Dick Noel

I was given a copy today of a 1985 LP by singer Dick Noel. I was aware of him as a highly regarded Chicago studio singer, but never actually heard him till now. After listening to this one recording, I am thoroughly "sold" on him. The LP, "A Time For Love" on Legend Records, has over-the-top liner notes by Mel Torme who cannot say enough good things about Noel. The accompaniment is by Chicago piano fixture Larry Novak. Just piano and voice all the way through the ten-song repretoire that includes "A Time for Love," "The Girl Next Door," "Emily" "Why Did I Choose You?" and others equally tasty. Known mostly as a jingle singer, I am wondering if this is his only album? As such, I would instantly rank it as a worthy companion disc to the vocal album by which I measure all others, Irene Kral's "A Time for Love."

I am led to believe by the party who laid the album on me that there are some other unreleased tracks from the session that have not seen the light of day yet. A total non-entity in the world of commercial jazz vocal recordings, I can't but help but wonder, "Are there any more at home like him?" AND where might HE be found these days if he has not already gone to that place from which no one returns? Anyone know ANYTHING about him?

He has a nice butch-sounding delivery that is just legit enough without evoking the unbearable spectre of singers such as Robert Goulet, et al. Great pitch, conception, enunciation! Just perfect! Mel Torme was right about Dick Noel: "He's something else!"