George Shearing & Barry Tuckwell: Music Of Cole Porter (1986)

On this album George Shearing has taken a mixture of familiar and less well-known pieces by Cole Porter and arranged them for French horn and piano. Five selections use a full string section, two are performed with a quartet and four others are duets by Shearing and Tuckwell. In general Tuckwell does not improvise but Shearing's arrangements give a jazz feel to all of the performances. The arrangements are elegant and perfectly tailored for the horn and are generally quite close to the originals. Chances are Cole Porter would have approved.

Tracks:

01) I Concentrate On You

02) Everything I Love

03) I've Got You Under My Skin

04) Easy To Love

05) In The Still Of The Night

06) Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

07) But In The Morning, No!

08) So In Love

09) After You

10) All Through The Night

11) Do I Love You

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Dianne Reeves: The Calling - Celebrating Sarah

This is one of those "tribute to" albums and in posting it I'm once again skating on thin-ish ice. There are always those devotees who regard these concept albums as sacrilege. For me there's seldom a problem. My identification with the "Legend" artist, in this case Sarah Vaughan, rarely runs that deep. I've always had a high regard for Ms Reeves and while she's no clone of Sarah, she manages to pay her respects to the sassy one with considerable skill and flair. Great backing too from the 36-piece band directed by Billy Childs. There's intimate cocktail piano from Mulgrew Miller on "If You Could See Me Now" and Clark Terry chimes in with some "yeh babys" during "I Hadn't Anyone 'Til You" and blows a few bars on his horn as well.

It's a nice album. I like it.

Tracks:
01) Lullaby Of Birdland
02) Send In The Clowns
03) Speak Low
04) Obsession
05) If You Could See Me Now
06) I Remember Sarah
07) Key Largo
08) I Hadn't Anyone 'Til You
09) Fascinating Rhythm
10) Embraceable You
11) A Chamada (The Call)

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Ray McKinley & His Orch: 1946 - 1949

A top drummer during the swing era and a likable and personable singer who always displayed good humor, Ray McKinley was most significant in the 1940s in several settings. He played at the start of his career in territory bands with Smith Ballew and then the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra staying with Jimmy after the battling Dorseys went their separate ways. In 1939, McKinley became the co-leader (in reality, if not in its name) of the new Will Bradley Orchestra. His vocals and the boogie-woogie piano playing of Freddie Slack made the band a hit with such numbers as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" and "Celery Stalks at Midnight". By 1942, trombonist Bradley had gotten sick of the repertoire and the group broke up. McKinley led a short-lived big band and then went into the military playing in Europe with Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Orchestra. After Miller's death McKinley was one of the band's co-leaders.

After the war McKinley formed a new band. Eddie Sauter, who previously worked with Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Charlie Barnet and Red Norvo, was hired to write arrangements.
Sidemen included Peanuts Hucko, Mundell Lowe and Rusty Dedrick. After a long period of rehearsals McKinley's new band recorded two sides for Majestic in January 1946 and then made its first public appearance on February 21, 1946 at the Hotel Commodore. It was billed as "The Most Versatile Band In The Land". Later in 1946, Deane Kincaide, who had arranged for Jimmy Dorsey's band, was hired. Sam Butera, later to become well-known for his work with Louis Prima and Keely Smith, joined the band in 1947.

This is a compilation of tracks the band recorded between '46 and '49. Evident is the innovative scoring of Eddie Sauter. This in effect was a foretaste of the wonderful Sauter-Finegan Orchestra to be formed by Eddie Sauter and Bill Finegan in 1952.

The 21 tracks are book-ended by the band's theme tune "Howdy Friends" used to introduce a series of live broadcasts probably from the Hotel Commodore in New York. Ray takes some of the vocals.

Tracks:
01 Howdy Friends
02) Hangover Square
03) I'm An Old Cowhand
04) Harlem Nocturne
05) The Carioca
06) Hoodle Addle
07) Lullaby In Rhythm
08) Hair Of Gold, Eyes Of Blue
09) How High The Moon
10) The Richest Man In The Cemetery
11) Mint Julep
12) Soon
13) Pete's Cafe
14) You Started Something
15) Borderline
16) Red Silk Stockings And Green Perfume
17) There's A Bluebird Singing In My heart
18) Blue Moon
19) Down The Road A Piece
20) Don't Be That Way
21) Blue Skies
22) Comin' Out [Drums Away]
23) Howdy Friends

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Harry Connick Jr: When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Harry Connick Jr's vocals perfectly fit the moods throughout this 1989 Billy Crystal/Meg Ryan film, "When Harry Met Sally". This disc release is not a soundtrack album by the way, but as a collection of reworked standards associated with the movie it stands on its own quite well. It was a big hit and a major step forward for the young pianist-vocalist plucked as he was from the piano bars of New Orleans. Connick warmly sings such numbers as "It Had to Be You", "Our Love Is Here to Stay", "But Not for Me", and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off", while usually accompanied by bassist Benjamin Wolfe, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, or a big band. Frank Wess' warm tenor makes a brief appearance on "Our Love Is Here to Stay". In addition there are a few instrumentals including some nice solo Connick piano on "Winter Wonderland" and "Autumn in New York".

Tracks:

01) It Had To Be You

02) Our Love Is Here To Stay

03) Stompin' At The Savoy

04) But Not For Me

05) Winter Wonderland

06) Don't Get Around Much Anymore

07) Autumn In New York

08) I Could Write A Book

09) Let's Call The Whole Thing Off

10) It Had To Be You [trio instrumental]

11) Where Or When

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Michael & Janet Jackson: Scream/Childhood

This is a kind of belated second tribute from this blog to MJ. It comprises two personal statements Michael made musically in the mid '90s. As such I treat them both as historically significant. "Scream" is angry and retaliatory whereas "Childhood" is more biographical and contains a plea for patience and understanding.

"Scream" is directed at the tabloid media and their coverage of the child sexual abuse accusations made against Jackson in 1993. It was written, composed and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Jackson played many of the instruments. The song was leaked to radio stations early despite Epic Records attempt to keep it off air until the official release date. Generally well received among critics, it has been compared favorably with other accomplished pieces by Jackson. It went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award and an American Music Award. The corresponding music video remains one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed pieces It won numerous MTV Video Music Awards and a Grammy. At a cost of $7 million, it is listed in the Guinness World Records as the most expensive music video ever made.

