Manny Albam: Sketches From The Book Of Life (1966)

Manny Albam was a jazz composer/arranger/teacher. In his early career he also played baritone saxophone. He was born in the Dominican Republic, but grew up in New York City. His parents were Lithuanian immigrants. He was born in the Dominican Republic as his parents were en route to the US in 1922. He became interested in jazz on hearing Bix Beiderbecke and at sixteen dropped out of school to play for Muggsy Spanier. He began doing musical arrangements with Georgie Auld under the supervision of Budd Johnson who was the main arranger for the group. By 1950 Manny had largely switched to arranging and composing. He would do a great deal of work later with Charlie Barnet and Charlie Spivak before collaborating with top jazzmen (Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Count Basie, Mel Lewis and Art Farmer to name just a few). In 1964 he became musical director for Solid State Records and it was this company that released the jazz suite ("Soul Of A City") in 1966. This is a reissue of that suite with added cuts from an album called "Brass On Fire" (tracks 11-18). It's packed with talent. Soloists heard include J. J. Johnson, Phil Woods, Hank Jones, Frank Wess, Joe Newman and Ernie Royal. He also found an entree into the world of classical music when he arranged the score for Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story" in 1957. Bernstein then invited him to write for the New York Philharmonic. This in turn led him to classical music studies and the composition "Concerto For Trombone And Strings". He died of cancer in 2001.

Part 1:

01) Born On Arrival

02) The Children's Corner

03) Museum Pieces

04) The Game Of The Year

05) A View From The Outside

06) Tired Faces Going Places

07) A View From The Inside

08) Ground Floor Rear

09) Riverview

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Part 2:

01) El Barrio Latino (Sketches)

02) My Heart Stood Still (Brass On Fire)

03) My Old Flame

04) Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart

05) Strike Up The Band

06) After You've Gone

07) Carioca

08) I Get A Kick Out Of You

09) Jada

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Thousands Clamour For More Expose (Yeah Right!)

Just another layer off the old KellyB identity onion. Yeah, I know you're here for my music, not my pictures, so let's get this post on the road. Top one is me broadcasting from a trade show thus the basic setup I had to work with. Middle is an interview just after the crowning of a carnival queen. And above at a radio ball July 1961. I'm the loud mouth on the left. Next to me is my then girlfriend who I married the following year. Next to her is a friend and colleague, Joe Corry. He eventually went on to work for the BBC. And the other girl is Carolyn, Joe's partner. So that's expose part one. Now the audio stuff you can download if you're interested enough.

Tracks:

01) to 03) Me on air. I did the nine to noon show in the middle to late '60s. Very little on-air recording done in those early days so am left with these few clips and some earlier stuff that I wouldn't play to my best friend, let alone you lot. From 9 to 9.30 each morning the commercial schedule was pretty heavy so I didn't have time to linger over my intros. Later it was more relaxed so I was able to offer more info re each artist.

04) to 07) Radio jingles. I used the first two regularly on my recent "comeback" radio show on a local community station. Guess you recognize the voice on track 04)? -- Sarah Vaughan. And that's Joanie Sommers on the one for Pepsi. I've posted one of Joanie's top albums -- "Softly The Brazilian Sound". Have a look under the "Js". Do you still see Chiquita bananas in the US? If not track 07) may jog your memory.

08) to 12) Bob Crane? What's he doing on my blog. Story is this: About 1961 or '62 a young 20-year-old guy (Alan Hall) came into our studio and asked to see me. He had often listened to Radio KNX, Los Angeles, on the AM band. In those days when this band was relatively uncluttered US AM stations came through down here with amazing clarity. I listened to them myself. He wrote to KNX asking if they could recommend accommodation as he planned a visit there. They replied suggesting he be their in-person guest for a few days. He agreed and they billed him as their "farthest listener". He appeared on Ralph Story's "The Storyline" and Bob Crane's brekky show to name just two. Before he left for his trip KNX asked him to record some examples of what they called "typical radio shows". That's why he came into our studio that day. We sent him on his way with a tape full of shows including one of my own. KNX used the material on the "Storyline". KNX put both Ralph Story's and Bob Crane's shows on tape for him so when he got back home here I dubbed a copy for myself and still have it. Although there has been some quality fall off, it's not bad considering its age. It's a reel tape of course. These were pre-cassette days. Understandably I became a Bob Crane fan especially after he became known globally as Col. Hogan in "Hogan's Heroes". His slick professionalism blew me away and I loved his choice of music. Sooo, I've converted to MP3 the 4 numbers from this brekky show Alan brought back to us and included them in this post. They are "Breezin' Along With The Breeze" (Jackie Gleason), "Theme from Fanny" (duo pianists Schneider & Manning), "Rose Room" (Frankie Carle) and "Al di La" (Jerry Vale). Have searched the internet for any info regarding the duo pianists Schneider & Manning and also Frankie Carle's recording of "Rose Room", but zilcho -- nothing.

12) This an aircheck of the Bob Crane show (March 9, '62) I downloaded off the Net. I am aware of the sexy bits in his private life and his unsolved murder. Yuk! I've also read widely about Sinatra's shady ways with the Mob. But he was a superb entertainer and that's the way I see him. Same with Bob Crane.

13) Hilarious!! This 8-year-old horror from Dublin, Ireland, rings up a demolition firm asking them to go to work on her school. The disenchanted one requests that they ensure all the teachers are inside before they start that big ball swingin'. Is she for real I wonder. If not she oozes that Gallic charm and has the demolition folk in fits. See what you think.

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Fab Wildlife Fotos Wish I'd Taken (Captions Are Mine)

NOSY POKE

HELP!!!

HANG IN THERE BUDDY!

TWOFER

WHY ME??

GOD I'M GORGEOUS!

AWE SHUCKS!

YOU'RE SOOO YUMMY I COULD EAT YOU

APARTHEID IN REVERSE

MMMMMMMM!

TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE

FREEZE DRY BAMBI

PROTEST

MOGGIE MILKBAR

Frank Sinatra: The Main Event - Live (1974)

In September/October of 1974 Sinatra embarked on a six-concert tour with Woody Herman and Herd. It culminated with two shows at Madison Square Garden right in the center of New York City. A television special was compiled from the best material from these two shows. This is the soundtrack of that special. After an ecstatic intro (didn't he go on!) by then sportscaster and anchor Howard Cosell, Frank rescues matters by launching into "The Lady Is A Tramp" and "I Get A Kick Out Of You" which whips the 20,000+ audience into a frenzy. Aided by the band blowing Riddle and Don Costa arrangements, it's a breeze from there on in. I have "The Main Event" DVD. Worth considering if you dig the audio.

