Jeffrey Osborne interview on Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Coltrane and new album (Photos)

It's Valentine's Day and legend Jeffrey Osborne just released the enticingly well-timed new album "A Time For Love." So, "when you fall in love," with the album and part one of the intimate interview, remember a second interview and more albums are also on the way as Osborne discusses here some of his magical, supreme loves:

W.E. How did some of your musical and creative influences impact the new album, the song choices, the way it sounds?

J.O. I think I was affected quite a bit by musical and creative influences that go all the way back to my childhood. I selected songs like “When I Fall in Love,” which was recorded by one of my all-time favorite singers (Nat King Cole). I have listened to his version over and over again throughout my entire life. Even to “A Time for Love.” I love Tony Bennett’s version, Gloria Lynn’s version… you name it. I could go down the list of songs on the album and talk about how each one was so important to me for so long. “My One and Only Love” – Johnny Hartman got together with John Coltrane for a version I have listened to so many, many times… all of these singers heavily influenced me as a vocalist.

W.E. Did you feel like there was a specific plan for each song?

J.O. I really picked the best person in the world to do these songs with, producer/musician George Duke, and we took our time in selecting which ones we wanted to record, and then sat down with George on piano and went through these songs backwards and forwards. George created incredible arrangements – the beauty of the record is that so many of these songs have been done a million times but the treatments are different, thanks to George. He gave each song a different feel and sound and we recorded this whole thing live. I sang while they played and that’s not done often anymore. It was really a kind of a magical feeling, making this album.

W.E. Did you come out of the process thinking you might want to make more albums in this vein, have a series of them?

J.O. I would love to. There are so many classic standard songs that I love that it was hard to choose just a few for this album, so I would like to do another record like this.

Stay tuned for part II with an inside look at recording with Chaka Khan and how Jeffrey enjoys six championship rings from the Los Angeles Lakers.