"Childhood" is a song written and composed by Michael Jackson solely. The theme of the track centers around his difficult childhood experiences. It would become the main theme song for "Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home", continuing his association with the "Free Willy" series. The track appeared on several compilation albums but was met with a mixed reception among critics. The song's music video, which had little in common with the supporting film, has been critically praised.

Remixes are by David Morales, Naughty By Nature and Dave "Jam" Hall. The extra song, "Gone Too Soon", composed in memory of teen AIDS casualty Ryan White, has been included as a memorial to the singer.

"Scream/Childhood" would become the first single in the 37-year history of Billboard to debut at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked. It was recorded in February of 1995. Production has now been discontinued.

Tracks:
01) Scream [Single Edit 2]
02) Scream [Def Radio Mix]
03) Scream [Naughty Radio Edit with Rap]
04) Scream [Dave Jam Hall's Extended Ur]
05) Scream [Classic Club Mix]
06 ) Childhood [Theme from Free Willy]
07) Gone Too Soon

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Nancy Wilson: Welcome To My Love (1967)

Most of Nancy Wilson's late '60s releases contained four or five good tunes and the rest would be filler from the day's batch of B-grade pop material. Her 1967 date "Welcome To My Love" though is an exception. It offers a consistent selection of high-quality standards and strong contemporary material impressively set off by Oliver Nelson's soulfully urbane arrangements. On the subdued end there are straightahead ballads like "May I Come In" and "It Never Entered My Mind" as well as more soul-tinged numbers such as "Welcome to My Love" and "Let's Make the Most of a Beautiful Thing". Wilson's smoky, whispered voice imparts just the right amount of tender drama here while Nelson's dark and restrained string charts keep things from getting syrupy. Balancing out the set are a series of bluesy big band numbers including "In the Heat of the Night", "I'm Always Drunk in San Francisco" and an amazing version of "Ode to Billy Joe". This classic Bobbie Gentry tune gets a funked up, backwoods treatment à la Etta James with Wilson in full swagger. Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis effectively echoes the intensity with his back in the mix, burning tenor solo while drummer Shelly Manne and bassist Buster Williams anchor the proceedings with driving intensity. The set is rounded out by fine renditions of "For Once in My Life" and the classic Ray Charles hit "You Don't Know Me". On "Welcome to My Love", Wilson successfully straddled the jazz/soul divide and in the process produced one of her best albums of the 60's. ~ Stephen Cook

Side 1:
01) In The Heat Of The Night
02) May I Come In
03) Angel Eyes
04) It Never Entered My Mind
05) I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco (And I Don't Drink At All)
06) Theme From Hotel

Side 2:
01) For Once In My Life
02) You Don't Know Me
03) Why Try To Change Me Now
04) Welcome To My Love
05) Ode To Billy Jo
06) Let's Make The Most Of A Beautiful Thing

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Kenton Presents Jazz: Bill Holman Octet (1954)

When Stan Kenton assembled his 39-piece Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra in 1950, the band was heavy on stars and light on music. Listeners found compositions like "Halls of Brass" and "House of Strings" ponderous and pretentious. By the end of 1951 instrumentalists such as Shorty Rogers, Bob Cooper, Bud Shank and Art Pepper had had enough and began leaving to form their own groups. So Kenton scrapped his Wagnerian-jazz experiment and formed a new, swinging band in January 1952. Among this orchestra's most exciting arrangers at this time was Bill Holman. Holman started playing tenor saxophone and clarinet while still in school, and went on to study at Westlake College of Music in Los Angeles in the late 1940s. Through an acquaintance with Gene Roland, Holman was auditioned by Kenton and hired as a sax player around 1951. With Roland's encouragement, Holman began to write for Kenton's band, and by 1954, he was contributing so consistently that Kenton let him come off the bandstand, stay in Los Angeles, and work as a full-time arranger and composer. In particular, Kenton was attracted to Holman's ability to integrate counterpoint and dissonance in subtle yet distinctive ways. Soon after that, Holman became Kenton's chief arranger, and wrote much of Kenton's late 1950s repertoire.

Eventally he became identified as one of the major pioneers of what was to become known as West Coast jazz. This style featured a less frenetic, calmer style than hard bop. The music tended to be more heavily arranged, and more often compositionally based. With the advent of the bop of Dizzy Gillepsie and Charlie Parker during the 1940s, swing met a quick demise. However Herman and Kenton were able to keep the swing sound going through the clever combination of big band and bop styles. From these two bands, the core for West Coast jazz found its roots. Between the straightforward swing of Herman and the somewhat controversial sounds of Kenton, West Coast players such as Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Jimmy Guiffre, Bill Holman and others found their springboard for successful careers.

Most of the major Californian labels at that time (Pacific Jazz, Contemporary, Fantasy and Capitol) helped the process by promoting the talents of these players. This featured album is one of six 10-inch from Capitol given the Kenton blessing. The other five promote Bob Cooper, Claude Williamson, Sal Salvadore, Frank Rosolino and Boots Mussulli.

Side 1:

01) On The Town

02) Locomotion

03) Jughaid

04) Back To Minors

Side 2:

01) Sparkle

02) Tanglefoot

03) Song Without Words

04) Awfully Busy

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Andy Williams: Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen (1956)

After the breakup of the Williams Brothers in 1952, new solo singer Andy Williams caught a break when television host Steve Allen made him a regular performer on the early programs of the late-night talk show "The Tonight Show". Williams performed on the series for over two years before going on to a contract with Cadence Records in 1956 and after that his own TV hosting work. He therefore owed a lot to Allen, and this

album constituted payback. Allen, an entertainment jack-of-all-trades, had carved out a modest career as a songwriter that included his hit theme for the 1956 movie "Picnic" ( included here), as well as songs recorded by the likes of Nat King Cole ("Impossible") and Margaret Whiting ("Spring in Maine"). So, this was not entirely a charity project for Williams and Cadence, though it probably was not one of their big sellers either. Allen wrote in a sophisticated pop-jazz style and conductor Alvy West gave the songs appropriately smoky, late-night settings heavy on tinkling pianos and bluesy horn parts with some restrained strings. This was yet another opportunity for Williams to show off his diversity and though he couldn't ever be called a jazz singer he sounded typically comfortable putting across the songs' slyly romantic lyrics in the melodies' minor keys. The result was a fine mood album and a good addition to his quickly growing album catalog. ~ William Ruhlmann

Side 1:

01) Tonight

02) Meet Me Where They Play The Tunes

03) Stay Just A Little While

04) Playin' The Field

05) Impossible

06) Young Love

Side 2:

01) Picnic

02) Old Piano Plays The Blues

03) Spring In Maine

04) All The Way Home

05) Lonely Love

06) Forbidden Love

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The Hi-Lo's: The Hi-Lo's Happen To Bossa Nova (1963)

Sinatra didn't get quite what he bargained for when he offered The Hi-Lo's a contract to record for his Reprise label in 1963. As I explained in my earlier posting, the four singers had landed on tough times due to the advent of Beatlemania etc, so when the offer came from Frank they grabbed it. But while the resulting Reprise albums had quality they didn't sell and that of course doomed any future plans Reprise may have had. Pity, because enticing Billy May and Chuck Sagle to do the backings may have been a foretaste of delights to come.

