Hi and welcome. Many moons ago (60s and 70s) I was employed as a radio DJ and as tools of my trade acquired a sizeable collection of lounge, latin, swing band and jazz vinyl discs which I used in my daily radio gigs. Sadly, about 90% were eventually sold or given away, but if you happen to share my affection for the music of the 50s, 60s and 70s feel free to browse through some of the 10% I kept. Who knows what you may find! To my knowledge most of these recordings are now unavailable. If there are a few still listed on the market let me know and I'll delete the download links. But hey -- we're here to enjoy ourselves. The studio light's showing red so -- let's on with the show!!

Linda Ronstadt: Lush Life (1984)

"Lush Life" is a Platinum-certified, Grammy-nominated album by singer/songwriter/producer Linda Ronstadt, released in late 1984. It was the second in a trilogy of jazz albums with bandleader/arranger Nelson Riddle. The other two were "What's New" and "For Sentimental Reasons". "Lush Life" peaked at #13 on the Billboard album chart, was certified Platinum in just several weeks becoming Ronstadt's record tenth million-selling Platinum album overall. It also earned her a Grammy award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance Female alongside Madonna, Tina Turner, Pat Benatar and Whitney Houston.

Tracks:

01) When I Fall In Love

02) Skylark

03) It Never Entered My Mind

04) Mean To Me

05) When Your Lover Has Gone

06) I'm A Fool To Want You

07) You Took Advantage Of Me

08) Sophisticated Lady

09) Can't We Be Friends

10) My Old Flame

11) Falling In Love Again

12) Lush Life

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Harry James: At The Hollywood Palladium (1954)

This album which apparently was recorded live -- at least, it doesn't have too much of the obvious fakery of the period -- represents Harry James in his glory in a dance setting, which doesn't mean it's bad listening at all. It's smooth jazz very much on the pop side of the by-gone swing era with elements of the Dixieland sound that James embraced during the boomlet for that genre. The Harry James band during this period included Buddy Rich in its ranks. He turns in a superb drum solo on "Sugar Foot Stomp", and also sings a slow rendition of "Ain't She Sweet". ~ Bruce Eder

Side 1:

01) Palladium Party

02) Bye Bye Blues

03) Please Take A Letter Miss Brown

04) Ain't She Sweet

05) Sugar Foot Stomp

Side 2:

01) How Could You Do A Thing Like That

02) Moonlight Bay

03) Midnight Sun

04) Moanin' Low

05) Flash

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Pete Jolly: Too Much Baby (1965)

The heyday of pianist Pete Jolly's jazz career was during the 1950s and early 1960s when he made the bulk of his recordings as a leader. He had previously focused mainly on studio work in Hollywood for television and films, although he performed regularly in a jazz setting up until his death in 2004. This circa-1965 studio date, "Too Much, Baby", is a trio session with bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Nick Martinis concentrating on then-current pop songs and Broadway fare. Unfortunately there is little room for the group to stretch out as the songs all run under four minutes and are, for the most part, promptly faded out not long after Jolly completes his solos. His lively interpretation of "Sometime Ago", which includes a solo feature for Berghofer, is easily the album's highlight though standards such as "One Morning in May" and his take of "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" are also enjoyable. But even long-since forgotten material like "Same Ol' Huckleberry Finn (Up Cherry Street)", made popular by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass (with whom Jolly worked briefly as a sideman) and written by Julius Wechter of the Baja Marimba Band, becomes an unlikely jazz vehicle in Jolly's hands, adding some humorous ragtime into the mix. ~ Ken Dryden

Side 1:

01) I'm All Smiles

02) One Morning In May

03) If I Ruled The World

04) Telephone Song

05) Some Time Ago

Side 2:

01) Same Ol' Huckleberry Finn

02) Do I Hear A Waltz

03) I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

04) Favela

05) On A Wonderful Day Like Today

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Jo Stafford: Ski Trails (1956)

Like the lady on the cover top-notch skiers make it look so easy don't they? My one and only attempt at it proved that perception to be absolutely delusional. I was unpractised and untrained. My radio colleague was just the opposite. He grew up on the slopes. Problem was we were both intent on making a favourable impression on a certain blonde who was with us on the mountain. Guess the winner. But if my colleague was hare-like that weekend, I used the tortoise as my yardstick. I eventually married that blonde and we celebrate our 48th anniversary in January!

This is one of my favourite Jo Stafford albums. It resulted from the happy convergence of some top 1950s talent -- Jo herself, her hubby Paul Weston, The Starlighters and The Norman Luboff Choir. While there are no Christmas songs as such, with its winter theme, cosy firesides, happy holidays and sleigh rides etc, perhaps this album may get you in the mood for the looming festivities especially if you are a citizen of the northern hemisphere. We in the south can only imagine what it must be like to celebrate the season with snow, roaring fires and plum puddings. It's steak on the barbecue, green salads and for most of us (especially the kids) a strong smell of sunburn lotion. But as the track 10 title suggests, "It's June In January" for us when we listen to this disc.

Side 1:

01) Baby, It's Cold Outside

02) Moonlight In Vermont

03) Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

04) By The Fireside

05) Winter Song

06) It Happened In Sun Valley

Side 2:

01) I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

02) The Nearness Of You

03) Winter Wonderland

04) June In January

05) The Wiffenpoof Song

06) Sleigh Ride

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Chet Baker Sings And Plays (1955)

With the growing popularity of Chet Baker's first vocal album, "Chet Baker Sings", Pacific Jazz producer Richard Bock wanted to capitalize on both facets of his young star's abilities. Hence, the trumpeter-turned-vocalist entered the studio in 1955 with both his quartet featuring pianist Russ Freeman and an expanded sextet including bassist Red Mitchell, Bud Shank on flute, and various string players. The resulting album, "Chet Baker Sings and Plays", helped set in stone the image of Baker as the jazz world's matinee idol and icon of '50s West Coast cool. His laid-back style -- a mix of '30s crooner and Miles Davis' nonet recordings -- appealed in its immediacy to a jazz public tiring of the hyper, athletic musicality of bebop. Similarly, his plaintive, warm trumpet sound was the more sensitive antidote to such brassy kings as Dizzy Gillespie and Clifford Brown. Other artists had performed many of these standards before, but as with "My Funny Valentine" on "Chet Baker Sings", tracks like "Let's Get Lost", "Long Ago and Far Away", and "Just Friends" became definitively associated with Baker for the rest of his career. "Chet Baker Sings" and "Chet Baker Sings and Plays" are not only the two most important albums of Baker's career, but are classics of jazz. ~ Matt Collar

Side 1:

01) Let's Get Lost

02) This Is Always

03) Long Ago And Far Away

04) Someone To Watch Over Me

05) Just Friends

Side 2:

01) I Wish I Knew

02) Daybreak

03) You Don't Know What Love Is

04) Grey December

05) I Remember You

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Yehudi Menuhin & Stephane Grappelli: Jalousie

Jazz played on a violin isn’t every listener's favourite musical experience; the same can be said of listening to jazz on accordion. However, when it comes to Stephane Grappelli most of us will agree that he was an exception. When you pair him with Yehudi Menuhin the experience is one to be savored and repeated. Yehudi, of course, was a famous classical violinist and teacher, locked into performance firmly about the written notes and structure, whereas Stephane was a remarkable improviser. What both men enjoyed in common was a wonderful melodic approach to playing, an often emotional feel and enormous joy for their music. Placing Yehudi in a jazz setting, freeing him from the written structure must have been a huge challenge for both men. Yehudi may not have been able, late in life to sit over the swing style rhythms of jazz, nor to build new musical phrases on a melody as he played. As for Stephane, he must have wondered how it would be playing jazz improvisations with a classically gifted colleague. This album shows just how the two talents complement each other and how they meet the challenges of adjusting and creating. There is no hesitation or weakness in Yehudi's performances as he swings comfortably and darts in and out with Stephane. The many times the two violins play in unison creates a sweet and vibrant sound and the supporting group led by Alan Clare is always effective and balanced. A special word for Grappelli. Here was a jazz musician who seemed to improve with age, each year sounding more lyrical and creative. Listeners will also be pleased to hear three of his compositions and to appreciate his piano playing skills. Transcribed with Wavedit, processed with Cool Edit to reduce hiss. ~ Keith Horner

Thanks again Keith!