Tracks:
01) Overture & Cosell intro
02) The Lady Is A Tramp
03) I Get A Kick Out Of You
04) Let Me Try Again
05) Autumn In New York
06) I've Got You Under My Skin
07) Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
08) Angel Eyes
09) You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
10) The House I Live In
11) My Kind Of Town
12) My Way

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Notice Board

Sadly Singers Unlimited "Sentimental Journey" has been withdrawn due to DMCA infringement complaint.

Quincy Jones: Big Band Bossa Nova (1963)

This is not Quincy at his best. My guess is that Mercury contracted him to do this album in the early '60s to cash in on the sudden surge of interest in all things Brazilian, in particular the bossa nova rhythm. But the Jones boy never produced a shoddy product, so if you're hearing this album for the first time you'll probably enjoy it (especially the super famous first track!) Love his work with Michael Jackson and Sarah Vaughan. He did the charts for the latter's "Vaughan And Violins" and "Your Mine You" recorded in Paris also in the '60s. Have posted the former and plan to let you hear the latter shortly.

Tracks:
01) Soul Bossa Nova
02) Boogie Stop Shuffle
03) Desifinado
04) Mahna de Carnival
05) Se E Tarde Me Pardoa (Forgive Me If I'm Late)
06) On The Street Where You Live
o7) One Note Samba
08) Lalo Bossa Nova
09) Serenata
10) No More Blues
11) A Taste Of Honey

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George Shearing: Continental Experience (1974)

Tracks:
01) Lullaby Of Birdland
02) When Your Lover Has Gone
03) To A Wild Rose
04) I'll Be Around
05) Thine Alone
06) The Continental
07) The Nearness Of You
08) Roses Of Picardy
09) Someone To Watch Over Me
10) East Of The Sun
11) We'll Be Together Again

George Shearing (piano)
Andy Simpkins (bass)
Sigi Schwab (guitar)
Heribert Thusek (vibes)
Rusty Jones (drums)
Chino Valdes (congas)
Carmelo Garcia (timbales)

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The Royal Philharmonic Orch: Can't Stop The Classics (1982)

Another bowl of delicious stirfry!

Side 1:

01) Can't Stop The Classics

02) Hooked On America

03) Hooked On Romance (Pt 2)

04) Can't Stop The Classics (Pt 2)

Side 2:

01) A Night At The Opera

02) Tales Of The Vienna Waltz

03) Hooked On Baroque

04) If You Knew Sousa & Sousa And Friends

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The Four Preps: Campus Encore (1961)

This is probably another posting of mine that won't put the blogosphere into a mad spin. Question is how many '60s alumni are still around, let alone make regular visits to my site. I can't answer that. All I know is that I bought this vinyl in the '60s and have not been tempted to let it go. Musically it's a bit ho-hum for me, but historically it has some interest. When Capitol released this album the lads were at the apex of their careers. Bill Ballance, DJ at Radio KFWB Los Angeles in those days wrote in the liner notes: "The Preps have such a rigid schedule of coast-to-coast concerts they have to be refuelled in mid-air." They were guests on countless Tv appearances with Ed Sullivan, Dick Clark, Bob Newhart, Ozzie and Harriet etc etc. This is the second of two on-campus concerts recorded by Capitol. The first was called "The Four Preps On Campus". Must have taken Capitol months to come up with that one. "Campus Encore" is not too wild either but a few rungs higher than its predecessor. Bruce, Glenn, Marvin and Eddie were just one vocal quartet out of many that toured the college campuses in those days. Just from the top of my head I can think of The Four Lads, The Four Tops, The Four Aces, The Four Freshmen, The Lettermen and that's only the guys! There were numerous girl groups too. The ebullient Bill Balance ends his back cover blurb this way: "Well, I have to go now -- the pains in my head are starting again." (Did the poor guy have a tumor?). "But hold! Bounding on stage, storming the ramparts of rhapsody, here are those tantalizing troubadors of the titanic, turbulent talent -- THE FOUR PREPS!" (Gawd!!).

Side 1:
01) Come To The Dance
02) The Sphinx Won't Tell
03) The Big Draft Medley
04) Lonesome Town
05) Suzy Cockroach

Side 2:
01) Moon River
02) Next Man Told His Tale
03) Lullaby
04) Rememb'ring

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George Shearing & Nancy Wilson: The Swingin's Mutual (1976)

The original album of "The Swingin's Mutual" was recorded on June 29 and July 5-6, 1960, and January 7, 1961. It contained just 12 tracks. Nancy participated on just six of them. Then came this one, Capitol's first reissue (1976) with 5 tracks added. So the score now is George 10, Nancy 7. There was yet another reissue I think in '92 adding yet another 3 tracks. But this one I'm posting ('76) is an OK balance between the two artists. I guess Capitol figured that as Nancy's star was still rising (this was her third album) more would buy the original vinyl for George's name on the cover rather than Nancy's. S'pose you've noticed that in the cover shot, both are holding each other's albums. Quite a nice touch. Quoting from the notes on the back cover: "This album came about because of a rare thing called mutual admiration, growing out of some impromptu fun sessions about a year ago when George and his group were appearing at New York's Basin Street East-- Nancy sat in with them and the session took off." And just as a postscript, the back cover also credits Charles Eames with the design of the chairs. He was apparently quite a high profile designer in the '60s to be mentioned at all. Here's a quote from a furniture design site: "The model of the Eames chair on which George Shearing and Nancy Wilson are sitting is the DAX with its 'second edition' base which has become known to collectors as the "h-base." So how about that. So nice to know!