Side 1:
01) Carnaval
02) The Gift
03) Let's Go To Brazil
04) A New Dream
05) Gold Brazilian Sun
06) One Note Samba

Side 2:
01) The Duck
02) Cry Your Sadness
03) Desafinado
04) Once Again
05) Love And The Rose
06) No More Blues

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Woody Herman Band: Live At Antibes (1965)

For over 40 years the legendary "Jazz à Juan" jazz festival has brought the stars to Antibes. From Bechet, Armstrong to Coltrane, or Miles and the sublime Ella ... they've all been there. And it still goes on as the pine trees are still the rendezvous for the headlining Jazz musicians and the stars of tomorrow. Antibes-Juan les Pins is one of the most well-known resorts on the Côte d'Azur, located between Nice (20 km) and Cannes (12km). Antibes is to jazz what Cannes is to film and Paris is to fashion. The ten-day festival – the longest-running jazz fest this side of the Atlantic – has had an all-star line-up from the very first concert in 1960. It's certainly well represented on record with classic performances from the likes of Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and this one from the Woody Herman Thundering Herd.

Woody took this band to the festival in July, 1965. While opinions vary, this performance is considered by some critics to be this Herd's finest. Reference is often made to the great trumpet lineup.

On this gig personnel were: Bill Chase, Don Rader, Gerald Lamy, Dusko Goykovich, Robert Shew (trumpets); Ron Myers, Don Doane, Henry Southall (trombones); Woody Herman (clarinet, alto sax); Sal Nistico, Andy Mc Ghee, Gary Klein (tenor sax); Tom Anastas (baritone); Nat Pierce (piano); Antony Leonardi (bass) and Ronnie Zito (drums).

Tracks:

01) Blue Flame Theme

02) The Preacher

03) Wailing In The Wood

04) The Four Brothers

05) Early Autumn

06) North West Passage

07) Watermelon Man

08) Somewhere

09) Hallelujah Time

10) Satin Doll

11) I Remember Clifford

12) Medley

13) 23 Red

14) Caldonia

15) Blue Flame Theme

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Monica Zetterlund & Bill Evans: Waltz For Debby (1963)

The story of the collaboration between Swedish jazz singer Monica Zetterlund and American pianist Bill Evans begins with a 45-inch EP. In the summer of 1963 jazz singer Monica and writing partner Beppe Wolgers decided to put Swedish lyrics to a certain 6-minute trio piece called "Waltz for Debby" . The result was the EP, "Monicas Vals", a minor hit in Scandinavia. Bill Evans, the notorious perfectionist, was naturally protective of his work and curious to know what those Swedes were doing to his song. He was not disappointed, and in a series of letters to Universal in Sweden he started to write about his interest in Monica's vocal abilities; "I don't usually throw superlatives around, but let me tell you I am really exited about Monica Zetterlund's `Waltz for Debby'. She is simply amazing. Tell her that I love her. I used to think that my waltz wasn't suited for vocal but look how wrong I was! Suddenly I feel like going to Sweden", he wrote in one letter.

The result of the collaboration is one of the most peculiar and brilliant jazz records of the '60's. Monica, a Värmland girl deeply rooted in Swedish folk tradition, with nature ballads and the deep mysterious forest as cultural background, blends perfectly with the classically schooled and incredibly inventive Bill Evans. The album starts off with Arlen's "Come Rain Or Come Shine", a brilliant opening where the increasingly skilled Chuck Israels goes perfectly with Monica's cool vocal. It is followed by the Nordic folk tune "Jag vet en dejlig Rosa" (I know a tender Rose'), and here Bill's arranging comes to the forefront. He turns the 18th century tune into a brilliant jazz song with heartbreakingly beautiful and sweet vocals by Monica. What follows is a brilliant re-invention of jazz standards (typical Evans) and jazz-renditions of Swedish folk songs, where Evans, Chuck Israels and the skilled Larry Bunker settle quietly in the background to allow Monica's great singing the space it needs. It is hard to pick any high points. The album is a masterpiece for sure with no weak tracks. "Vindarna sucka uti skogarna" (The winds are sighing in the forest) is another fantastic re-invention that Monica sings with sweet grace and melancholy, and Bill Evans reaches a meditative peak spiritually similar to "Peace Piece" on "Everybody Digs".

Whatever you do, don't hesitate to give this album a try and several listens. It could prove very rewarding. There is an odd blend here of Swedish melancholy and American jazz brilliance that remains unequaled in the history of jazz. Personally I count it as one of Bill Evans' greatest recordings together with "Portrait in Jazz", "Explorations", "Alone" and "You
Must Believe In Spring". ~ Appolinaire

Tracks:
01) Come Rain Or Come Shine
02) A Beautiful Rose [Jag Vet en Dejlig Rosa]
03) Once Upon A Summertime
04) So Long Big Time
05) Waltz For Debby [Monica Vals]
06) Lucky To Be Me
07) Sorrow Wind [Vindama Sucka]
08) It Could Happen To You
09) Some Other Time
10) In The Night [Om Natten]

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Dave Brubeck Quartet: Jazz At College Of The Pacific (1953)

Even before its musical experiments with `time' the Brubeck Quartet was already one of the most popular groups in jazz and as an improvising jazz group it was arguably more interesting and more innovative in the early 1950s. It drew a new young audience to jazz by playing concerts at university campuses and three albums in particular ("Jazz at Pacific College", "Jazz at Oberlin" and "Jazz Goes to College") show how inspired the quartet's playing in that kind of live setting could be.This Pacific College album demonstrates Brubeck's individual approach to piano improvisation and his close musical rapport with altoist Paul Desmond. Mainly bypassing the influence of Bud Powell and other be-bop piano stylists, he combined influences of pre-modern jazz pianists with elements from classical composers. The result was a style which was mainstream in some aspects and original in others, a style with a wider emotional range than most jazz pianists encompassed and which lent itself to dramatic effects which made it particularly compelling in live concerts.