Side 1:

01) Blue Room

02) A Fine Romance

03) Jalousie

04) Billy

05) Love Is Here To Stay

06) Aurore

07) Pick Yourself Up

08) Night And Day

Side 2:

01) I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me

02) These Foolish Things

03) Errol

04) Oh Lady Be Good

05) Jermyn Street

06) Cheek To Cheek

07) The Lady Is A Tramp

Side 1 (download)

Side 2 (download)

Esther Phillips: Alone Again, Naturally (1972)

Recorded in late 1972, "Alone Again Naturally" was the follow-up to Esther Phillips' Grammy nominated "From A Whisper To A Scream". Producer Creed Taylor assembled a stellar cast of musicians including George Benson, Maceo Parker, Eric Gale, Bernard Purdie, Ron Carter, Richard Tee and Billy Cobham. A great choice of repertoire and superb arrangements from Pee Wee Ellis and Don Sebesky melded perfectly with Esther's smoky vocals to produce one of the finest albums of her career. Both critics and NARAS voters took note, the latter awarding Ms. Phillips a second Grammy nomination for this Kudu classic.

Side 1:

01) Use Me

02) I Don't Want To Do Wrong

03) Let's Move And Groove

04) Let Me In Your Life

05) Cherry Red

Side 2:

01) I've Never Found A Man To Love Me Like You Do

02) Alone Again, Naturally

03) Do Right Woman, Do Right Man

04) You And Me Together

05) Georgia Rose

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Tommy Dorsey & His Clambake Seven & Orch (1935/36)

This time I'm sharing one of my favourite albums from the jazz archive section of my library. The material comprises private recordings of Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven group and four of his 1935 band (Side 2 Tks 5-8). The Clambake Seven was Tommy Dorsey’s alter ego to the one personified by his band. In the septet lineup he could relax and play the kind of smooth trombone improvisations that he so much enjoyed. The Clambake Seven was more of a real jazz ensemble.

As Michael Brooks points out in his liner notes: "These recordings were originally made as 16" radio transcriptions. Broadcast transcriptions were produced to give individual stations an exclusive identity, a chance to air current music in a different form than commercial records. Material on radio transcriptions often differed from the commercial sides cut by the same orchestra in both solos and arrangements. Further, the orchestras recorded tunes on radio transcriptions that they did not record for commercial record releases. The Clambake Seven sides generate a lot of excitement and I think that the fans of this group will be pleasantly surprised by the jazz content of these previously unknown recordings."

Besides Dorsey the Clambake personnel are:

Max Kaminsky (trumpet)

Joe Dixon (clarinet)

Sid Block (tenor sax)

Dick Jones (piano)

Carman Mastren (guitar)

Gene Traxler (bass)

Dave Tough (drums)

Edythe Wright (Vocals)

Side 1:

01) Christopher Columbus

02) Us On A Bus

03) My Honey's Lovin' Arms

04) Robins And Roses

05) Somebody Stole My Gal

06) How Come You Do Me

07) You

08) Dreamtime

Side 2:

01) Swing Mr Charlie

02) I'll Stand By

03) Ja-Da

04) The Panic's On

05) On Treasure Island

06) Alone

07) Thanks A Million

08) I'm Sitting High On A Hilltop

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Jeri Southern: Jeri Gently Jumps (1957)

After two LPs of down-tempo torch songs, Jeri Southern recorded a set of comparatively swinging songs in 1957 backed by a clean, reflective small-group orchestra with Ralph Burns in the director's chair. Ever the vocal coach, Southern picks a few rather obscure songs ("You Forgot Your Gloves," "It Must Be True") to enlighten the date, and brings a plaintive concern to chestnuts like "Am I Blue?" and "If I Had You". Southern is also heard on piano throughout the date. ~ John Bush

Side 1:

01) You Forgot Your Gloves

02) My Ideal

03) I've Got Five Dollars

04) All Too Soon

05) If I Had You

06) What's My Name

Side 2:

01) My Old Flame

02) Am I Blue

03) No Moon At All

04) Romance In The Dark

05) It Must Be True

06) Everything But You

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Billy May: The Girls & Boys On Broadway (1960)

Billy May was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He played trumpet professionally in big bands such as those of Charlie Barnet starting in 1939, but became best known as a talented arranger. His arrangement of the Ray Noble composition "Cherokee" became a major hit of the swing music era. During the Barnet days May revealed a significant flair for satire on a composition titled "The Wrong Idea" that ridiculed the bland Mickey Mouse style of "safe" big band music with specific musical mockery of bandleader Sammy Kaye known for his swing and sway trademark. May's caustic lyrics to the song called it "swing and sweat with Charlie Barnet".

May worked as an arranger for the bands of Glenn Miller and Les Brown before being hired as staff arranger first for the NBC radio network, then for Capitol Records. His charts often featured brisk tempos and intricate brass parts. One distinctive feature of his style was his frequent use of trumpet mute devices; another, a saxophone glissando widely known as his "slurping saxes". However, May was also an accomplished writer for strings. Good examples of this aspect of his work include his string arrangements for Peggy Lee's "Pretty Eyes" and Nancy Wilson's "Tender Loving Care". Both albums can be found on this blog.

Not much can be said about this album other than it was typical of the brassy big band stuff May was contracted to do for Capitol in the '60s. Apart from "I've Never Been In Love Before" reed "slurping" is conspicuous by its absence which suites me fine. Plenty of biting brass though and the engineers got the stereo just right -- brass right, reeds left and rhythm center. And how about that cover showing Billy, center of attention, teaching the guys a thing or two by parading as a vendor selling chestnuts to the lovely ladies of the cast!

Side 1:

01) The Girls Against The Boys

02) My Darling

03) If I Were A Bell

04) Where Did We Go, Out

05) Guys And Dolls

06) Rich Butterfly

Side 2:

01) Heart

02) Old Fashioned Girl

03) Till There Was You

04) Girls And Boys

05) I've Never Been In Love Before

06) I Gotta Have You

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Sammy Davis Jr & Count Basie: Our Shining Hour (1965)

This is one of Sammy Davis Jr's best jazz-oriented albums. It features Davis with the Count Basie Orchestra performing arrangements by Quincy Jones. Unfortunately the personnel of the Basie band is not given, but the orchestra mostly acts as a prop behind Davis much of the time anyway. The singer is heard in top form on "Teach Me Tonight", "Work Song", and "Keepin' out of Mischief Now", adding a bit of tap dancing to a lighthearted "Bill Basie Won't You Please Come Home". Some of the more poppish tunes such as "Blues for Mr. Charlie" and "She's a Woman", are a bit dated now, but in general, fans of Sammy Davis Jr will enjoy this set. ~ Scott Yanow

Side 1:

01) My Shining Hour

02) Teach Me Tonight

03) Work Song

04) Why Try To Change Me Now

05) Blues For Mr Charlie

06) April In Paris

Side 2:

01) New York City Blues

02) You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You

03) She's A Woman

04) Girl From Ipanema

05) Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now

06) Bill Basie Won't You Please Come Home

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Erroll Garner: Romantic & Swinging (1955)

Erroll Garner was famous for more than his unique piano style. Record producers and studio engineers knew that once he sat down at the piano they could rely on a confident delivery without hesitation and a minimum of retakes. In a three-hour session Garner could, literally, provide 150 minutes of superb music, ready to be transferred to vinyl and shipped out to eager fans. His style, with that vamping left hand, owed much to a self-taught player but demonstrated just how well his natural talent took him into the top echelon of jazz pianists. Emulated by many but surpassed by none his devotees included Dudley Moore who often threw in that left hand with great strength. George Shearing parodied Garner at many a live concert always gaining loud applause when he swung into a replica piece.