Tracks:
01) The Things We Did Last Summer (Nancy)
02) All Night Long (Nancy)
03) My Gentleman Friend (Nancy)
04) Born To Be Blue (Nancy)
05) I Remember Clifford (George)
06) On Green Dolphin Street (Nancy)
07) Let's Live Again (Nancy)
08) Whisper Not (George & Benny Golson)
09) The Nearness Of You (Nancy)
10) Evansville (George)
11) Don't Call me (George)
12) Inspiration (George)
13) You Are There George)
14) Wait 'Till You See her (George)
15) Blue Lou (George)
16) Oh Look At Me Now (George)
17) Lullabye Of Birdland (George)
18) Here's That Rainy Day (Nancy -- bonus track from me)

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Frank Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim: Sinatra-Jobim Sessions (1967/69)

First some historical background to this album. The story goes like this: All that was ever produced by this collaboration between Frank Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim was a vinyl test pressing and 3500 8-track cartridges. After this Sinatra/Jobim collaboration was cancelled (for reasons unknown), a memo was issued by Warner ordering the destruction of all but three copies of the 3500 8-track tapes that had been manufactured of this release. Warner sent this memo to all the retailers and distributors for all the unsold copies and they even went so far as attempting to get back all the sold copies as well by issuing a recall. Whether or not their efforts were successful are to this day unknown, but there are fewer than 5 copies of the tape known to exist. This double LP album, published only in Brazil by producer Roberto Quartin, has never been released before either on vinyl or CD, and contains all the songs played during the
recording sessions that Frank Sinatra did with Antonio Carlos Jobim. Three of these songs, "Bonita", "Sabiá"and "Desifinado" were not included in any of the two previous records featuring Sinatra and Jobim, but were on the 8-track cart recalled by Warner. Make any sense out of all that? Worry not if your answer is negative. We're here to hear the music anyway. A reviewer was moved to write this accolade:

"One reviewer of the Getz/Gilberto album says that that album would be the one he'd take into the afterlife. For me, it's this collaboration between two of my top artists of the 20th century -- Sinatra and Jobim. First there is the music itself ... delicate and light as a breeze across naked skin. There are a lot of layers here -- strings, guitar, percussion, delicate trumpet -- all of which are arranged superbly by Claus Ogerman to underscore rather than compete with each other. It is super cool bossa nova laid atop shaved ice."

Disc 1:

01) Baubles Bangles And Beads

02) I Concentrate On You

03) Dindi

04) Change Partners

o5) Quiet Nights

06) If You Never Come To Me

07) Girl From Ipanema

08) Meditation

09) Once I Loved

10) How Insensitive

11) Drinking Again

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Disc 2:

01) One Note Samba

02) Don't Ever Go Away

03) Wave

04) Bonita

05) Someone To Light Up My Life

06) Off Key (Desifinado)

07) Drinking Water (Agua de Beber)

08) Song Of The Sabia

09) This Happy Madness

10) Triste

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Pete Fountain: The Best Of (1972)

Pierre Dewey La Fontaine Jr. was born in 1930. In due course, needing a more concise name, he became Pete Fountain. As a young student of the clarinet in New Orleans he developed his style and technique in the time-honoured jazz fashion by sitting in and jamming with bands on Bourbon Street. He studied the work of then prominent jazzmen Eddie Miller, Charlie Teagarden, Bobby Hackett and drummer Ray Baudac (or Bauduc, best known for his work with the Bob Crosby Bobcats) and most particularly that of his idol, clarinetist Irving Fazola. His first professional date came when he was 16 when Fazola died. He took Fazola's chair in a French Quarter band and the blues tribute he blew for his friend and mentor that night was the making of yet another legend. This collection of recordings made between '59 and '67 illustrates many facets of Pete's musical personality. In his own words he sought to "combine Fazola's mellow sound with Benny Goodman's drive". These qualities are apparent as he plays in the many differing contexts devised for him by album producer Charles Bud Dant.

RECORD ONE
Side 1:

01) While We Danced At The Mardi Gras

02) A Closer Walk

03) Columbus Stockade Blues

04) Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans

05) Fascination Medley

06) China Boy

Side 2:

01) When The Saints Come Marching In March

02) St. Louis Blues

03) When My Baby Smiles At Me

04) Shrimp Boats

05) Indiana

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RECORD TWO
Side 1:

01) Bye Bye Bill Bailey

02) Lazy River

03) Yes Indeed

04) High Society

05) Stranger On The Shore

06) Over The Waves

Side 2:

01) Oh, Lady Be Good

02) You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You

03) My Blue Heaven

04) Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet

05) For Pete's Sake

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George Benson: Greatest Hits Of All

In April of 2007 George Benson and Al Jarreau arrived in my country promoting their album "Givin' It Up". I have this album somewhere. May do a search and post it. The Benson/Jarreau concert was almost a sellout and they had some of the audience literally dancing in the aisles. Chances are most of these couldn't name this most recent album they were promoting, but it was the old hits like "Breezin", "This Masquerade", "Turn Your Love Around" and "On Broadway" they'd come to hear and they weren't sent home disappointed. In fact even before he'd played a note the dapper 61 year old in silver silk pants got a standing ovation. Being paired with jazz singer and Grammy grabber Al Jarreau made this an appealing bill. Hope you enjoy this "best of" album.

Tracks:
01) Give Me The Night
02) Turn Your Love Around
03) Never Give Up On A Good Thing
04) Love X Love
05) Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You
06) The Greatest Love Of All
07) Feel Like Makin' Love
08) Breezin'
09) This Masquerade
10) In Your Eyes
11) You Are The Love Of My Life (with Roberta Flack)
12) Lady Love Me One More Time
13) Kisses In The Moonlight
14) Love All The Hurt Away (with Aretha Franklin)
15) Being With You
16) Moody's Mood (with Patti Austin)
17) Nature Boy
18) Love Ballad
19) Shiver
20) On Broadway (live)

Part 1

Part 2

Cleo Laine & James Galway: Sometimes When We Touch (1980)

Living in a large wine producing area has its perks. High profile music stars from the northern hemisphere are enticed to perform here. Perhaps not so many these days, but they're still coming. Cleo Laine was down here some years ago. She was accompanied by her talented band-leader husband Johnny Dankworth. I was there of course and was wowed by their performances. Here she teams up with flute player James Galway and the pair blend well together. Hubby Dankworth did the backing arrangements. If this is your first encounter with either artist, download and take a listen.

Tracks:

01) Drifting Dreaming

02) Sometimes When We Touch

03) Play It Again Sam

04) Skylark

05) How Where When

06) The Fluter's Ball

07) Consuelo's Love Theme

08) Keep Loving Me

09) Anyone Can Whistle

10) Still Was The Night

11) Lo, Hear The Gentle Lark

12) Like A Sad Song

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The Four Lads: Most Requested Songs (1950s)

Here we have 16 songs lifted from The Four Lad's 1950s Lps. As of last year this album went out of production so if (like me) you've been on this planet long enough to recall these guys and the songs they sang, grab it and wallow in a few sessions of 50s nostalgia.