I can't guarantee that anyone who comes from an interest in the quartet's "greatest hits" ("Take Five", "Unsquare Dance", etc.) will find this music, as I do, superior to "Time Out" and
its sequels. Being an early '50s live concert album in mono, it certainly doesn't have their quality of recorded sound. But there is a lot of interesting, enjoyable music preserved here of a kind which you won't find anywhere else and which for me has not dated since I first heard it nearly 40 years ago. ~ MikeG

Tracks:
01) All The Things You Are
02) Laura
03) Lullaby In Rhythm
04) I'll Never Smile Again
05) I Remember You
06) For All We Know

PS: No wonder Dave played so well. College of the Pacific was where he gained his musical education. It was J. Russell Bodley, his harmony and theory professor, who convinced him that his great talent was more important than his difficulty with theoretical subjects.

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Julie London & Gerald Wilson Big Band: Feeling Good (1965)

These are album notes written by Leonard Feather:

Any time Julie London finds herself in the company of an arranger like Gerald Wilson and a set of songs with attractive melodies and meaningful lyrics, she is as likely as not to take on a radiant air and sing, as she looks, like a living doll. Julie is one of those much too rare performers who, one can sense, sings not for the fast buck but for esthetic reward. Her musical taste is impeccable.

Nor should her taste in husbands be faulted when she can pick a man who, like Bobby Troup, writes such songs as "Won't Someone Please Belong To Me" or the lyrics to Neal Hefti's "Girl Talk" theme from the "Harlow" film. Mrs Troup's other agenda include the album's title song, which originated in "The Roar of the Greasepaint" [a Broadway show]; a theme from "The Yellow Rolls Royce" [MGM film] called "She's Just a Quiet Girl (Mae)"; the song aboutbruising, assembled by a promising young composer named Fred Manley, and "Hello Dolly," which she takes at a tempo better suited to her temperment than Satchmo's upper pace. .

Gerald Wilson was raised in Detroit, Michigan. He settled in Los Angeles in 1942 after three years on the road with the great Jimmie Lunceford Band. In addition to recording his superb band in a series of instrumental albums for Pacific Jazz, he has accompanied an impressive list of singers whose yen for first-class arrangements led them to him: Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, Al Hibbler, Nancy Wilson, for instance. Gerald's featured soloist is Jack Wilson (no relation to Gerald or Nancy), a 29-year-old Chicagoan active as pianist, composer and combo leader around Los Angeles. Such tracks as "She's Just a Quiet Girl" indicate that he has a fruitful new career ahead of him as an organist. Also present are men like saxist Teddy Edwards, guitarist John Gray, bassist Jimmy Bond, drummer Earl Palmer and a dozen other members of the West Coast elite.

As Gerald Wilson said after this album was completed: "Julie is beautiful, but it's been clear ever
since 'Cry Me a River' that she didn't rely on her looks. She really knows how to interpret a lyric; she has a lovely sound; and she's a wonderful person to work with".

The team of London and Wilson is guaranteed to leave you unbruised and in a mood very adequately expressed in the album's title song. And who, as Gershwin once said, could ask for anything more? ~ Leonard Feather

Tracks:
01) My Kind Of Town
02) Girl Talk
03) King Of The Road
04) I Bruise Easily
05) Feeling Good
06) Watermelon Man
07) She's Just A Quiet Girl [Mae]
08) Summertime
09) Hello Dolly
10) Won't Someone Please Belong To Me

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Marian McPartland & Henry Mancini: Piano Jazz (1985)

With his Tv and movie themes, Henry Mancini confirmed himself as a major force in American popular music. So when his name came up while scanning McPartland's guest list, I just had to listen in. Wasn't disappointed. He was no dynamic conversationalist but he did come across as a charming, modest guy with an infectious sense of humour and to hear the interplay between the two was just magic for me. It just added another dimension to a man of music I've admired for years.

As the session proceeds he takes two brief melody choruses on "Two For The Road" and "Meggie's Theme". He duets with McPartland on "Pink Panther" and "Wine And Roses" and enjoys her interpretations of "Mr Lucky" and "Charade". As interviews with Hank were fairly rare, this is worth a listen.

Sure you can stream from NPR yourselves, but I've recorded the 56-minute program as an mp3 file so that you can burn your own CD. Have done this in case you may wish to re-listen or add the disc to your library.

Items played:

01) Two For The Road

02) Meggie's Theme

03) Pink Panther

04) Mr Lucky

05) Dreamsville

06) Charade

07) Days Of Wine And Roses

08) Moon River

09) Baby Elephant Walk

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Jimmy Smith: Bashin' - The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith (1962)

Managed to acquire a copy of this album pointed to in "Cat" (June 16). Both have Jimmy with a big band, but this time it's with arranger/conductor Oliver Nelson. However on tracks 5-8 he's
featured with Quentin Warren (guitar) and Donald Bailey (drums) his regular trio.

Tracks 8 & 9 are alternate takes both released on 45 rpm.

This was Smith's debut with Verve. He recorded with them 1963/1972. Joe Newman (trumpet) and Phil Woods (alto) have solos. "Walk On The Wild Side" was his biggest hit up to
this point in his career.

Tracks:
01) Walk On The Wild Side
02) Old Man River
03) In A Mellow Tone
04) Step Right Up
05) Beggar For The Blues
06) Bashin'
07) I'm An Old Cow Hand
08) Bashin' [alternate take]
09) Old Man River[alternatetake]

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Doris Day: It's Magic - Her Early Years At Warner Brothers

Doris Day's early Warner Bros films ("Romance On The High Seas", "It's A Great Feeling", "My Dream Is Yours" and "The West Point Story") were romantic comedies presenting little opportunity for her to show much emotional depth. That side of her acting talent was to emerge later. But what makes these films so worthwhile is her singing. What's more, the songs featured in "Romance", "Feeling" and "West Point" were penned by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, a big bonus for me.

Another thumbs up is that these soundtrack excerpts bring us Day's voice in the raw as it were. No tweaks from the recording studio whiz kids. And considering we have direct soundtrack transfers from these '48/'49/'50/'52/'54 movies, the sound is pretty good.