However, Garner was much more than that hypnotic left-hand beat. A two-handed pianist, his delight in rhapsodic introductions can often be heard. On the album “Solo Flight”, he stretches out into modernistic neo classical sounds. Nevertheless, at the core of his playing was always an infectious swing and appreciation for standards. Once he played and recorded with Parker, but soon became recognised as a solo artist in his own right. Then came scores of recordings limited to the old 78 r.p.m length of up to 3 minutes or so. The advent of microgroove gave him the opportunity to record extended pieces and to prove that his style and creativity was not to be bettered by anyone. These days he seems to be ignored by most jazz DJs. This is a pity as Garner’s was that rare talent, an individual and instantly identifiable piano style.

This album, “Romantic and Swinging”, offers the chance to hear an early-to-middle period Garner with some short tracks and one or two longer pieces. There's a nice version of St James Infirmary" and one of the early renditions of his own composition,"Misty". Issued on Music For Pleasure, these selections are not generally found on his currently available CD albums.

This is a mono vinyl which I have fully mixed and processed using Cool Edit. ~ Keith Horner

Thanks Keith!

Side 1:

01) That Old Feeling

02) Lady Be Good

03) Exactly Like You

04) I'll Never Smile Again

05) Love In Bloom

Side 2:

01) Solitaire

02) All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings

03) Misty

04) You Are My Sunshine

05) St James Infirmary

Side 1 (download)

Side 2 (download)

Buddy Rich Big Band: Wham! (1977/78)

A lot's been said and written about Buddy Rich. A stormy person who was all extremes. He would laugh at your joke one moment, and tell you he'd kill you the next. He was loved by some, disliked by many and even hated by a few. But no matter what kind of person he was there are two incontrovertible facts about Buddy Rich: First he held some kind of a band together for nearly 50 years -- usually a big band. Second, he was truly one of the most bad-assed drummers jazz ever produced. Only Kenny Clarke, J.C. Heard, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, and Max Roach were in the same league -- or he in theirs depending on your point of view. This curious album was assembled from tapes made by saxophonist Alan Gauvin while with the Rich band from 1977 to 1978. Most of the tracks were recorded in Detroit, a couple in Long Island, and one in, of all places, Dexter, Michigan. While it is true that the quality of these recordings is not exactly state of the art, they are far from bad. They give a certain authenticity to these certainly edited proceedings by presenting the actual music exactly as it was recorded -- and that music is steamin'. Rich was never one for subtlety and there is nothing subtle about the arrangements on these tracks, even the slower ones such as Miles Davis' "So What". But that's just the way the man ran a band. There are a few personnel differences in these bands because Rich had a revolving-door band, but two of the constants are Bob Mintzer -- who composed the wonderful "Tales of Rhoda Rat" here -- and co-producer Alan Gauvin. The charts were written by everybody from Mintzer to Bill Holman to Don Menza and Tom Boras. But really, none of the documentation here means a damned thing: The music itself -- from Horace Silver's "Cape Verdean Blues" to Bill Reddie's "Channel One Suite" -- is played one way: without a flaw, full of piss and vinegar, and physical -- in your face. This is big-band music that will remain contemporary no matter when it is heard because Rich was timeless in his approach to music and life. ~ Thom Jurek,

Tracks:

01) Time Out

02) Willowcrest

03) Ya Gotta Try

04) Tales Of Rhoda Rat

05) Time Check

06) Cape Verdean Blues

07) Bugle Call Rag

08) So What

09) A Little Train

10) Channel One Suite

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Dinah Shore & Lena Horne: Lower Basin Street (1956)

NBC's "Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street" was a weekly radio jam session of the 1940s with two fine house bands backing guest soloists who were the leading exponents of jazz. The show made its debut on February 11, 1940. During its first months on NBC it was a sustaining feature (meaning unsponsored) in a late Sunday afternoon (4:30pm) time slot. It soon developed a loyal following and on September 16, 1940, NBC began airing the show in prime time on Monday nights at 9pm. The final broadcast was aired on October 8, 1944.

Most commercially released samples of the program showcase vocalist Dinah Shore and sometimes she is joined by Lena Horne. These two received national exposure from their Lower Basin Street appearances. Shore's style was somewhat out of place with the predominantly 2-beat Dixieland style that these bands played, but they made room for her. Horne was singing a softer style here than the charismatic belting that she became known for in later years, but she is more at home with the Dixie stylings than Dinah.

On this album the instrumental numbers are performed by Henry Levine and his Barefoooted Dixieland Philharmonic.

Side 1:

01) Mood Indigo

02) Muskrat Ramble

03) Sophisticated Lady

04) Basin Street Blues

05) Stardust

06) Body And Soul

Side 2:

01) St. Louis Blues

02) Memphis Blues

03) Beale Street Blues

04) Aunt Haggar's Blues

05) John Henry Blues

06) Careless Love

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The Four Freshmen: Complete Capitol 50s Sessions

Another album from the Complete Capitol Four Freshmen Fifties Sessions. This is CD8. If you need any background read my comments prefacing the first post of the series on May 6.

Tracks:

01) At Last

02) Be Careful It's My Heart

03) But Beautiful

04) Dream

05) First Affair

06) Fools Rush In

07) If I Knew Then

08) It Happens Every Spring

09) It's A New World

10) I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me

11) I Didn't Know About You

12) I Hadn't Anyone Till You

13) I'm Beginning To See The Light

14) I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

15) I've Never Been In Love Before

16) Long Ago And Far Away

17) My Funny Valentine

18) Paper Moon

19) Please Be Kind

20) Polka Dots And Moonbeams

21) Show Me The Way To Get Out Of This World

22) Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring

23) The Freshman Year

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Bill Perkins Octet: On Stage (1956)

This music dates from the mid-1950s, the prime period of cool West Coast jazz. For this set, tenor saxophonist Bill Perkins is showcased in an all-star octet also including altoist Bud Shank, baritonist Jack Nimitz, trumpeter Stu Williamson, trombonist Carl Fontana, pianist Russ Freeman, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Mel Lewis. Perk's tone is heard throughout at its coolest (influenced by Lester Young but distinctive within the style) and there are plenty of short spots for the other key voices. The program includes five swing-era songs including "Song of the Islands", "When You're Smiling" and two versions of Harry "Sweets" Edison's "Let Me See" plus three newer pieces, but no bop standards. At least as important as the solos are the arrangements of Perkins, Bill Holman, Lennie Niehaus and Johnny Mandel. Their use of restrained colors, the quiet rhythm section and advanced harmonies on a whole give one a definitive look at West Coast Jazz of the mid-1950s. ~ Scott Yanow

Tracks:

01) Song Of The Islands

02) One Hundred Years From Today

03) Zing! Zang!