Tracks:
1 Standing on the Corner
2 Who Needs You?
3 Magnificent Obsession
4 The Mocking Bird
5 No, Not Much
6 There's Only One of You
7 Tonight [From West Side Story]
8 Somebody Loves Me
9 Fly Me to the Moon
10 Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
11 Moments to Remember
12 Together (Wherever We Go)
13 Time After Time
14 Breezin' Along With the Breeze
15 Why Can't You Behave?
16 Love Is a Many Splendored Thing

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Notice Board

It's been brought to my notice (in the nicest, kindest possible way) that my file tags are too short on detail. I burn all my downloads to CDs so all I require is track number and title. But I'm now aware that many transfer their downloads to Ipods and the likes which means that artist and album details are necessary for future ID purposes. Soooo -- I've been teaching myself to use the ID3 facility included in my ripping and burning application. First thought that tag details were being lost during the compression process (use WinRAR) but they seem to be surviving. Downloaded one of my own files today just to take a look. Artist/album details still there. And another thing -- have been told that many if not most of my MediaFire download links are down. If you find any of these uploaded files deleted just leave a message in my Chat Box or email me. If I can find the time I'll re-up on RapidShare or MegaUpload. Cheers!

The Singers Unlimited: Eventide (1978)

This is one of the group's lesser-known albums. It was recorded May,1976, at the MPS studios in Villingen, Germany, but not released here until about two years later. As usual all vocal arrangements were done by the incomparable Gene Puerling and for this one the orchestral backing was arranged and conducted by Robert Farnon from the UK. Pianist Roger Kellaway is heard on "Yours Truly Rosa" his own composition, and Singers Unlimited vocalist Don Shelton also plays clarinet on "Marlies". This number is a Puerling original dedicated to Marlies Brunner-Schwer whose hospitality provided a home away from home while the group were recording in Villingen. The title song "Eventide" was also penned by Gene Puerling.

Side 1:
01) Deep Purple
02) Air (from Bach's Suite In D)
03) Put Your Dreams Away
04) I Loved You
05) In The Still Of The Night
06) Mona Lisa

Side 2:
01) Feelings
02) Gymnopedies (Satie)
03) Yours Truly Rosa
04) Marlies
05) How Beautiful Is Night (Farnon)
06) Eventide

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The Royal Philharmonic Orch: Hooked On Classics (1981)

Described Werner Muller's "Songs Of Joy" (12/7/08) as classics served up as hors d'oeuvres rather than the main meal. See this one as a colossal bowl of stirfry!!

Side 1:
01) Hooked On Classics (Pts 1&2)
02) Hooked On Romance
03) Hooked On Classics (Pt 3)
04) Hooked On Bach

Side 2:
01) Hooked On Tchaikovsky
02) Hooked On A Song
03) Hooked On Mozart
04) Hooked On Mendelssohn
05) Hooked On A Can Can

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Paul Anka: Rock Swings

Spent some time yesterday getting this post sorted, compiled and uploaded. Why do I do this? Haven't a clue. Well ... that's not quite correct. This sharing lurk can become quite addictive. Guess that's why we bloggers spend hours of our spare time getting our music posted for you to grab and (hopefully) enjoy. Never been that chuffed about rock music, but know a good rock song when I hear it so when I heard Anka sing "Tears In Heaven" a few years ago I was hooked. He's (Anka) chosen 14 of the better rock and pop songs of the '80s and '90s and transformed them into quite compelling big band swing arrangements and believe me, they swing. Have a listen to "Jump", It's My Life" and Wonderwall". He was 64 when he laid down these tracks. Thought it might be a gas to have the originals on tap as well so spent part of yesterday compiling them in the same order as they appear on Anka's CD. Have uploaded and posted this comp as well. Enjoy!

Part 1:

01) Eye Of The Tiger

02) Jump

03) Everybody Hurts

04) Wonderwall

05) Blackhole Sun

06) It's My Life

07) It's A Sin

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Part2:

08) True

09) Smells Like Teen Spirit

10) Hello

11) Eyes Without A Face

12) Lovecats

13) The Way You Make Me Feel

14) Tears In Heaven

Download

Rock Originals:

01) Survivor (Eye Of The Tiger)

02) Van Halen (Jump)

03) R.E.M. (Everybody Hurts)

04) Oasis (Wonderwall)

05) Soundgarden (Blackhole Sun)

06) Bon Jovi (It's My Life)

07) Pet Shop Boys (It's A Sin)

08) Spandau Ballet (True)

09) Nirvana (Smells Like Teen Spirit)

10) Lionel Richie (Hello)

11) Billy Idol (Eyes Without A Face)

12) The Cure (Lovecats)

13) Michael Jackson (The Way You Make Me Feel)

14) Eric Clapton (Tears In Heaven)

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Chet Atkins & Tommy Emmanuel: The Day The Finger Pickers Took Over The World

This album is fun and sad in equal proportions. Play it and it lifts your spirits. It's obvious that Chet and Tommy had a ball recording the numbers and this comes across loud and clear. The sad part is that this was Chet's final curtain. He was already fighting cancer at the time and died a few years later. The old mentor (Chet) was handing over to his brilliant student (Tommy). Tommy adored and greatly admired Chet and I understand that the feeling was mutual. "Dixie McGuire" and "Mr Guitar" are Emmanuel originals the latter being a tribute to Atkins. On track 6 they take the mickey out of the legendary Mel Bay whose how-to chord manuals have been used by learners the world over since the '40s. The bracket "Road To Gundagai" and Waltzing Matilda" sparks the old Anzac (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) spirit in me (my dad was an Aussie), and the final track, "Smokey Mountain Lullaby" seems as if Chet is saying goodnight to the world. If this album doesn't show the pair off at their brilliant best, it has historical significance -- two of the world's great finger stylists together for the first and last time ever.

