2:00 AM Paradise Cafe

2:00 AM Paradise Cafe
Studio album by Barry Manilow
Released	November 15, 1984
Genre	Pop Easy listening
Length	49:15
Label	Arista
Producer	Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow chronology
Greatest Hits Vol. II (1983) 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe (1984) Copacabana: Soundtrack (1985)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[2]

2:00 AM Paradise Cafe is the fourteenth album by singer-songwriter Barry Manilow. The album was a radical departure from Manilow's previous work of highly polished pop. Manilow wrote in the liner notes that the record's concept came to him in a dream. Johnny Mercer's widow, Ginger, entrusted Manilow with a cache of Mercer's lyrics that had never been set to music. Although Manilow used only Mercer's "When October Goes" for the project, he created an album of all original songs with a torchy, smokey jazz style. He recruited veteran jazz musicians Bill Mays, Gerry Mulligan, Shelly Manne, Mundell Lowe, and George Duvivier. Also enlisted for vocal duets were Mel Tormé and Sarah Vaughan. The entire album was rehearsed for three days, then recorded entirely live (in one take) without overdubs at Westlake Studio 'C' in Los Angeles, California and released in 1984.

The album went platinum for Manilow, and peaked at #28 on the Billboard 200.

Track listing

Side One

Side Two

Personnel

• Barry Manilow – vocals, keyboards, piano
• Mel Tormé – vocals
• Sarah Vaughan – vocals
• Bill Mays – piano, Fender Rhodes
• Gerry Mulligan – baritone saxophone
• Mundell Lowe – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
• George Duvivier – double bass
• Shelly Manne – drums, percussion

Production

• Arranged & Produced By Barry Manilow
• Recorded & Engineered By Michael Braunstein
• Assistant Engineers: Deni King, Greg Laney

References