04) Let Me See

05) For Dancers Only

06) Just A Child

07) As They Reveled

08) When You're Smiling

09) Let Me See [alternate take]

Download

Lena Horne: At The Waldorf Astoria (1957)

More than anything else Lena Horne was a nightclub entertainer and having completed her film commitments to MGM in 1956 she was free to turn her attention to performing full-time. Starting on New Year's Eve she spent eight weeks at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York and towards the end of the run RCA Victor Records brought in recording equipment. The result is an excellent representation of Horne in her natural environment. Backed by Nat Brandwynne's Orchestra conducted by her husband, MGM's Lennie Hayton, Horne essays a series of vintage standards that go back to 1929's "Honeysuckle Rose", which she sang in the 1943 film "Thousands Cheer". There is a Cole Porter medley that includes a triumphant "It's All Right With Me", and the set concludes with "From This Moment On" showing Horne to be the perfect interpreter of Porter's sophisticated songs. And there is a shorter Duke Ellington medley comprising "Mood Indigo" and "I'm Beginning to See the Light" that is equally impressive. Among the more contemporary tracks, Horne borrows "Let Me Love You" from Mabel Mercer who introduced it; "Today I Love Everybody" from Betty Grable who sang it in the 1953 film "The Farmer Takes a Wife" and "A New Fangled Tango" from Ethel Merman who performed it in the 1956 musical "Happy Hunting". These are good choices given sympathetic arrangements and Horne performs them with just the right tone of romance and sly humor. Lena Horne may have left Hollywood behind her by early 1957 but this live album, which charted in the Top Ten, demonstrated that in doing so she had only returned to her greatest strength as a performer. ~ William Ruhlmann

Side 1:

01) Today I Love Everybody

02) Let Me Love You

03) Come Runnin'

04) Cole Porter Medley

05) Mood Indigo/I'm Beginning To See The Light

Side 2:

01) How You Say It

02) Honeysuckle Rose

03) Day In Day Out

04) New Fangled Tango

05) I Love To Love

06) From This Moment On

Download

Esquire's All-American Jazz Band/Chamber Music Society Of Lower Basin Street (1944)

Wartime cheerleading combines with jazz artistry on this 1944 concert held at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City featuring artists selected in a poll by Esquire magazine. Poll winners heard in the session are:

Bass - Oscar Pettiford

Clarinet - Barney Bigard/Benny Goodman

Drums - Sidney Catlett

Guitar - Al Casey

Piano - Art Tatum , Teddy Wilson

Saxophone [Tenor] - Coleman Hawkins

Trumpet - Roy Eldridge

Vibraphone [Vibes] - Lionel Hampton

Xylophone - Red Norvo

Trombone/Vocals - Jack Teagarden

Trumpet/Vocals - Louis Armstrong

Vocals - Billie Holiday , Mildred Bailey

These are giants of jazz! I have uploaded an excerpt from this concert from a tape cassette I bought many years ago. Caught up with it yesterday just by chance while rummaging through some old boxes gathering dust in my spare room. Have supplied cover graphics from the original vinyl release and also from my cassette tape.

Side 2 of my tape also features the Esquire All-American Jazz Band, but this time as part of the January 16, 1944, NBC radio show, "Chamber Music Society Of Lower Basin Street". This popular series usually featured jazz soloists and vocalists jamming with "Dr." Henry Levine's dixieland octet and Paul Laval's Orchestra and woodwind ensemble. The MC was the Society's chairman, Dr. Milton J. Cross. He's joined on this occasion by vocalist Dick Todd and two currently popular comedians -- the Black American Rochester and a female comic whose name escapes me. The 65-year gap dates the humour, but the music makes it all worthwhile. Oh yes -- Leonard Feather makes an appearance too I think on side 1.

Side 1:

01) Esquire Bounce

02) Rockin' Chair

03) Basin Street Blues

04) I'll Get By

05) Rachel's Dream

06) Tea For Two

Side 2:

01) Get Happy

02) My Silent Love

03) Basin Street Blues

04) Surrey With The Fringe On Top

05) Esquire Blues

06) Honeysuckle Rose

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Marion Montgomery: Nice And Easy

Marion Montgomery was born Maud Runnells in Mississippi. She always retained something of a languid southern air in her singing. She had no formal training as a singer and was once sent packing by a singing teacher in college who told her there was nothing she could do for her and showed her the door. A fellow student dared her to audition for a singing job at a television station in Atlanta. She took up the dare – a bottle of whisky was at stake – and the station liked what they heard. As a result she never finished college, something she later regretted, but moved to Atlanta where she found a job in the advertising department of a national mail order chain. She began to play in the jazz clubs in the city working with musicians from the city and a nearby army base. She combined day jobs as a secretary with singing in clubs evenings and weekends for a time, then moved north to Chicago. Her breakthrough arrived when she recorded a demo tape of a song she had written which found its way to Capitol Records. Peggy Lee was asked to listen to the tape to see if she might be interested in the song, but she told the company to forget the song and sign the singer. Montgomery began to record for the label and steadily built her reputation. She graduated to prestigious venues like Basin Street in New York and the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, but her career took another turn when she shifted to London in 1965 to play a summer season with John Dankworth.

She established herself as a popular figure on the British scene working regularly at Ronnie Scott’s in London, but also carving out a reputation in musical theatre and on television where she appeared in popular prime time shows like the "Parkinson" and "The Morecambe and Wise Show". She appeared in musicals like "Anything Goes" and collaborated with her husband, Laurie Holloway, on "A Dream of Alice" for television in 1979. She developed and toured a one-woman show which was also televised by the BBC.

She had been suffering from cancer for a decade and believed that she had originally contracted the disease in her lungs from "passive smoking" in night clubs (she was a non-smoker herself). Nonetheless she continued to perform until shortly before her death in July, 2002.

Tracks:

01) Ain't No Sunshine

02) It Amazes Me

03) The Man I Love

04) Loads Of Love

05) I Wonder What Became Of Me

06) Partners In Crime

07) In The Wee Small Hours

08) Summertime

09) Nice Work If You Can Get It/Easy To Love

10) But Not For Me

11) Blues In The Night

12) If You Can Keep The One You Love

13) Bye Bye Blackbird

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The Candoli Brothers: Bell, Book And Candoli (1958)

Trumpeters Pete and Conte Candoli collaborated on an occasional basis over the past half-century, and "Bell, Book and Candoli" was one of four that they recorded during 1957-59. Joined by pianist John Williams, guitarist Barney Kessel, either Joe Mondragon or Red Mitchell on bass and drummer Alvin Stoller, the brothers play concise versions of ten songs that include four standards (including "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "What Is This Thing Called Love"), Morton Gould's "Pavanne," and five Pete Candoli originals. The music is enjoyable if not substantial, swinging but not essential. ~ Scott Yanow

Side 1:

01) Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

02) Pavanne

03) Spaniard Carnival

04) Old Devil Moon

05) What Is This Thing Called Love

Side 2:

01) Bell, Book and Candoli

02) Hey, Bellboy

03) Pagoda

04) Night Walk

05) I May Be Wrong But I Think You're Wonderful

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Bobby Darin: Venice Blue (1965)

"Venice Blue" was released in May of 1965 and was Bobby Darin's follow-up to the artistically (but not financially) successful "From Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie". Surprisingly Darin stuck with his previous approach and offered another selection of romantic songs and contemporary Broadway tunes. The album peaked at a disappointing 132 (worse than From Hello Dolly's 107) and remained on the Billboard charts for only four weeks. Though the album did poorly upon release some of the tracks have been mined for later compilations, most notably "The Good Life". A curious double album available through import-only packages, "You're the Reason I'm Living", has an album apparently called "I Wanna Be Around", but which is actually "Venice Blue". The title track sounds like a cover of a Bobby Vinton ballad with its sweeping strings and sentimentality. Standout tracks include the Johnny Mercer song "I Wanna Be Around" (similar here to "Don't Rain on my Parade"),"The Good Life", Henry Mancini's "Dear Heart", and Stephen Sondheim's "Somewhere" from "West Side Story". "Venice Blue" also includes two Darin originals: "You Just Don't Know" and "In a World Without You". "Venice Blue" is not a dramatic departure for Bobby Darin, but a solid collection nonetheless. Really of interest to fans looking to complete their collection. Well-arranged and well-sung, but not the most accessible album for the neo-swing set. ~ J T Griffith