The DD Warner movies represented here are: "Romance On The High Seas (1948)", "My Dream Is Yours" (1949), "It's A Great Feeling" (1949), "West Point Story" (1950), "April In Paris" (1952) and "Lucky Me" (1954). Harry Warren was commissioned for "Dream", Vernon Duke for "April" and Sammy Fain wrote the songs for "Lucky".

I like this album. Great value.

Tracks:

01) Romance On The High Seas [intro]

02) I'm In Love

03) It's Magic

04) It's You Or No One (with Page Cavanaugh)

05) It's You Or No One [ballad]

06) Put 'Em In A Box [with PC]

07) There's Nothin' Rougher Than Love

08) It's Magic [reprise]

09) Canadian Capers

10) My Dream Is Yours

11) Tic Tic Tic

12) Freddie, Get Ready

13) I'll String Along With You

Disc 1

14) Someone Like You

15) It's A Great Feeling [main title]

16) That Was A Big Fat Lie

17) April In Paris

18) I'm Gonna Ring That Bell

19) I Know A Place

20) That's What Makes Paris Paree

21) Ten Thousand Four Hundred

22) You Love Me

23) I Speak To The Stars

24) The Bluebells Of Broadway

25) Love You Dearly

26) Speak To The Stars [alternate take]

Disc 2

Ultra-Lounge 11: Organs In Orbit

Not too sure how many in this Ultra-Lounge series. Have an idea there may be about two dozen, but not sure. I have three and from what I've heard of the rest, this for me is the best of the bunch. This is vintage stuff. Look around now for recordings by some of the lesser known keyboarders on this compilation and you'll draw a blank. These "over-heated Hammonds" were often heard at ball parks and hockey rinks in the '50s and '60s. It's a long gone sound now and I value the disc for that reason. It's a load of listening fun too.

Tracks:

01) Laura/More [Denny Mclain]

02) Movin' At Midnight [Sir Julian]

03) Rock House [Ernie Freeman Combo]

04) Ill Wind [John Buzon Trio]

05) Girl From Ipanema/Meditation [Denny Mclain]

06) Love Is Just Around The Corner [Jackie Davis]

07) Voce E Eu [Walter Wanderley]

08) Lil Darlin' [Joe Bucci Trio]

09) Patricia [Joe Bucci Trio]

10) Third Man Theme [Don Baker Trio]

11) A Man & A Woman [Sir Julian]

12) Mr Ghost Goes To Town [John Buzon Trio]

13) Perfidia [Jackie Davis]

14) The Late Late Show [Milt Buckner]

15) Fever/Comin' Home Baby [Ernie Freeman Combo]

16) Flying Fiddles [Shay Torrent]

17) Song Of The Bayou [Martin Denny]

18) Enchanted Farm [Forbidden Five]

19) Where Was I [French Guy]

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Jimmy Smith & Lalo Schifrin: The Cat (1964)

Jimmy Smith fans will likely have this album already. If you're not one of these take a listen. The fact that Smith moved the Hammond organ from the dance floor to the jazz scene and upgraded it to become a fully-fledged improvisation instrument is to be found in every good dictionary of music. The results of this transition can be heard here. However when Jimmy shifted from Blue Note to Verve in the early '60s his outings for the new label were not always considered as impressive from a jazz perspective. But he redressed that on this album. Here he uses some full-blown big band arrangements by Argentinian Lalo Schifrin as a backdrop for his mainly blues oriented material. If you dig the interplay between these two, suggest you track down "The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith", his first release for Verve. It's another with big band backing -- this time with arrangements by Oliver Nelson.

Tracks:
01) Joy House Theme
02) The Cat
03) Basin Street Blues
04) Main Title from The Carpetbagger
05) Chicago Serenade
06) St. Louis Blues
07) Delon's Blues
08) Blues In The Night

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John Pizzarelli & the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: Dear Mr Sinatra

With his eternally boyish tenor and cheery romantic outlook, John Pizzarelli is stylistically a world apart from Frank Sinatra, he of the manly baritone and dark sensual undercurrents.
But like his Italian-American forebear he's a consummate swinger and he knows how to make a lyric his own. Comprised mostly of tunes written for the Chairman, "Dear Mr. Sinatra" is a musical fan letter without the usual schmaltz or reverence. An actively intelligent singer and guitarist, Pizzarelli reshapes the material to fit his personality whether quietly enunciating "You Make Me Feel So Young", scatting over a brief guitar solo on "How About You?", or making the emotions sneak up on you on a medley of "I See Your Face Before Me" and "In the Wee Small Hours". He's equally at home with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra as he is with his working combo largely because in John Clayton he has a skilled arranger who is equally open to recasting the songs (dig the jagged rhythms, hesitation effects and burnished tones on "I've Got You Under My Skin"). Even as he asserts his own style Pizzarelli subtly conveys his affection for Sinatra in his phrasing. ~ Lloyd Sachs

Tracks:
01) Ring-A-Ding Ding
02) You Make Me Feel So Young
03) How About You
04) If I Had You
05) Witchcraft
06) I've Got You Under My Skin
07) Nice 'N' Easy
08) I See Your Face Before Me/In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
09) Can't We Be Friends
10) Yes Sir, That's My Baby
11) Last Dance

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Notice Board

LHR link up & running. May have been problems with Torme and Toots as well. Fixed them also. Problem was caused by switching to Apple's Safari 4 web browser. It's great, but I need to do some tweaking.

Notice Board

Sorry folks the link for Lambert Hendricks Ross seems to be faulty. It's 1.10am in my corner of the world and I must get some sleep. I'll re-up it later today. Cheers! (yawn).

Lambert, Hendricks & Ross: Sing A Song Of Basie (1957)

The vocal jazz group, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, made their recording debut on this classic album. After searching unsuccessfully in 1957 for about a dozen singers who could sing vocalese for a re-creation of some famous recordings by the Count Basie Orchestra, Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross decided to over-dub their voices via multiple taping techniques instead. Using just a rhythm section the group sang the witty and inventive lyrics of Hendricks in note-for-note reproductions of ten Basie numbers. This vinyl caused a sensation in the jazz world when released in 1957.

Side 1:

01) Everyday

02) It's Sand, Man!

