It’s often been said that while America tends to take the African-Americans music experience for granted, Europeans have a greater appreciation for both the music and the artists that create it. The production team of Frank Ryle and Rob Hardt solidify their appreciation with their debut CD, “Going Out Tonight”, (Expansion Records) which is set be released on September 29th. Ryle, a native of Denmark, and Hardt, who hails from Germany, have combined to create an album that pays homage to the R&B, soul, and funk music of the early 1980’s.

Both Hardt and Ryle are well known for their contributions to soul music, particularly in Europe. Hardt has produced, written, and remixed songs for such noted artists as Chaka Khan, Keith Sweat, and Roger Troutman. Ryle is the creator of Soulportal.dk, an online music publication source that features both mainstream and independent artists from various genres (with soul being the dominant music) from all around the globe. The two combine their roles to create an 80’s music lovers smorgasbord, with legendary soul, funk, and R&B bands like Kleer, the Dazz Band, D-Train, Fatback Band, etc., all having an influence on their music.

“[The 80’s] was the period of time where [we] started listening to soul music, therefore the heavy influence,” Ryle says. “Furthermore, it’s the most fun soul/dance music in time and we need to pay homage to that period.

” With “Going Out Tonight”, Cool Million pulled out all the stops, enlisting vocalists from both America and Europe to collaborate with them on their project. Noted European singers Laura Jackson, Lene Riebau, & Karen Groth (Denmark), Aaron Washington, Diane Marsh, and Eleana (UK), and Nathalie Dorra (Germany) are all featured, as are American vocalists Donald McCollum, PACE and C.J. Anthony, C. Robert Walker, and Jahah.

The 15-song album dives right into the 80’s era with a retro feel that’s refreshing, and although the music influences are obvious for the most part, the sound is one Cool Million has made their own thanks to their collaborations with various vocalists. And working together is no easy task considering both Ryle and Hardt live in different countries. The task included hundreds of phone calls and e-mails, but the duo made it all work.

“Rob is the musician, he mixes and polishes the music, so it sounds good,” Ryle says. “I’m the Cool Million project founder; the guy who puts the pieces together with the artists, plus I’ve done some raw tracks. The bottom line is that it’s 50/50. We are equal and somehow we always agree on each other’s input and suggestions.”

The standout tracks include “Damn Beautiful”, “Leave Me”, “It’s Too Late” and the title song.

If you’re into the great music of the 80’s, then “Going Out Tonight” is a must-have CD for your collection.

Rating: 8/10

Gabriel Rich for Soulinterviews.com

Cool Million on MySpace
Frank Ryle on MySpace
Rob Hardt on MySpace
Pre-order the CD on Dusty Groove America
Pre-order the CD on Soul Brother Records UK
Expansion Records