Lazy Afternoon (Regina Belle album)

Lazy Afternoon is the seventh studio album by American singer Regina Belle. It was released by Peak Records on July 13, 2004, in the United States. The album is a collection of jazz, soul, and pop standards. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz chart and number 58 on the magazine's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Belle's rendition of the Isley Brothers song "For the Love of You" served as the album's lead single. "Fly Me to the Moon" and "If I Ruled the World" each received some airplay but did not chart.

Critical reception
Allmusic editor Scott Yanow wrote that "what is particularly unusual about this set [...] is the repertoire. Over half of the songs are jazz standards, and it is a particular treat hearing Belle's soulful renditions [...] The music is not really jazz (although it hints at it), but the jazz tunes give Belle an opportunity to stretch both herself and the format a bit. George Duke is a major asset as both a producer and a keyboardist, Everette Harp takes a few tenor and alto solos, and The Perry Sisters contribute some powerful background vocals on half of the tracks."

Track listing
All tracks were produced and arranged by George Duke.

Note
 * "For the Love of You" is also based on and performed in medley with "The Love I Lost" by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.

Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.


 * Regina Belle – vocal arranger, lead vocals
 * Alex Al – electric bass
 * Diana Moreira Booker – spoken word voices
 * Oscar Brashear – flugelhorn, trumpet
 * Gordon Campbell – drums
 * Lenny Castro – percussion, tambourine
 * Corine Duke – production coordinator
 * George Duke – producer, arranger, organ, fender rhodes, wurlitzer, acoustic piano, keyboards
 * Ray Fuller – electric guitar
 * Everette Harp – alto saxophone solo, tenor saxophone solo
 * Christian McBride – electric bass, upright bass
 * Dean Parks – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
 * Darlene Perry – background vocals
 * Lori Perry – background vocals
 * Sharon Perry – background vocals, coloratura
 * Erik Zobler – audio engineer, audio mixing