Tracks:
01) Borsalino
02) To B Or Not To B
03) The Day The Finger Pickers Took Over The World
04) Tiptoe Through The Bluegrass
05) News From The Outback
06) Ode To Mel Bay
07) Dixie McGuire
08) Saltwater
09) Mr Guitar
10) Road To Gundagai/Waltzing Matilda
11) Smokey Mountain Lullaby

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Gene Krupa & Anita O'Day: Compilation

I am thoroughly p'd off. Just spent about 30 mins composing an intro to this post. Why so long? Well it was kinda complex trying to explain the background, but guess what -- IT'S ALL GONE. I accidentally deleted it. So here we go again. But think I'll postpone for a while as it's Saturday afternoon here "down under" and that's my time for watching horse racing on Tv. See ya later. Back again. I'm not a mad, crazy punter by the way. Just enjoy following the top jocks and horses for a few hours each week. Now -- my lost intro. I have between 400 and 500 vinyles and CDs. Not a huge collection but choosing which to post each time is a bit like the old "sticking-the-pin-in-the-phonebook" trick. But hey, you can't please 'em all, so fingers crossed on this one. I made this compilation some time ago, way before blogging was even a twinkle in my eye. I did it purely for my own pleasure -- just a collection of my favoured Krupa/O'Day tracks from a few vinyls and CDs in my library. As such it's a pretty mixed bag. Most selections come from the two "Let Me Off Uptown" albums displayed above. But must have had "one too many" as we say down here which is just a more polite way of describing one as soaked, soused, sozzled, stewed, stoned, smashed, zonked, legless, blotto and so on. Get my drift?. How "Tea For Two Cha Cha" (Disc 1 Tk 13) got in on the act I'll never know. Maybe I thought it was Anita's famous performance of this old chestnut at the '58 Newport Jazz Festival (I posted this on Nov. 4 last year). To redeem myself I've included the YouTube clip of this number along with "Sweet Georgia Brown" filmed at the said festival. (What about the blonde lady reading "Camille" and the girl with the big brown eyes demolishing the chocolate icecream bar!!). Anita was cursed by drug and alcohol addiction during her performing life, but has left us with a legacy of great jazz memories. Mix in the magic of Gene Krupa's drums and Roy Eldridge's horn and you've got a compilation here that offers pretty good value. In my view, Eldridge was by far the best swing band soloist of that era. Jazz literature names him as the main inspiration behind the young emerging Dizzy Gillespie. He solos on "After You've Gone", "Green Eyes" and "Skylark" and fools around with Anita on the classic "Let Me Off Uptown". Most of these tracks are excellent examples of the best in early '40s swing music -- snappy, driving and tight. Perhaps we could draw a parallel with Buddy Rich and his band. Different style and era, but both drummers were the powerhouses behind their respective units.

Disc 1:

01) Disc Jockey Jump

02) Georgia On My Mind

03) Kick It

04) After You've Gone

05) Gene's Boogie

06) Green Eyes

07) Just A Little Bit South Of N. Carolina

08) Massachusetts

09) Murder He Says

10) Samba

11) Slow Down

12) Sometimes I'm Happy

13) Tea For Two

Download

Disc 2:

01) Thanks For The Boogie Ride

02) Watch The Birdie

03) Skylark

04) Stop! The Red Light's On

05) Time Out

06) Tuxedo Junction

07) Let Me Off Uptown

08) How Do

09) Bolero At The Savoy

10) The Babe Takes A Bow

11) How High The Moon

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Frank Sinatra: Trilogy - Past, Present & Future (1980)

This is actually a triple album. Each record was conceived as an individual work portraying a different time epoch and each arranged by one of Sinatra's major collaborators -- Billy May (The Past), Don Costa (The Present) and Gordon Jenkins (The Future). For The Past, Sinatra recorded 10 standards. The Present concentrated on 10 pop hits of that time and Gordon Jenkins' Future was seen as more a freeform suite rather than a set of songs. The album was nominated for the Grammy Album Of The Year in 1981 and also Sinatra's song "New York New York" on disc two was nominated Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Song Of The Year. Ex US broadcaster, Tony Rome, has published a colourful review of the album for Amazon which I'll reproduce here:

"When first released in March of 1980, Sinatra's 'Trilogy' was literally an event.
It was Sinatra's first studio album in six years (1974-1979 produced a minimal amount of mediocre singles and an album project with Nelson Riddle that was aborted).
The 'Trilogy' project comprised three discs which attempted to capsulize Sinatra's musical and personal persona in three tenses -- Past, Present and Future.
Disc 1: 'The Past' has FS performing a number of standards he had never recorded before plus re recordings of 'The Song is You' and 'Let's Face The Music and Dance'. Billy May supplied the charts after Nelson Riddle turned down the project owing to some personal conflicts between Riddle and Sinatra.
Disc 2: 'The Present' consisted of some lightweight pop material spanning the rock era -- going back to 'Love Me Tender' out of 1956, and including songs by Carole Bayer Sager, Peter Allen, Kris Kristofferson and Jimmy Webb. Oddly they included 'New York, New York' which was completely out of phase with the rest of the disc musically, but gave Sinatra his first hit single in years and a signature song to replace 'My Way'.
The 3rd Disc entitled 'The Future' was an autobiographical suite composed for Sinatra by Gordon Jenkins .... Savaged by critics and ignored by most fans, it became the most controversial musical project of (at that time) the four decade long Sinatra career .....'The Future' resulted in Radio WNEW's Jonathan Schwartz being forced off the air for a period of time. Schwartz told his listeners 'The Future' was a 'narcissistic mess' and a 'shocking embarrassment' ........... (Sinatra called the head of Metromedia to complain and Schwartz was suddenly on sabbatical. Schwartz also claimed Sinatra called and screamed at him for 2 solid minutes).
During the course of 'The Future' Sinatra finds romance on Venus, 'mob' buddies on Pluto and pizza on Uranus. He makes a last charge at Vegas with Dean Martin and "Sarge" Weiss and does one last great imaginary recording session with Jenkins.
Listening to 'The Future' now, 25 years after the fact and 8 years after Sinatra's passing is a curious personal and musical experience. Though 'The Future' sounds more dated than 'The Past' and 'The Present' because of Jenkins'approach, Sinatra does his best singing of the entire package.
Frank: 'And when that cat with the scythe starts tuggin' at my sleeve .... I'll be singing when I leave!!!!'
CHORUS .... 'SINATRA .... SINATRA .... SINATRA!'
To hell with the critics -- this is powerful stuff and today moves me to tears ..... "

That review was written in 2006 by the way. I understand Tony Rome's real name is actually Mike Roberts. He spent over 20 years as a professional broadcaster and is now (or was) in the field of educational sales as the Associate Director of Admissions for a career college in Palm Beach county. He was born and raised in New York City but has been residing in Florida since the early 70s.

Just finally, Dan Epstein wrote: "If the Chairman of the Board never made another record, this would at least have made for a suitably larger-than-life exit."

