Track Listing

1. My Babe
2. That's All Right
3. Crazy
4. Everybody Cryin' Mercy
5. I Can't Stand Losing You
6. Lullaby On The Hudson
7. I Think It's Going To Rain Today
8. Columbus Avenue
9. Side By Side
10. In Between Love
11. It Amazes Me
12. Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91293 in Music
• Released on: 2006-03-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 57 minutes

Album Review
Since signing to Concord and releasing Baby Plays Around, an album of jazz standards, in 2001, Curtis Stigers has really found his footing, and with I Think It's Going to Rain Today, he continues to recast pop and rock ballads in easy, elegant jazz settings, an approach that allows his expressive, slightly raspy voice to work its wonders. It is an encouraging synthesis, and much like Cassandra Wilson, Stigers has an unerring eye for pop material that gains depth and emotional range when transferred to the jazz arena. Here he hits right out of the box with a wonderful restructuring of Willie Dixon's "My Babe," resurrects Mose Allison's Vietnam-era "Everybody Cryin' Mercy," and delivers an urbane reading of an early Tom Waits' song, "In Between Love" that reveals the impossible romantic that lurks under Waits' hipster growl. Stigers has also developed into an impressive writer, as well, and the two originals here, "Lullaby on the Hudson" and "Columbus Avenue," are both well configured, literate vignettes that more than hold their own along side such gems as Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," a classic ballad of conflicted emotions edging gracefully into ennui. This is an album of jazz-pop in the best sense, meaning it isn't pop done jazzy, but pop actually done as jazz, which is an entirely different horse, even if some radio programmers will fail to grasp it. I Think It's Going to Rain Today is a fine and nuanced album, and Stigers is on to something here. He's an artist worth following closely, particularly if his writing continues to develop. --Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

It Amazes Me ...
I purchased this CD from the States where it has been released since mid-April.

Yet another wonderful and eclectic collection from the talented Curtis Stigers, plus two self-written songs which are a most welcome feature for this long-time fan. Sentimental, romantic and timeless.

I urge anyone to go check it out, and hope that this site will have sample tracks available before the release date.

Anyone who saw Curtis during early 2005 will have heard some of this material tried out - "My Babe" and "That"s All Right" being fabulous upbeat numbers and Willie Nelson's "Crazy" being very much a show stopper!

The title track is a beautiful song, and "It Amazes Me" is sublime.

Two of the numbers are songs not recognised by me, Mose Allison's "Everybody Cryin' Mercy" is extremely relevant to these troubled times we live in, and the bonus track "Take Me Out To The Ballgame."

If you want to see Curtis live, he will be appearing in London during June 2005.

Will it ever rain again?
The day after I saw Curtis Stigers last summer, I went straight out and bought this CD. His live performance had been warm, witty and perfect for cuddling up to the one you love, the album is no different.
An ecletic collection of covers, all given their own twist, all saying something new (especially in the case of "Everybody Cryin' Mercy), together with a smattering of his own, beautifully romantic work. Had I seen Tom Waites "In Between Love" on the cd track listing before I heard him sing it live I would have had second thoughts - no one should cover this, it's sacrilegious! - but I heard Stigers sing it live first and found myself, feeling guilty, but loving it.

Tri-Fi, his band, play with great feeling and a very sure touch (well worth checking their own work out too).

This works on 2 levels - the perfect accompaniment for a candlelight dinner, and as something to sit alone with and listen more carefully. Either way, you will finish with a smile on your face.

Better and better
This is a truly brilliant piece of work - the covering and re-working of classics into the Stigers way makes for very easy and enjoyable listening. If you like easy-listening jazz, then this album is a 'must buy'.