Tracks:

01) Venice Blue

02) I Wanna Be Around

03) Somewhere

04) The Good Life

05) Dear Heart

06) Softly As I Leave You

07) You Just Don't Know

08) There Ain't No Sweet Gal

09) Who Can I Turn To

10) A Taste Of Honey

11) In A World Without You

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Barney Kessel: Some Like it Hot (1959)

The release of the movie "Some Like It Hot" served as a good excuse for guitarist Barney Kessel to join together with Art Pepper (switching between alto, clarinet, and tenor), trumpeter Joe Gordon, pianist Jimmy Rowles, rhythm guitarist Jack Marshall, bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Shelly Manne to interpret a variety of vintage numbers most of which date from the 1920s. Such tunes as "I Wanna Be Loved by You", "Runnin' Wild", "Down Among the Sheltering Palms", and "By the Beautiful Sea" are given fairly modern arrangements but still retain the flavor of the 1920s. The album's worth a spin just to hear Gordon and Pepper soloing on these ancient tunes. ~ Scott Yanow

Side 1:

01) Some Like It Hot

02) I Wanna Be Loved By You

03) Stairway To The Stars

04) Sweet Sue

05) Runnin' Wild

Side 2:

01) Sweet Georgia Brown

02) Down Among The Sheltering Palms

03) Sugar Blues

04) I'm Thru With Love

05) By The Beautiful Sea

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Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now

Ex-husband Larry Klein, who serves as co-producer and musical director, explains in his liner notes to this album that Joni Mitchell intended to tell the story of a "modern" romantic relationship in the songs most of which come from the '30s and '40s. If so her concept of a modern relationship is very troubled -- most of the selections are unhappy love songs. Vince Mendoza's arrangements -- a third of them played by the 71-piece London Symphony Orchestra, a third by a regular-size orchestra and a third by a swing-style big band aided by Wayne Shorter (soprano/tenor sax), Herbie Hancock (piano), Mark Isham (trumpet), Peter Erskine (drums) and Chuck Berghofer (bass) -- often suggest the oceanic sweep and serious melancholy tone of "film noir" movie music. They also do a lot of Mitchell's work for her. As a singer she has never had much projection or power, but she is a master of phrasing and tone. Mitchell often sounds like an alternate Billie Holiday with the breathiness and note decay characteristic of the later Holiday, if none of her delayed timing. "Both Sides Now" is not revelatory in a musical sense, but it does achieve its intention of reconceiving Joni Mitchell as an interpretive singer. ~ William Ruhlman

As a footnote, this album earned the following awards and nominations in the 2001 Grammy Awards:

Winner: Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Winner: Her original composition "Both Sides Now" -- Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying A Vocalist

Nomination: The song "Both Sides Now" -- Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Nomination: Her original composition "A Case Of You" -- Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying A Vocalist

Tracks:

01) You're My Thrill

02) At Last

03) Comes Love

04) You've Changed

05) Answer Me My Love

06) A Case Of You

07) Don't Go To Strangers

08) Sometimes I'm Happy

09) Don't Worry 'Bout Me

10) Stormy Weather

11) I Wish I Were In Love Again

12) Both Sides Now

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John Kirby Dance Band: Music Of An Era

John Kirby was initially known as a big band bassist. He played for Fletcher Henderson, Chick Webb and Lucky Millinder. In 1937 he formed a swinging sextet that was sparked with the talents of trumpeter Charlie Shavers, pianist Billy Kyle, clarinetist Buster Bailey, drummer O'Neil Spencer and sax player Russell Procope. Maxine Sullivan, Kirby's then wife, became famous as the band's featured vocalist. The group established itself in the 1940s on the radio series "Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm" and in 1942 on the "Duffy's Tavern Show". The band ultimately became known as "The biggest little band in the land".

Re Maxine Sullivan -- here's a brief list of her career highlights:

1936: Benjamin Harrison Literary Club in Pittsburg, singing from table to table.

1937: Onyx Club, New York City, recorded "Loch Lomond" and other songs.

1938: Made two films in Hollywood, "Going Places" and "St. Louis Blues".

1939/41: Performed on CBS Radio program "Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm".

1948/54: Toured Great Britain.

1946/52: Performed at Manhattan's Le Ruban Bleu.

1952/56: Performed at the Village Vanguard.

1967: Came out of retirement at the Blues Alley Club in Washington, D.C.

1970s/80s: Continued to tour and make records throughout the '70s and '80s until her death in 1987.

Side 1:

01) The Peanut Vendor

02) Polonaise

03) Double Talk

04) Last Night A Nightingale Woke Me

05) Arabian Nightmare

06) Pomaine

07) Oh No John

Side 2:

01 Revolutionary Etude

02) Rustle Of Spring

03) The Lass With The Delicate Air

04) Mood In Question

05) Milumbu

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George Shearing: Jazz Masters 57 (1949)

All of the CDs in this extensive Verve reissue series (this is really the 57th set) are samplers designed to give listeners some of the highlights of the artist's career. The 16 titles on the album are taken from pianist George Shearing's period on MGM, the early years of his famed piano-vibes-guitar-bass-drums quintet. Highlights include the original version of his greatest hit "Lullaby of Birdland" plus "September in the Rain", "East of the Sun", "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid", "How High the Moon" and "I'll Remember April". To annoy completists a previously unheard alternate take of "I Wished on the Moon" is included. Among the sidemen are vibraphonists Marjorie Hyams, Joe Roland and Cal Tjader and guitarists Chuck Wayne, Dick Garcia and Toots Thielemans. There is plenty of classic music on this album. ~ Scott Yanow

Tracks:

01) Pick Yourself Up

02) September In The Rain

03) Lullaby Of Birdland

04) East Of The Sun

05) Mambo Inn

06) I'll Be Around

07) Jumpin' With Symphony Sid

08) Summertime

09) How High The Moon

10) I Wished On The Moon

11) Conception

12) I'll Remember April

13) Easy Living

14) Lonely Moments

15) I Didn't Know What Time It Was

16) Love Is Just Around The Corner

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Annie Ross & Zoot Sims: A Gasser! (1959)

This album contains one of singer Annie Ross's finest sessions away from the premiere jazz vocal group, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. She is joined by either Zoot Sims or (on two numbers) Bill Perkins on tenor, pianist Russ Freeman, Billy Bean or Jim Hall on guitar, bassist Monty Budwig and Mel Lewis or Frankie Capp on drums. Ross's renditions of such tunes as "I'm Nobody's Baby", "Invitation To The Blues", "I Didn't Know About You" and "You Took Advantage Of Me" are highlights. ~ Scott Yanow

Side 1:

01) Everything I've Got

02) Invitation To The Blues

03) Didn't Know About You

04) I Don't Want To Cry Anymore

05) Lucky Day

Side 2:

01) I Was Doin' Alright

02) You Took Advantage Of Me

03) You're Nearer

04) I'm Just A Lucky So And So

05) I'm Nobody's Baby

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Dave Pell Octet: Jazz Goes Dancing (1956)

The Dave Pell Octet was one of the most successful West Coast modern jazz combos in the '50s playing a stimulating and swinging repertoire ideal for the group’s aims. Dave Pell favoured variations on the melody rather than the harmonic emphasis heard in the work of his contemporaries. The deftly crafted arrangements by Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers, Johnny Mandel, Wes Hensel, Bill Holman, Jack Montrose, André Previn and Jimmy Giuffre established the group’s sound and personality and offered shrewdly placed spots for its stellar

soloists. They were a hit everywhere with concerts and teenage dances notable showcases for the unit. With three of its key personnel, Pell, Don Fagerquist and Ray Sims, honed by years as star soloists of Les Brown’s band, the Octet’s cohesion was remarkable.