Disc 1:
01) The Song Is You
02) But Not For Me
03) I Had The Craziest Dream
04) It Had To Be You
05) Let's Face The Music And Dance
06) Street Of Dreams
07) My Shining Hour
08) All Of You
09) More Than You Know
10) They All Laughed

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Disc 2:
01) You And Me We Wanted It All
02) Just The Way You Are
03) Something
04) McArthur Park
05) New York, New York
06) Summer Me, Winter Me
07) Song Sung Blue
08) For The Good Times
09) Love Me Tender
10) That's What God Looks Like

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Disc 3:
01) What Time Does The Next Miracle Leave
02) World War None
03) The Future
04) I've Been There
05) Song Without Words
06) Before The Music Ends

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Rosemary Clooney & John Pizzarelli: Brazil

Ever since this album was released almost 9 years ago it's split the vaste army of Clooney fans right down the middle. Most of the "pros" fall into the "anything Rosie did is just fine with me" camp. The "cons" say at 72 she was passed it and shouldn't have done the album in the first place and anyway trying to emulate the one-off Sinatra-Jobim album of three decades back was sacrilege. (Must post that album sometime. It's fantastic.) Well, OK Rosemary is showing her age (don't I know it!) but I still find it good listening. Like Diana Krall guesting on track 3 ("Boy From Ipanema"); John soloing on track 4 ( "Wave"); and Rosemary & John duetting on track 10 ( "Let Go"). And anything with Oscar Castro-Neves arranging gets my vote anyway.

Tracks:
01) Brazil
02) Corcovado
03) Boy From Ipanema (with Diana Krall)
04) Wave
05) Once I Loved
06) Desifinado
07) I Concentrate On You
08) One Note Samba
09) How Insensitive
10) Let Go
11) Dindi
12) Waters Of March
13) Meditation
14) Sweet Happy Life
15) Day In The Life Of A Fool
16) Brazil (reprise)


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Rosemary Clooney & Nelson Riddle: Love (1963)

What can I say about this vinyl? To Clooney fans it's always been a knockout and even Rosemary herself accorded it five stars in her autobiography. Why is it so special? Well how's this for starters. Both metaphorically and literally, Nelson and Rosemary were in love. Legend has it that Rosemary was smitten slightly harder than was Nelson. Of course they were both married at the time, but hey -- Cupid never has been a respecter of marital mores. Whatever the true facts it never blossomed into a long-term affair. I would describe this album as elegant, haunting and yes - even mystic. Going too far? Well maybe. It's of interest historically too. The story is that this was recorded by RCA as a followup to "Rosie Solves The Swingin' Riddle", but the times they were a changing and fast and if the label read the public right, they didn't want any more of this deep romantic stuff. It wasn't populist enough. So it was ditched and forgotten. But da da!! Guess who saw it's potential -- Ol' Blue Eyes himself. He jumped in, bought the master, created a beautiful package (ever seen Rosie look so yummy?) and released it on his own Reprise label. It sold like hot cakes and remained a smash hit for several decades.

Tracks:

01) Invitation

02) I Wish It So

03) Yours Sincerely

04) Imagination

05) Find The Way

06) How Will I Remember You

07) Why Shouldn't I

08) More Than You Know

09) You Started Something

10) It Never Entered My Mind

11) If I Forget You

12) Someone To Watch Over Me

13) Black Coffee (Bonus)

14) The Man That Got Away (Bonus)

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Notice Board

I've come out of the closet! Prior to now I've found revealing too much of myself on the Net a bit scary. But in the past few weeks I've observed so many other blogs that seem to be saying: "Go for it buddy boy", so I'm acting on that advice -- going for it buddy boy. I'm a dinosaur among bloggers I know. Have been around longer than most which is probably why I was a bit coy about expanding my profile. However, I've done it. There's a picture of me and a few details about my favourite things (cuddly kittens and warm woollen mittens). Have done this for the nosey pokes and the genuine folk who share a love for my kinda music and keep coming back to check my latest post. Bless y'all and keep comin'.

Si Zentner & Johnny Mann: Great Band With Great Voices (1961)

This is a kind of twofer -- the marrying of The Si Zentner Band with The Johnny Mann Singers. This one pre-dated "Swing The Great Voices Of The Great Bands" (1962) which I posted last August. I've been a fan of the Mann Singers ever since hearing their radio jingles produced in the early '60s for West Coast stations. They were absolutely brilliant. I managed to collect quite a number of them that were available on the Net. I still have them on disc somewhere. Mr Zentner of course was a top trombonist with the likes of Les Brown, Harry James and Jimmy Dorsey before forming his own big band. This '61 album saw Si and Johnny attempting something quite new for the time. Here they have used the chorus as an actual section of the band. Besides singing lyrics the voices have been used instrumentally if you will, blending in with the actual band orchestration. The choir never comes in for an entire chorus, but is used instead as a section of the band doing eight bars like a sax section, four like trumpets, a phrase like the bass section and so on. Si had the ideas, Johnny arranged for the chorus and Bob Florence did the same for the band. Top track for me is "Serenade In Blue". I used it to get the first of my five sessions I did for the local community radio station (2007) off to a swingin' start.

Side 1:
01) Serenade In Blue
02) Am I Blue
03) Breezin' Along With The Breeze
04) Flamingo
05) It's A Lonesome Old Town
06) Ol' Man River

Side 2:
01) St Louis Blues
02) Deep Purple
03) Baubles Bangles & Beads
04) Dream
05) Little White Lies
06) 'Taint What You Do


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Eartha Kitt: Greatest Hits Purr-Fect

A belated remembrance of a one-off showbiz star, Eartha Kitt, who passed away on Christmas Day. I was fortunate enough to have met her and interviewed her for my radio show way back in the '60s. I don't recall what we talked about, but I assure you it was an hilarious encounter. She draped herself over a lounge seat in a hotel foyer and held court. It was one of my most enjoyable interviews. What a character! A sad loss.

Tracks:

01) Just An Old Fashioned Girl

02) Je Cherche Un Homme (I Want A Man)

03) I Want To Be Evil

04) Mink Schmink

05) Let's Do It

06) C'est Si Bon (It's So Good)

07) Annie Doesn't Live Here Any More

08) Monotonous

09) My Heart Belongs To Daddy

10) Under The Bridges Of Paris

11) I Wantcha Around

12) Lilac Wine

13) Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell

14) Thursday's Child

15) Angelitos Negros

16) Lovin' Spree

17) Toujour Gai

18) Uska Dara (A Turkish Tale)

19) Proceed With Caution

20) The Blues

21) The Heel

22) Santa Baby

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Ray Conniff: Hollywood In Rhythm (1959)

This won't set the blog world on fire, but it's the nice, cleancut, driving Conniff sound with which we're all so familiar. There are a zillion Conniff albums around so if you're a fan you'll probably have this one already. If you haven't -- feel free.

