs as they get retrofitted to encompass styles ranging fromU2andTom WaitstoJungle Brothers. There's an occasional miscalculation (Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop's didactic "updating" of Porter's bon vivant wit doesn't compare well with the original), but moments of stunning fusion abound (Sinéad O'ConnorandAnnie Lenoxcontribute especially memorable gems). Instead of getting lost in translation,Red Hot + Blueadds a whole new dimension to the art of swellegance.--Thomas May