This long-out-of-print LP is an excellent example of Dave Pell's music of the era with a dozen songs (two originals and ten vintage standards) whose titles have something to do with college-age people or dancing. Examples include "Young and Healthy", "The Continental", "When I Take My Sugar to Tea" and "Walkin' My Baby Back Home". Worth exploring.

Side 1:

01) Look Who's Dancing

02) East Of The Sun

03) You

04) Young And Healthy

05) The Continental

06) Dance For Daddy

Side 2:

01) When I Take My Sugar To Tea

02) If I Had You

03) Cheek To Cheek

04) Let's Face The Music And Dance

05) Prom To Prom

06) Walkin' My Baby Back Home

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Swing With Harry James/Benny Goodman Swings Again

If, like me, you enjoy the music of the great swing bands, their soloists and singers, you’ll find this transcription of interest. These days I lament the fact that there is very little fresh in the way of good swing to enjoy. The range of recordings we have are often very familiar and sometimes played to death by local bands. I am certain in my own mind that the last two memorable swing band recordings are Basie’s “Atomic Basie” and Mancini’s “Peter Gunn”. So imagine my pleasure when I came across something new to me! Shuffling through boxes of old vinyls laid out on the floor of a storage room at the rear of my community radio station I found a boxed set, one of the Readers Digest productions. I took it home and found one of the LPs had Goodman tracks on one side and another had Harry James tracks on one side! Yep! Half an album each! I searched to find out more and came up with some, if limited, information. The Goodman tracks were recorded at the short-lived entertainment centre, Freedomland, New York City on July 25, 1961. The Readers Digest page simply refers to this as “Benny Goodman Swings Again", and that it was recorded during an actual dance session at Freedomland.

A search of the Internet showed there appear to be other Goodman recordings with this title, one in particular but with different tracks to this date. As to personnel, I believe Hank Jones is the pianist but no information is available as to others that I can find... I’m guessing this was a private recording that Goodman organized and paid for, keeping the tapes. The band sounds lively and Benny does well. However, this isn’t a full-throated Goodman group with mature and strong soloists. In one or two places you will hear fluffs within the trumpet section!

The Harry James tracks are solidly well played with precision and snap. Helen Forrest returns to the studio to revive past hit songs but no other personnel information is mentioned. There’s a neat version of "King Porter Stomp" and a swinging "Back Beat Boogie". In terms of musicianship, James tops Goodman, assuming the recordings are roughly around the same time -- I’m guessing early 60’s.

No covers I’m afraid as the originals are simply on side each of several vinyls in a boxed set. I’ve made up a rough cover for reference. If anyone can tell us more about these two rather mysterious, short “albums” let's hear from you. It would be of great interest. ~ Keith Horner

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Mel Torme: Songs For Any Taste (1959)

Mel Torme recorded a number of lovely albums for Bethlehem during the '50s including "It's a Blue World" and "Sings Fred Astaire". Comprising a few studio sides interspersed with material recorded live at the Crescendo in February of 1957, "Songs for Any Taste" finds Torme asserting himself with confidence and style. Pianist/leader Marty Paich offers beautifully understated arrangements featuring trumpeter Don Fagerquist and accordion player Larry Bunker. The set is heavy with lesser-known standards from Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, and the Gershwins. Torme begins the set with a 'French' version of "Autumn Leaves" complete with a fake accent that serves to warm up the audience. "I Wish I Were in Love Again" and "It's Delovely" are two upbeat knockouts while "Tenderly" proceeds at a more languorous pace. The background singing and formal arrangements of "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'" mark it as a studio track, but quality-wise it fits in well with the other material. The quiet "Nobody's Heart" closes the set, a moody late-night piece with piano accompaniment. This is a beautiful set with great songs, in-between chatter and sympathetic backing. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

Side 1:

01) Autumn Leaves

02) Tenderly

03) I Wish I Weren't In Love Again

04) It's DeLovely

05) It's All Right With Me

Side 2:

01) Manhattan

02) Taking A Chance On Love

03) Home By The Sea

04) I Got Plenty O'Nuttin'

05) Nobody's Heart

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The Hi-Lo's: Broadway Playbill (1960)

If you're a Hi-Lo's fan you'll welcome this rare 1960s release. I love it -- first because it's the Hi-Lo's; second because the Frank Comstock charts are great and third because it exposed me to three songs from "Fiorello", a Broadway musical of 1959 with which I was unfamiliar.

While the Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim "Gypsy" was revived on Broadway in 1973 with Angela Lansbury as Rose, in 1989 with Tyne Daly and in 2003 with Bernadette Peters, "Fiorello" had no such longevity. Always a New York kind of show, the musical was quickly forgotten and is revived less than perhaps any other triple award winner. It was characterized by Walter Kerr of the Herald Tribune as “a song-and-dance jamboree with a curious streak of honest journalism and a strong strain of rugged sobriety about it". Maybe New Yorkers found the mix just a tad too fanciful! Anyhow I like the chosen songs.

Oh yes -- another plus for me is Comstock's use of what sounds like twin pianos in several of his backing charts for this album.

Tracks:

01) Gypsy - Overture

02) Gypsy - Everything's Coming Up Roses

03) Gypsy - Small World

04) Gypsy - Together Wherever We Go

05) Gypsy - You'll Never Get Away From Me

06) Gypsy - Little Lamb

07) Gypsy - Mr Goldstone I Love You

08) Sound Of Music - My Favourite Things

09) Sound Of Music - The Sound Of Music

10) Sound Of Music - Climb Every Mountain

11) Fiorello - Gentleman Jimmy

12) Fiorello - When Did I Fall In Love

13) Fiorello - Politics And Poker

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Terry Gibbs Dream Band Vol 4: (1961)

One of the most hyper of all jazzmen (even his ballads are taken mostly double time), Terry Gibbs was a consistently exciting and competitive vibraphonist. As a xylophonist he won an amateur contest when he was 12. After spending three years in the military during World War II, Gibbs played on 52nd Street, gigged with Tommy Dorsey (1946 and 1948), Chubby Jackson (touring Scandinavia during 1947-1948), Buddy Rich (1948), Woody Herman's Second Herd (1948-1949), and Benny Goodman (1950-1952). Gibbs settled in Los Angeles in 1957, worked in the studios, led jazz orchestras (such as this Terry Gibbs Dream Band), was the musical director of "The Steve Allen Show" during the 1960s, and in the 1980s and '90s he teamed up in a quintet with Buddy DeFranco. Gibbs recorded as a leader for Prestige, Savoy, Brunswick, EmArcy, Mercury, Verve, Time, Impulse, Dot, Xanadu, Jazz a La Carte and Contemporary among others.

Unlike the first three CDs released by Contemporary of Terry Gibbs' early '60s "Dream Band", the music on this fourth volume was out previously on Mercury. And while the earlier sets focused on swing-era standards, the fourth volume mostly has less common material. Gibbs' all-star orchestra which includes trumpeter Conte Candoli, high-note trumpeter Al Porcino, trombonist Frank Rosolino, Richie Kamuca and Bill Perkins on tenors, altoists Joe Maini and Charlie Kennedy and drummer Mel Lewis, swings hard on such tunes as "Day In, Day Out", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Too Close for Comfort" and "Ja-Da". It is not at all surprising that the vibraphonist-leader sounds so happy leading this short-lived band. ~ Scott Yanow

Side 1:

01) Day In Day Out

02) Summit Blues

03) Limerick Waltz

04) You Don't Know What Love Is

05) Sweet Georgia Brown

06) Nose Cone

07) Too Close For Comfort

08) Main Stem

09) Ja Da

10) T and S

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Ann Burton: Collage (1981)

Much of one's character can often be explained by origin, youth and upbringing. Ann Burton is no exception. Whoever looks further at the life and career of this Dutch singer and listens to the superb records she made can understand why.

