| Colors | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Ken Nordine |
| Cover: | Colors (Ken Nordine album).jpg |
| Alt: | A swirling series of faces in many colors on a black background |
| Released: | 1966 |
| Studio: | Universal Studio A, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genre: | Jazz |
| Length: | 53:47 |
| Label: | Philips |
| Producer: | James C. Cunningham |
| Chronology: | Ken Nordine |
| Prev Title: | Presenting The Hammond Grand 100 Organ |
| Prev Year: | 1964 |
| Next Title: | Ken Nordine Does Robert Shure – Twink |
| Next Year: | 1967 |
Colors is a "word jazz" album by voice-over and recording artist Ken Nordine. The Fuller Paint Company commissioned ten songs for radio advertisements. Because listeners enjoyed the recordings and requested the radio play them again, the project expanded into an album of 34 songs.[1] [2] Each track personifies a different color or hue.[3]
A review from All About Jazz calls this release "brilliant" and states that "Nordine breathes baritoned life into hues that often pass our eyes but which can now color our ears as well".[4] Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Lindsay Planer writing that "there aren't many artists who could get away with creating an album of short eclectic odes to the various relatives and extended kinfolk of Roy G. Biv (aka the primary color continuum of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). But then again, there are few (if any) like word-jazz architect Ken Nordine."[5]
The album was re-released in 1995 by Asphodel Records, bringing it renewed attention in Billboard,[6] where it was highlighted as part of a trend of easy listening and vocal jazz albums coming out on compact disc.[7] This re-release was chosen by CMJ New Music Monthly as Weird Record of the Month, with the review stating that "there's no other record like it".[8]
All songs composed by Dick Campbell and Ken Nordine, except where noted.
The backside of the album describes a game that can be played while listening to the album.
The first 24 colors in the album have a playing tip associated with the color.
| Olive | is overused | |
| Lavender | need delicate handling | |
| Burgundy | moves slowly | |
| Yellow | work well for paranoia | |
| Green | is deceiving | |
| Beige | demands caution | |
| Maroon | makes it | |
| Ecru | decisions take time | |
| Chartreuse | you use freely | |
| Turquoise | takes over | |
| White | is a little off | |
| Flesh | is complicated | |
| Azure | is narcissistic | |
| Puce | fills depressions | |
| Magenta | makes marvelous nonsense | |
| Orange | is good fun in streaks | |
| Purple | doesn't mix easily | |
| Muddy | is hope | |
| Russet | always fits in | |
| Amber | is for the middle | |
| Blue | can change things | |
| Black | is a family problem | |
| Gold | can be holy | |
| Crimson | gets out of control |