Side 1:

01a) Love Is A Many Splendored Thing (Same name: 1955)

01b) Thanks For The Memory ("Big Broadcast Of 1938": 1937)

02) Easy To Love ("Born To Dance": 1936)

03) Pacific Sunset (Conniff original : 1958)

04) Cheek To Cheek ("Top Hat" : 1935)

05) My Heart Stood Still ("A Connecticut Yankee" : 1927)

Side 2:

01) Please ("The Big Broadcast" : 1932)

02) Love Letters (Same name : 1945)

03) Laura (Same name : 1945)

04) Stella By Starlight ("The Uninvited" : 1945)

05) Yesterdays ("Roberta" : 1933)

06) It Might As Well Be Spring ("State Fair" : 1945)

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Artie Shaw: Black Magic (1973)

Wot -- another Arthur Jacob Arshawsky album? Forgive me if you're not a fan of this once high flyin' swing band leader. As for me, he'll always hold a special place in my personal hit parade. As a teenager his distinctive clarinet tone and swing band sound grabbed me and has never let go. I wanted to be a clarinet player so much, but my dad wouldn't hear of it. His ambition for me was to become a concert pianist. By the time I could a afford to buy a clarinet myself the desire had faded. But not the initial delight and pleasure fostered way back from those '40s radio broadcasts. Although this vinyl was released in 1973, it's obviously a reissue of earlier material. Shaw packed his instrument away in 1955 and didn't blow a note (publicly anyway) after that. He cited his "perfectionism" as the reason. He did serve as a frontman (with Dick Johnson playing the clarinet solos) for a reorganized Artie Shaw orchestra in 1983, but he never played again. My guess is that these tracks were recorded just before he entered the Armed Forces in 1942. (After his enlistment he led a Navy band, sadly unrecorded, before getting a medical discharge in Feb 1944). This pre-enlistment outfit was a large orchestra and featured Hot Lips Page, Georgie Auld and guitarist Johnny Guarnieri among other notable soloists. Take a look at these tune titles. There's no risky stuff here: Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Victor Schertzinger etc.. This was made for dancing or just lush listening.

Side 1:
01) That Old Black Magic
02) All The Things You Are
03) It Could Happen To You
04) These Foolish Things
05) I Remember You

Side 2:
01) They Can't Take That Away From Me
02) My Funny Valentine
03) September Song
04) I'll Be Seing You
05) Long Ago And Far Away


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Artie Shaw: One Night Stand (1963)

In 1963 RCA decided to release this album of original performances by the Artie Shaw band. Nothing too remarkable in that. However, I've always been blown away by the quality of the transfers. The recordings were done between 1938 & 1941. My ears tell me that all but about two of the 10 tracks were from the original masters. The two were probably transfers from 78s and not such high quality. But the remaining eight are so clean and almost hi-fi (on my equipment anyway). Whether this will come through on my rip and the upload/download process I don't know. Maybe I'll download myself and take a listen. Apart from that it's fascinating to note how many future luminaries appeared as Artie's sidemen. Names like Georgie Auld, Tony Pastor, Buddy Rich, Mannie Klein, Bobby Sherwood, Benny Carter, Henry "Red" Allen, J C Higginbotham etc. "One Night Stand" and "One Foot In The Groove" are Shaw originals and vocals are taken by Helen Forrest and Pauline Byrne.

Side 1:
01) One Night Stand
02) I Poured My Heart Into A Song (Helen Forrest)
03) Confessin'
04) I'm In Love With The Honourable Mr So & So (Helen Forrest)
05) Adios, Mariquita Linda

Side 2:
01) One Foot In The Groove
02) Jungle Drums
03) Gloomy Sunday (Pauline Byrne)
04) Day In Day Out
05) Rockin' Chair


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Percy Faith: For Those In Love (1968)

Nice Faith album. Good tunes and the usual highly professional sound we always expect from PF. This one though gets more platter time than the other Faith discs in my library. Why? I have a strange fixation with the 12 lovely ladies in his chorus. For some reason CBS decided to include a small picture of them on the back cover (click it to bring it up to full screen). But first let me assure you that my interest is purely sociological. It would take more than a small B & W photo of a mixed group of lady vocalists to stimulate my libido. No. I'm beyond reproach. So why the fascination? Well, as the the music plays I gaze at the photo and in my imagination recreate the scenario as it must have been in that Columbia studio that day way back in 1968. I guess the 12 ladies were all part of a pool of professional singers that the studios could call upon to front up for a recording session such as this one. But I like to get even more specific. For instance, who were they? What were their names? What was their musical background? Did they sing much together as a group? How much rehearsal did they need? As pros, probably not much. The average age looks to be between 30 and 40. As such most would be in their 70s or 80s now. How many are still around? Of course none of my queries will ever be answered. They'll forever remain those nameless lovely ladies Percy Faith chose for his chorus. All I do know is that they sing like angels and just for that I love 'em all. Oh yes. Almost forgot. Another postscript. About 2 years ago I made the decision to go back on air for one last time. Accordingly I bought 5 half hours on a local community radio station. Only 5 half hours? Well yes. Wasn't too sure how I'd manage after nearly 40 years off mic, and anyway it cost me $100 at $20 per session. The management offered me a weekly session for free after my 5 weeks were up, but at 79 years of age I just didn't want the commitment. I did what I set out to do and that was that. Anyhow, guess what I chose as my theme tune each morning at 9am. "Brand New Morning" which is track 4 on side 1. It seemed to say what I was trying to get across. End of postscript.

Side 1:

01) Sunny

02) The Look Of Love

03) I Say A Little Prayer

04) Brand New Morning

05) Don't Sleep In The Subway

06) Waitin'

Side 2:

01) Never My Love

02) It Must Be Him

03) Goin' Out Of My Head

04) For Those In Love

05) Live For Life

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Frank Sinatra: Moonlight Sinatra (1966)

The final few years of my working life were spent at one of our local newspapers where I was employed as a sub-editor. Part of the daily grind was spent inventing story headlines. There were constant deadlines to meet, so there was no time to sit and ponder. If one came to mind quickly that was both informative AND clever, encouraging comments occasionally followed from the editor. But more often than not they were just good enough to lead the readers into the stories usually minus the clever bits. So . . . where's all this leading? Just this. Whoever the Reprise staffer was that concocted the title for this album, my comments are: "Nice one, pal". As it was done 43 years ago he/she may not be around now to bask in the sunshine of my accolade. Anyway, it's not all that brilliant I s'pose. Just better than some. It's an allusion to Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" of course (as if you didn't know). This, by the way as with the Peggy Lee, is yet another fairly rare vinyl. But those Frank-ophiles lucky enough to have it in their collections all seem to be saying that it's one of their top Sinatra albums. I agree. Ol' Blue Eyes and Riddle were both at the apex of their careers. Another of my postscripts: I'm not quite sure why, but that "twiddley bit" Nelson scored for his clarinets in the final bars of the "Moonlight Becomes You" chart (track 1) ALWAYS gives me goose bumps. I've played it scores of times too. Funny that.