03) Two For The Blues

04) One O'Clock Jump

05) Little Pony

Side 2:

01) Down For Double

02) Fiesta In Blue

03) Down For The Count

04) Blues Backstage

05) Avenue C

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Mel Torme: The Duke Ellington & Count Basie Songbooks (1961)

This album, originally called "I Dig The Duke - I Dig The Count", is arguably the best Torme issued with Verve. It was recorded with the Johnny Mandel Orchestra at sessions in Los Angeles in 1960. Mel grew up with the big bands. He was a professional singer at the age of four when he sang with the Coon Sanders Orchestra. The Duke's and Count's bands were his favourites. He has written about the excitement of listening to their broadcasts as a kid. This album was a natural culmination of a lifelong enthusiasm.

Side 1:

01) I'm Gonna Go Fishin'

02) Don't Get Around Much Anymore

03) I Like The Sunrise

04) Take The A Train

05) Reminiscing In Tempo

06) Just A Sittin' & A Rockin'

Side 2:

01) Down For Double

02) I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts

03) Blue And Sentimental

04) Oh, What A Night For Love

05) Sent For You Yesterday

16) In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down

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June Christy: Ballads For Night People (1959)

June Christy's pure, languid voice is usually heard in front of an orchestra and a trio, but on "Blues For Night People" her husband, arranger-saxophonist Bob Cooper, fashioned beautiful atmospheric arrangements for sextet and tentet. The ten songs include gems by Ellington, Strayhorn and Kurt Weill. Recorded in 1959, this was the second album that Christy cut with her husband. It features a mix of upbeat and slow numbers all showcasing Christy's voice perfectly.
While she never enjoyed the kind of super-stardom that marked the careers of jazz greats Ella and Anita O'Day, she did have a niche following that seems to have grown over the
years.

Side 1:
01) Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
02) Night People
03) Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
04) I Had A Little Sorrow
05) I'm In Love

Side 2:
01) Shadow Woman
02) Kissing Bug
03) My Ship
04) Don't Get Around Much Anymore
05) Make Love To Me

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Frank Sinatra & Tommy Dorsey: Greatest Hits (1940/42)

Here's 20 of my favourite songs recorded by Sinatra during his time with the Dorsey band 1940/42. If your library is lacking examples from this TD period of Frank's career these songs may whet your appetite for more.

Tracks:

01) The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else

02) April Played The Fiddle

03) Stardust

04) We Three

05) Yours Is My Heart Alone

06) Polka Dots And Moonbeams

07) Whispering

08) I Could Make You Care

09) East Of The Sun

10) Too Romantic

11) How About You

12) This Love Of Mine

13) Violets For Your Furs

14) Dolores

15) Everything Happens To Me

16) It's Always You

17) A Sinner Kissed An Angel

18) I Guess I'll Have To Dream The Rest

19) In The Blue Of Evening

20) Just As Though You Were Here

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Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire: Together (1975)

There's no doubt about it, to borrow Crosby's famous Minute Maid tag line, that when 72 year-old Bing Crosby and 76-year-old Fred Astaire were reunited in a British recording studio in July, 1975, after having not performed together in twenty five years, something magic was bound to happen.

And it did.

Crosby, who arguably had sung more duets in his career than any other performer, blended beautifully with Astaire's elegant and highly under-rated voice. Each of these living legends were clearly inspired to be working together. Their comedic timing, honed decades ago on the vaudeville stage, were put to good use in clever ad lib fashion laced throughout each of the duets.

This album is not limited to just duets, however. There are tempting solos from each artist with Bing recording an Irving Berlin song introduced by Fred in the 1938 film "Carefree" ("Change Partners") and Fred tackles a Rodgers & Hart song introduced by Bing in the 1935 film "Mississippi" ("It's Easy To Remember").

The original producer of the 1975 Lp, Ken Barnes, augmented this release with several other solos from the albums he had recorded previously that year with Crosby & Astaire. From Bing's sprightly ode to dancing from the Broadway show "Queen of the Stardust Ballroom" ("I Love To Dance Like They Used To Dance"), to Fred's take on the Charles Aznavour hit "Dance In The Old Fashioned Way", this album is an absolute joy.

As a sidenote, this album was promoted by Crosby on his 1975 Tv Christmas special with Fred Astaire guesting, making it quite possibly the first new music "infomercial" that ever aired! ~ Greg Van Beek

Tracks:
01) Top Billing
02) How Lucky
03) Roxie
04) Spring Spring Spring
05) It's Easy To Remember
06) Change Partners
07) Pick Yourself Up
08) Mr Keyboard Man
09) I've A Shooting Box In Scotland
10) In The Cool Cool Cool Of The Evening
11) Bon Vivant
12) Sing
13) Dance In The Old Fashioned Way
14) I Love To Dance Like They Used To Dance
15) A Couple Of Song And Dance Men
16) That's Entertainment
17) Top Billing (reprise)

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Miles Davis: Carnegie Hall Concert (1961)

If this blog has one glaring fault it's the minor recognition given to one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of the last century, Mile Davis. I have him playing a supportive roll in "Sarah Vaughan In Hi Fi", but that's all. Actually I have three albums in which he plays the role of soloist -- This one, "Sketches Of Spain" and "Mile Davis And Horns". "Carnegie" stands head and shoulders above the other two which is why I'm sharing it first.

Actually, we're fortunate to have a sound recording of this historic concert at all. Teo Macero, a producer at Columbia, sold Miles and Columbia the idea of recording this event. He ordered all the necessary equipment to record what would have been a terrific session. However -- unsurprising considering his temperament -- Miles decided the day before the event he neither wanted to play nor record. But while he was persuaded to play, he would not budge on the recording.

Macero, however, had four single mics hidden strategically throughout the stage so he could at least have one copy of the event. For all of the tribulations (Max Roach's protest notwithstanding), Miles, Gil Evans, the band, and the orchestra were all able to put on a great show. The crowd was overwhelmed and Miles himself said to Teo afterward that he would've wanted to release it after all. Full marks to Teo for his foresight!

I'd like to reprint here what I consider to be an excellent assessment of this concert. The reviewer is Robert Sposato:

By the time Miles Davis performed at Carnegie Hall in 1961, he was already a jazz icon. He had cut his teeth at 21 years old playing with Charlie Parker, perhaps the greatest jazz musician ever to play a note, then walked away from Charlie because of his destructive and undependable lifestyle. After overcoming his own drug problems, Miles built a steady reputation as a demanding force in modern music, with a trumpet style that continually chartered new waters. His sound was a study in paradox ... cool but warm, simple yet complex, aloof but emotional. In the mid-fifties, Miles assembled the most influential quintet of his era and he led them with his courageous vision, his extraordinary ear, and a remarkable respect for their individual freedom.

