With inspiration from his stylistic ancestors Nat King Cole and Joe Williams, John Dokes brings new life to the deep-souled world of baritone jazz vocals on his elegant new album, Our Day, on his Swing Theory Entertainment imprint (out via Swing Theory Entertainment).

In delivering a distinctive post-pandemic outing of classic songs embodied with hopeful passion, Dokes—once a champion Lindy Hop dancer—also promises that his new endeavor is “an album that will make you move.”

Our Day features songs associated with Cole (such as the smooth low-toned “Almost Like Being in Love,” the delightful Rodgers and Hart gem, “This Can’t Be Love,” the Latin-vibed “L.O.V.E.” that elicits dancing), two vocalese numbers (Jon Hendricks’ take on one-time Jazz Messenger composer Bobby Timmons’ “Moanin’,” Mark Murphy’s swinging run through Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay”), the full-energy pop vibe on Billy Ocean’s hit “Suddenly,” and the calming Michel Legrand tune “I Will Wait for You” made famous from the Frank Sinatra songbook.

“Even though I grew up with hip-hop, I made a transition to something that I could do for a longer time in my life,” Dokes says. “I switched to swing. I came to singing later in my life, but I gravitated to the music I was most passionate about—the eras of the ‘40s, ‘50s, early ‘60s. I started picking songs that really moved me. Over the years, I’m still learning how to get the best of my voice so I’m going deeper which shows me more of who I am.”

1. Our Day Will Come
2. Moanin’
3. Suddenly
4. Almost Like Being in Love
5. I Will Wait For You 6. On the Red Clay
7. L.O.V.E.
8. Don’t Blame Me
9. This Can’t Be Love
10. Everything Must Change

This personification of elegance and smoothness opens on the beautiful love song Our Day Will Come and the bluesy Moanin’ and they are followed by the playfully perky Suddenly, the rhythmically strident, 1947 musical Brigadoon affair Almost Like Being in Love and then comes the pleasing melodies within I Will Wait for You.

A native of Little Rock, Arkansas who grew up living in Oakland, California, Dokes next brings us the dutifully arranged On the Red Clay which is itself backed by the bountiful L.O.V.E. and then come coquettish Don’t Blame Me, the recording rounding out on a stunning Rodgers & Hart rendition of This Can’t Be Love, closing on the veritably cinematic Everything Must Change.

www.johndokes.com