Side 1:
01) Moonlight Becomes You
02) Moon Song
03) Moonlight Serenade
04) Reaching For The Moon
05) I Wished On The Moon

Side 2:
01) Oh You Crazy Moon
02) The Moon Got In My Eyes
03) Moonlight Mood
04) Moon Love
05) The Moon Was Yellow

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Peggy Lee: Extra Special (1968)

From the Cy Coleman classic "Hey Look Me Over" to Peggy's own song "The Shining Sea", this album is pure magic (if you dig Peggy Lee that is). There are few copies for sale but poke around and you may find one or two if you're lucky. Meantime, you can share mine if you wish.


Tracks:
01) Hey Look Me Over
02) When He Makes Music
03) Walking Happy
04) Oh You Crazy Moon
05) So What's New
06) Call Me Darling
07) A Bucket Of Tears
08) The Shining Sea
09) A Doodlin' Song
10) Amazing
11) I'm Gonna Go Fishing

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Charlie Byrd: Brazilian Byrd (1964)

Have kept this vinyl in my collection for three good reasons: As an unamplified guitar player I rate Charlie Byrd tops; Tom Newsom was an excellent orchestral arranger and Antonio Carlos Jobim's melodies sing. Bring all three together on the one album and I'm hooked. Byrd's guitar is showcased in three different settings -- with strings, woodwind and french horn; with brass, two reeds and french horn and with strings, three woodwinds and fench horn. Except for a big blow from Joe Grimm's alto sax on "Samba Torto" and a few bars of oboe on Corcovado, Byrd's guitar carries the entire album. But Newsom weaves his orchestral fabric very skillfully so that the three strands blend quite beautifully. If you care to download this album and burn it to disc I'm sure you'll be popping it into the player, not only as background music when entertaining, but also if and when more focused listening is called for.

Side 1:
01) Corcovado
02) Jazz 'N' Samba/That Look You Wear
03) Girl From Ipanema
04) Samba Do Aviao
05) Engano

Side 2:
01) Amor E Paz
02) Dindi
03) Cancao Do Amor Demais
04) As Praias Desertas
05) Samba Torto
06) Someone To Light Up My Life

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George Gershwin: Piano Roll Transcriptions (1993/1976)

Was over the moon when just before Christmas I came across the "GG Plays Rhapsody In Blue" album in a local store that sells second hand vinyls. First, because it's a relatively rare disc and second because I already had the "Gershwin Plays Gershwin" CD on which is the "Rhapsody In Blue" piano roll transcription. My initial plan was to present the two transcriptions in tandem assuming that they were one and the same. Have ended up doing so, but after lots of Google-ing and online reading realised that the recording of the 1925 Duo-Art rolls used by CBS for their vinyl (1976) predated the one on the CD (1993) by some 17 years. Also, whereas the original roll was "enhanced" or "enriched" to compensate for the expressionless, automatic sound on the rolls and also the absence of the orchestral backing (a forerunner of the process we now call overdubbing) these added embellishments were phased out for the CBS recording. This was done to produce a more pure, non-enhanced piano sound. I have to say that the sound engineers did a remarkable job with the "Rhapsody". However, the process behind the reproductions on the CD is different again. I found an intriguing interview with the rolls transcriber, Artis Wodehouse, on this address:

http://town.hall.org/radio/TechNation/941213_tech_00_ITR.html Check it out if you're interested in the technicality of it all. It's streaming audio in .au format if you use the WMA player, or .ra for Real players. (Just scroll forward about half way if you're not interested in how Los Angeles evolved from a small village to one of the largest cities in the world). Believe me, there's so much more detail in the piano roll interview than I can set down here. I won't attempt to gild the lilly. Just as a postscript though, "Rhapsody" is the Ferde Grofe early 1920s arrangement originally done for the Paul Whiteman Orchestra performed here by the Columbia Jazz Band. So, as the liner notes proclaim, this is the complete "Rhapsody In Blue" in its original jazz band version with George Gershwin as soloist! Beat that!!

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George Gershwin: Show Biz Stars Pay Homage

Born in Brooklyn in 1898, Gershwin started his career on "the Alley" plugging other people's songs. But he quickly moved up the ladder composing his own songs then Broadway hits, Hollywood hits and then orchestral concert pieces which led him to become the most powerful, recognized, imitated, and sought-after songwriter in the era of the Great American Song. His most frequent lyrical partner was his brother, Ira, but he collaborated with others throughout his career. His death from a brain tumor at 38 left the musical world wondering what might have been. The July 19, 1937, issue of Time magazine reported: "Serious musicians joined pluggers and crooners to mourn the 38-year-old composer who had made the world sing his songs and who never, even in his most pretentious work, disdained the antic, impertinent data he had picked up in Tin Pan Alley." The world had lost a musical bridge-maker whose bridges are still in use today.

Tracks:
01) Can't Take That Away From Me - Peggy Lee
02) It's A New World - The Four Freshmen
03) The Man I Love - Dinah Shore
04) Summertime - Julie London
05) Nice Work If You Can Get It - Jeri Southern
06) I Can't Get Started With You - Nancy Wilson
07) Someone To Watch Over Me - Keely Smith
08) But Not For Me - Dakota Staton
09) How Long Has This Been Going On - Judy Garland
10) Bidin' My Time - Nat King Cole
11) Blah Blah Blah - Sarah Vaughan
12) A Foggy Day - Keely Smith & Louis Prima
13) Looking For A Boy - June Christy
14) Do Do Do - Mel Torme
15) I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' - Pearl Bailey
16) Funny Face - Fred Astaire
17) Rhapsody In Blue - Larry Adler
18) I Loves You Porgy - Nina Simone
19) Somebody Loves Me - Alma Cogan
20) Do It Again - April Stevens

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