But by 1961, John Coltrane and Bill Evans had left his band and things had changed. Miles changed with it.

This performance at Carnegie Hall released a new Miles Davis onto the scene. He stepped up, stepped into the spotlight, became more aggressive, more attacking, less impressionistic, more expressionistic. In fact, Miles Davis was doing what he always did ... he set the trends and he reflected the times perfectly. This was the advent of the '60's, and Miles was going to be on the front lines.

This concert features Miles' quintet, with the sweetness of Hank Mobley on tenor sax as well as the bluesy Winton Kelly on piano and joining the great Paul Chambers (bass) and Jimmy Cobb (drums). But the hallmark of this particular evening was the inclusion of Gil Evans and his 21-piece band, with whom Miles had recorded numerous albums. The warmth and color that their live collaboration produced is only here at this event, only on this record ... No fan of classic jazz should be unfamiliar with this unique concert. ~ Robert Sposato

Tracks:
01) So What
02) Spring Is Here
03) Teo
04) Walkin'
05) The Meaning Of The Blues
06) New Rhumba
07) Someday My Prince Will Come
08) Oleo
09) No Blues
10) I Thought About You
11) En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor

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PS: The distortion evident on some tracks is due to the inadequacy of the recording setup. Sound industry calls it intermodular distortion or just plain "mic overload". Someone should have been checking the VU meter. And if you're wondering why "Someday My Prince Will Come" is so short, it's because Miles walked off during a protest by Max Roach against the concert's organisers at the foot of the stage!

George Shearing: Music To Hear (1972)

For a time in the early to mid-'70s, George Shearing ran his own record label, Sheba, with the help of his then wife, Trixie. It folded around the time of their divorce. While his output during this period was a bit uneven ranging from strong mainstream releases to rather commercial sessions, this solo piano affair is one of his best from the era. "Taking a Chance on Love" has the air of the pianist's favorite composer, Delius, while he alters the bass line to Irving Berlin's "Change Partners" by substituting the one from Claude Thornhill's "Snowfall". Other surprises include the rather deliberate lyrical setting of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave" and the haunting rendition of "Beautiful Love". One inexcusable failure of this Koch CD reissue was the omission of composer credits. Aside from that, Shearing fans will be grateful to have access to this long unavailable album.

Tracks:
01) Taking A Chance On Love
02) The Summer Knows
03) Children's Waltz
04) Change Partners
05) Wave
06) What Kind Of Fool Am I
07) Love Story
08) Dream Dancing
09) I Predict
10) This Is All I Ask
11) Beautiful Love
12) Alfie

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Matt Monro: Here's To My Lady (1967)

"Here's to My Lady" essentially replicates the winning formula of the previous "This Is the Life" and why fix what isn't broken? Reuniting Matt Monro with arranger Sid Feller the album is as mature and comfortable as the cardigan sweater the crooner wears on its cover. Monro's vocals are smooth and rich like crushed velvet, tackling standards like "Laura," "When Sunny Gets Blue" and "When Joanna Loved Me" with a thoughtfulness that comes only with age and experience. Few crooners are so effortless yet so precise and Feller's lovely arrangements further enhance the elegance of Monro's approach. When you've exhausted the Sinatra canon, this is where to go next. ~ Jason Ankeny

Side 1:
01) When Joanna Loved Me
02) Real Live Girl
03) When Sunny Gets Blue
04) Laura
05) People
06) Here's To My Lady

Side 2:
01) The Good Life
02) You've Got Possibilities
03) Rain Sometimes
04) Sweet Talkin' Hannah
05) Nina Never Knew

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Marian McPartland & Blossom Dearie: Piano Jazz (2001)

The reaction to my first Piano Jazz posting spotlighting Norah Jones was quite positive so here's another. This time Marian McPartland plays host to supper club singer Blossom Dearie. This talented lady was 74 when she was chosen as a guest on Piano Jazz. She was the performer with the wispy little-girl voice and the "you-gotta-be-kidding" name. I understand the Dearies settled on Blossom for their wee girl's first name after a neighbor brought peach blossoms to their house on the day she was born. Dad was Scottish/Irish and mum hailed from Oslo, Norway. No wonder Blossom was a one-off. She didn’t sound like anyone else on earth. Her tone wasn’t brassy or showy, and she barely had enough lung power to blow up a balloon, but she could break your heart with her interpretations of ballads like "Once Upon A Summertime".

When I saw her name on the show's guest list I just had to hear the interplay between these two keyboard queens. I wasn't disappointed. You probably won't be either.

Blossom sings and plays:
01) I'm Shadowing You
02) I'm Hip
03) Sweet Georgia Fame
04) Velas (Marian)
05) Inside A Silent Tear
06) Bye Bye Country Boy
07) Portrait Of Blossom (Marian)
08) Hey John (as in Lennon)

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Nat King Cole: Big Band Cole (1950/91)

Nat King Cole's collaborations with the Count Basie and Stan Kenton Orchestras (all of which are included on this CD) found him mostly sticking to singing but enjoying the jazz-oriented backgrounds. He first met up with Kenton in 1950 recording the memorable "Orange Colored Sky" and starring on piano during the instrumental "Jambo". They had a reunion in 1960-1961, cutting a remake of "Orange Colored Sky" and two more poppish songs. The matchup with Basie showcased Cole purely as a singer in 1958; Gerald Wiggins took Basie's place at the keyboards. One of the better of Cole's vocal sessions, he is in top form on a variety of standards (particularly on "The Late, Late Show" and "Welcome to the Club"); pity he did not sit in with the band on piano. This album contains rare examples of Nat King Cole as a big-band singer. ~ Scott Yanow

Tracks 1 - 12 with Count Basie
Tracks 13 - 17 with Stan Kenton

Tracks:
01) She's Funny That Way
02) Any Time, Any Day, Anywhere
03) I Want A Little Girl
04) Mood Indigo
05) The Blues Don't Care
06) Avalon
07) Baby Won't You Please Come Home
08) The Late Late Show
09) Welcome To The Club
10) Look Out For Love
11) Wee Baby Blues
12) Madrid
13) Orange Colored Sky
14) Jambo
15) Orange Colored Sky
16) Steady
17) My Love

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George Michael: Songs From The Last Century

This is George Michael attempting to create yet another post-Wham image. This time he and co-producer Phil Ramone have crafted a warm, intimate album built around a small combo, full orchestra, big band, harp and even a rock band. Unlike his previous post-Wham releases ["Faith" ('87), "Listen" ('90) and "Older" ('96)], George is not concerned about chart success. This is the most relaxed GM yet. The album split his fans right down the middle when they were first confronted with it ten years ago. On the one side those who wanted nothing other than his up-beat duo style a la Wham. On the other, those die-hards, perhaps older and more adaptable types like myself, who were open to a more laid-back, sophisticated sound from the pop star.

