Within the confines of jazz anything goes, and the album “Colors” by Ken Nordine is rich with this notion. Nearly an hour in length, these 24 songs are dedicated to some of the most interesting and playful descriptions and adaptations of colors. During my record store days, this was one of the other employee’s picks of the month once and represents the majority of exposure I’ve had to Ken Nordine. It reveals Nordine’s special way of approaching music and how quite possibly only he could create an album like “Colors.” Each song surprises its audience with a unique take on the color of choice as he talks us through inventive stories that the colors inhabit. One would never imagine stories so rich for the likes of olive or beige or ecru. Much of the album feels as if a jungle has re-conceived itself as music, slinking its way up and down and all around. Perfect for coloring the grey sky of this Sunday afternoon, take a little tour of our visible light spectrum with Ken Nordine and learn about the secret and unpredictable lives of colors.

“Colors” by Ken Nordine, full album