The youth of Johanna 'Ansje' Rafalowicz, born on March 4, 1933, in Amsterdam, was for a great part darkened by the Second World War. So as not to get caught by the German occupiers she, with her parents, were forced to go into hiding because of her Jewish descent. And in the years after the liberation of Holland the sun still didn't shine in Ansje's life. She perpetually clashed with her mother which eventually led to her being taken under the wings of social welfare. However, she eventually became a singer with a combo, travelled abroad and soon adopted her stage name, Ann Burton.

When she entered the small Amsterdam theatre, Het Bavohuis, on the evening of September 24, 1967 to record the first session of her first album, "Blue Burton", she was 34 years old and had 12 years of experience as a singer. In the early days of her career Burton made the singing of the Doris Day repertoire her business, but since then the world of popular music had seen a lot of changes -- in the beginning by the arrival of rock'n' roll and later by the beat. Just so, the Ann Burton repertoire also underwent changes. The singer broadened her musical horizon very much after getting acquainted with jazz. After listening to the way Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald handled their songs she started to put much more emotion into the interpretation of her lyrics and this explains why she reckoned Shirley Horn as being one of her biggest favourites. From being 'just another singer', Ann developed into one who was very careful in the handling of text and who could move and allure her audience with her sensitive voice. As Paul Visser wrote in the original liner notes of her first album, "Blue Burton": "Whether or not she is the best jazz singer in the Netherlands, others may decide. She undoubtedly is the most personal . . . .and very, very blue".

Ann Burton died on November 29, 1989, in Amsterdam.

As an intro to her jazz style, here's a nice compilation released in 1981. ("I Can't Give You Anything But Love" is sensational!). The excellent pianist accompanying her is Rob Agerbeek.

Tracks:

01) A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening

02) Try A Little Tenderness

03) New York State Of Mind

04) In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

05) You Started Something

06) The Shadow Of Your Smile

07) A Boy Named Charlie Brown

08) I Can't Give You Anything But Love

09) Someone To Watch Over Me

10) It Never Entered My Mind

11) But Not For Me

12) Here's That Rainy Day

13) The Good Life

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Marty Paich: I Get A Boot Out Of You (1959)

Marty Paich, known respectfully as "the man who put the pro in progressive", was no stranger to the feel and appeal of swinging sounds. An early admirer and student of the great Jimmie Lunceford sound, Paich spent most of his youth studying the classical composers, capturing a Masters in Composition from the LA Conservatory Of Music. He arranged for nearly every name group and band in the US. This was his first album for Warner Brothers Records released in 1959.

The outing finds him featuring a 13-piece band with such all-stars as altoist Art Pepper (showcased on "Violets for Your Furs"), trumpeters Jack Sheldon and Conte Candoli, tenorman Bill Perkins, vibraphonist Victor Feldman and pianist Russ Freeman. Paich does not play any piano this time around, but he contributed the eight arrangements. The selections are all jazz standards with Paich's reinterpretations of such numbers as "It Don't Mean a Thing", "Moanin'" and "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" making even the most familiar songs sound fresh. ~ Scott Yanow.

Side 1:

01) Moanin'

02) It Don't Mean A Thing

03) No More

04) Love For Sale

Side 2:

01) Violets For Your Furs

02) What Am I Here For/Cottontail

03) Warm Valley

04) Things Ain't What They Used To Be

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Dame Kiri Te Kanawa: Kiri Sings Gershwin (1987)

Like myself, Dame Kiri is a born and bred Kiwi. (For those unfamiliar with 'Kiwi', it's a flightless native bird and an international nickname given to New Zealanders). But some of us are far from grounded like our symbolic bird. One of these of course is Kiri. Here are some of her career highlights:

* Born 6 March 1944 in Gisborne, New Zealand

* Studied under Sister Mary Leo 1959-65 at St Mary's College in Auckland.

* Was second to Malvina Major in the NZ Mobil Song Quest in 1963, won it in 1965.

* Won the Melbourne Sun Aria in 1965, and was awarded an arts council bursary to study at the London Opera Centre. Has been based overseas since.

* Has sung at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Covent Garden, and the Royal Opera House in London, and La Scala in Milan, Italy.

* In 1981 sang at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul's Cathedral.

* Became Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in 1982, and has returned to New Zealand to sing several times, including the New Year's millennium concert at Gisborne in January 2000.

* In 1984, made a special recording of "West Side Story" in the leading role of Maria with Jose Carreras as Tony, and conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

* In 1994 celebrated her 50th birthday, culminating in a spectacular Birthday Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

* November 1999 released a new album of Māori songs.

* In 2002 sang in her last opera "Vanessa", but plans to continue with recital and concert work and establishing the Dame Kiri Foundation to help young music students.

* In 2008, July 19, sang her last American concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia Park, and in 2009, June 19, was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame, performing solo works and duets with Frederica von Stade and Josh Groban to a crowd of 18,000.

Kiri is part Maori accounting for her name and dusky skin toning. Now 65 her voice has lost some of its earlier timbre and vibrancy but thankfully it's still evident on this 1987 recording. As an illustration of this take special note of her lovely tone and control on "Summertime" (Side 1, Tk 8). But once a fan, always a fan. I recall some of the jazz divas that continued to perform well after their prime -- Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Annie Ross, Anita O'Day, Carmen McRae and many more. Even in their 60s and/or 70s they were still able to pack 'em in, and our Kiri still has her pulling power too.

Just as a point of interest: Except for "Meadow Serenade", "Soon" and "By Strauss" the producers of this album have retained the orchestrations produced for the original Gershwin films and stage productions. These were scores that the bothers commissioned from arrangers that they knew and trusted. Except for "Porgy And Bess" George virtually never orchestrated his own show music. Scores for the three songs referred to above have been lost now so new orchestrations were made especially for this recording.

Side 1:

01) Somebody Loves Me

02) Boy Wanted

03) Things Are Looking Up

04) Love Walked In

05) Love Is Here To Stay

06) Someone To Watch Over Me

07) But Not For Me

08) Summertime

Side 2:

01) The Man I Love

02) Soon

03) Meadow Serenade

04) Nice Work If You Can Get It

05) By Strauss

06) Embraceable You

07) I Got Rhythm

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George Shearing: Blues Alley Jazz (1989)

Pianist George Shearing started a productive ten-year association with the Concord label with this live set, a duo outing matching him with the brilliant bassist Brian Torff. Their performances are virtuosic, intuitive, full of sly wit and always swinging. It's surprising that Torff did not become more famous. The close interaction between the two masterful musicians on such numbers as Billy Taylor's "One for the Woofer", "The Masquerade Is Over" and a humorous "Lazy River" are quite impressive as is Shearing's surprisingly effective vocal on "This Couldn't Be the Real Thing". ~ Scott Yanow

Tracks:

01) One For The Woofer

02) Autumn In New York

03) The Masquerade Is Over

04) That's What She Says

05) Soon It's Gonna Rain

06) High And Inside

07) For Every Man There's A Woman

08) This Couldn't Be The Real Thing

09) Up A Lazy River

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Freda Payne: After The Lights Go Down Low And Much More!! (1963)

The multi-talented Freda Payne is best known for her singing career, yet she also performed in musicals and acted in movies over the years and briefly was the host of her own TV talk show. She is the older sister of former Supremes member, Scherrie Payne. Born Freda Charcilia Payne in September, 1945, in Detroit, she developed an appreciation of music at an early age due to such jazz singers as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Billie Holiday. Her own musical career blossomed soon after as she began early singing radio commercial jingles which brought the young vocalist to the attention of several music biz heavyweights. Berry Gordy Jr. attempted to sign Payne to his then burgeoning record company, Motown, while Duke Ellington employed her as the featured singer with his renowned orchestra for two nights in Pittsburgh resulting in him offering the teenager a ten-year contract. But in both cases Payne's mother turned them down.

During the early to mid-'60s Payne established herself as a fine jazz vocalist touring the country with both Quincy Jones and Bill Cosby and issuing this jazz big band-based album in 1963, "After The Lights Go Down Low And Much More!". It's divided into half big-band tracks and the other into a small combo setting. The main presence in both cases is alto saxophonist Phil Woods. There is an incredible wealth of material here and it is definitely impressive to consider that Duke Ellington wrote a song specifically for this session ("Blue Piano"). It is the singer's confidence and marvelous vocal abilities that steal the show at every turn, but that is not to demean the contributions of top-drawer jazz musicians such as pianist Walter Perkins and guitarist Jim Hall. On the second side some serious jazz is attempted including a beautiful "'Round Midnight" and a version of "Lonely Woman" by Ornette Coleman.

Personnel include:

Side 1

Trumpets – Nick Travis, Ernie Royal, Al Derisi, Jimmy Nottingham

Trombones – Al Raph, Quentin Jackson, Bob Brookmeyer

Alto sax – Phil Woods

Tenor saxes – Zoot Sims, Seldon Powell

Baritone sax – Sol Schlinger

Piano – Hank Jones

Bass – Art Davis

Drums – Gus Johnson Jr.

Side 2

Alto sax – Phil Woods

Drums – Walter Perkins

Piano – Hank Jones

Bass – Art Davis

Guitar – Jim Hall

Side 1:

01) After The Lights Go Down Low

02) Sweet Pumpkin

03) Blue Piano

04) The Things We Love To Do

05) Awaken My Lonely One

06) Sweet September

Side 2:

01) I Cried For You

02) Round Midnight

03) Out Of This World

04) Lonely Woman

05) I Wish I Knew

06) It's Time

Just as a postscript -- On April 22 this year (2009) the 64-year-old Freda appeared on the TV series "American Idol" and sang her 1970 hit song, "Band of Gold".

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Boyd Raeburn: Experiments In Big Band Jazz (1945)

Although the Boyd Raeburn Orchestra appeared on earlier radio airchecks, transcriptions and a vocal date featuring Don Darcy, its Musicraft sides were its first real studio recordings. The 1945 edition of the big band was swing-oriented and sometimes showed the influence of Count Basie. Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie guests on "A Night in Tunisia" and "March of the Boyds" and the other key soloists include altoist Johnny Bothwell (a great lover of the sound of Johnny Hodges), tenor saxophonist Frankie Socolow, trumpeter Tommy Allison and (on "Boyd's Nest") trombonist Trummy Young. The arrangements (mostly by Eddie Finckel, George Williams and Johnny Mandel) are generally colorful, making this somewhat historic set of interest to swing and bop fans alike. ~ Scott Yanow

Side 1:

01) Night In Tunisia

02) March Of The Boyds

03) Didn't Know About You

04) Summertime

05) Prisoner Of Love

06) I Wanna Get Married

Side 2:

01) I Promise You

02) This Heart Of Mine

03) You've Got Me Crying

04) Out Of Nowhere

05) Boyd's Nest

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Dave Brubeck: Private Brubeck Remembers

On this album Dave Brubeck reminisces about his days as a soldier during World War II playing solo piano interpretations of songs from that era. Brubeck, then recently married and promptly drafted after graduating from the College of the Pacific, almost ended up in combat before getting an opportunity to play with an army band which caused a music-loving colonel to install the young private as director of the band. The music chosen seems to convey a special message to his wife, Lola, with bittersweet ballads "For All We Know", a jaunty "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree With Anyone Else but Me", and the dreamy interpretation of "Where or When". A surprising choice is "Lilly Marlene", a German song frequently played by Nazi propagandist broadcaster Axis Sally which Brubeck is able to play in a lush setting. After the Germans succeeded in destroying nearly every bridge which crossed the Rhine River into their homeland in advance of the Allies, the bridge at Remagen was finally captured though Brubeck's unit had to make do with a pontoon bridge due to its damaged state. His "We Crossed the Rhine" is a tense piece that evokes the still-dangerous conditions as they made their way into Germany. "Weep No More" is Brubeck's poignant ballad to his wife to let her know that he is out of danger for good with the war in Europe at an end. He concludes with a dramatic interpretation of "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To". This limited-edition release is one of the most unique items in Brubeck's considerable discography. ~ Ken Dryden

NB: For some reason track 2 (Something To Remember You By) is duplicated. Don't forget to delete the copy before burning.

Tracks:

01) For All We Know

02) Something To Remember You By

03) Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree

04) Don't Worry 'Bout Me

05) For You

06) Where Or When

07) Lili Marlene

08) It's A Sin To Tell A Lie

09) When I Grow Too Old To Dream

10) We Crossed The Rhine

11) Please Be Kind

12) Weep No More

13) The Last Time I Saw Paris

14) You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

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A Tribute To Al Martino (1927 - 2009)

Al Martino, a crooner who had several pop hits spanning more than 20 years and played Johnny Fontane in the 1970s "Godfather" movies, died Tuesday at his childhood home in Springfield, Pa. He was 82.

He was born Alfred Cini on October 7, 1927, in South Philadelphia. Encouraged by his boyhood friend, Mario Lanza, Martino began his singing career in the late 1940s. His single "Here in My Heart" hit No. 1 in the UK in 1952 and stayed on top for a record nine weeks. He performed for Queen Elizabeth at the London Palladium that year. Martino's publicist, Sandy Friedman, said the singer planned to return for an anniversary performance at the Palladium next year.

Martino had a run of chart singles through 1953 but his career stalled with the advent of rock 'n' roll. He caught fire again in 1963 with the Top 5 hit "I Love You Because". It was the first of six consecutive Top 40 singles in less than two years, including "I Love You More and More Every Day", which peaked at No. 9 in 1964. The string of hits propelled a pair of Martino's albums -- "I Love You Because" and "Painted, Tainted Rose" -- into the top 10 in 1963. He also scored a top-10 disc with "A Merry Christmas", which made Billboard's holiday chart for four consecutive years. His last top 10 album was "Spanish Eyes" in 1966, his only certified gold record.

The Italian-American Martino continued to hit the pop charts through the mid-'70s reaching the top 20 with "To the Door of the Sun (Alle Porte del Sole)" in 1974. But a new audience got to know him as the coddled -- and connected -- heartthrob singer and would-be actor Johnny Fontane, godson of Don Vito Corleone, in the best picture Oscar winners "The Godfather" (1972) and "The Godfather Part II" (1974). He sang "I Have But One Heart (O Marenariello)" during the first film's wedding scene and on its score album "The Love Theme From 'The Godfather'."

A longtime resident of Beverly Hills, Martino is survived by his wife, Judi; a daughter, Allison; a son, Alfred; a brother, Frank; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Side 1:

01) Love Theme From 'The Godfather'

02) Jast Say I Love Her

03) I Have But One Heart

04) A Man Without Love

05) The Gypsy In You

Side 2:

01) The Rise And Fall Of A Fool

02) The Godfather Waltz

03) You're Breaking My Heart

04) Every Day Of My Life

05) I'm Still Not Thru Missing You

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