Tracks:
01) Brother, Can You Spare A Dime
02) Roxanne
03) You've Changed
04) My Baby Just Cares For Me
05) The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
06) Miss Sarajevo
07) I Remember You
08) Secret Love
09) Wild Is The Wind
10) Where Or When It's Right With Me

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Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orch: Solo Spotlight (1959)

Thanks to one of this blog's buddies, JohnP from Australia, we're sharing another album from Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra. Because of failing health, Gray was forced to demob his top-rated band of the '30s, '40s in 1950. But retirement didn't dampen this maestro's ambition. Within a few years he came up with the idea of "bringing back the big bands", at least in the studios. He put together all-star orchestras that recreated the recordings, and sometimes even the solos, of a wide variety of formerly popular swing bands, and had strong commercial success during the second half of the 1950s. Scott Yanow takes up the story:

"This LP, "Solo Spotlight", was a change of pace in 1959; the arrangements are new as Gray has his impressive band perform a dozen songs by the then-recently deceased Victor Young. Nearly every selection is a feature for a specific musician, so one gets a chance to hear altoist Skeets Herfurt; Murray McEachern on separate pieces for his trombone and alto; trumpeter Shorty Sherock; drummer Nick Fatool; trumpeter Manny Klein; pianist Ray Sherman; trombonist Joe Howard, and clarinetist Gus Bivona being showcased. In addition, three numbers feature the ensembles. Although nothing too innovative or surprising occurs, the music will please swing fans."

Side 1:
01) Stella By Starlight
02) Beautiful Love
03) When I Fall In Love
04) Ghost Of A Chance
05) Love me
06) Golden Earrings

Side 2:
01) Street of Dreams
02) Blue Star
03) My Foolish Heart
04) Love Letters
05) Around The World
06) Was I To Blame

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PS: John has offered us other Casa Loma albums, as well as an interesting CD called "Impressions Of Duke Ellington". This is a big band chart by Billy Byers, an arranger for Count Basie and Quincy Jones (among others) in the '50s and '60s. Plan to share these discs shortly.

Shirley Bassey: Something (1970)

This lady without doubt is a true singing legend and I'm happy to bring you this out-of-print album from 1970. Fabulous backing arrangements from Johnny Harris. As Nelson Riddle was to Sinatra and Ella; as Don Costa was to Eydie Gorme, so Johnny Harris was to Shirley Bassey. Each tune on this session gets stamped with the irrepressible Bassey style and ends up making a remarkably cohesive album of 1960s/70s contemporary pop.

Side 1:
01) Something
02) Spinning Wheel
03) Yesterday I Heard The Rain
04) The Sea And Sand
05) My Way
06) What About Today

Side 2:
01) You And I (from "Goodbye Mr Chips")
02) Light My Fire
03) Easy To Be Hard (from "Hair")
04) Life Goes On
05) What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life (from "Happy Endings")
06) The Fool On The Hill

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Henry Mancini: Combo (1960)

Henry Mancini was a significant writer for films who used the flavor of jazz in some of his movie scores. This 1960 album is one of his few jazz-oriented projects, a salute of sorts to the idea of the swing combo. Mancini gathered an impressive cast of top players comprising trumpeter Pete Candoli, trombonist Dick Nash, Ted Nash on alto and flute, Art Pepper (sticking exclusively to clarinet), Ronny Lang on baritone, pianist Johnny Williams (doubling on harpsichord), guitarist Bob Bain, bassist Rolly Bundock, drummer Shelly Manne, Ramon Rivera on conga and Larry Bunker on vibes and marimba. There are a few strong moments (particularly from Candoli and Pepper) on such numbers as "Moanin'," "Sidewalks of Cuba," "Castle Rock" and "Everybody Blow," but the end results are not too essential. Overall, this is a compromise between creative jazz and tightly controlled music meant for a larger audience. But it will be a prized possession of the Mancini collector. ~ Scott Yanow

Side 1:

01) Moanin'

02) Sidewalks Of Cuba

03) Dream Of You

04) Swing Lightly

05) Castle Rock

06) A Powdered Wig

Side 2:

01) Playboy's Theme

02) Tequila

03) Far East Blues

04) Charleston Alley

05) Scandinavian Shuffle

06) Everybody Blow

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Al di Meola, John McLaughlin & Paco de Lucia: Friday Night In San Francisco (1980)

Loose and spontaneous, this (mainly) live album is a meeting of three world-class guitarists for an acoustic summit the likes of which the guitar-playing communities rarely see. Broken up into three duo and two trio performances, "Friday Night in San Francisco" catches all three players at the peaks of their quite formidable powers. The first track features Al di Meola and Paco de Lucía teaming up for a medley of di Meola's "Mediterranean Sundance" (first recorded by the duo on di Meola's classic 1976 album "Elegant Gypsy") and de Lucía's own "Rio Ancho". It is an amazing performance full of the fire and inhuman chops that one expects from two players of this calibre. However, the two obviously have big ears because they complement each other's solos with percussive, driving rhythm parts. There is a laid-back, humorous element to "Friday Night in San Francisco" as well, best witnessed in di Meola and John McLaughlin's performance of Chick Corea's "Short Tales of the Black Forest". Rapid-fire licks from the pair soon give way to atonal striking of the body of the guitar, running picks along the strings etc.. Before the end they have played a blues and quoted the "Pink Panther" theme. This serves to dispel the image of the trio, especially di Meola, as super-serious clinicians more concerned with technique than music. The other great piece of evidence against such a narrow-minded claim can be found in both the quality of the compositions featured on this album as well as the sensitivity and dynamic variation brought to the performances. A perfect example of this is the sole studio track, a McLaughlin composition called "Guardian Angel" (the opening theme of which is taken straight from "Guardian Angels", a song that appears on McLaughlin's 1978 "Electric Dreams" album). It's a fine piece and one that features a haunting melody as well as some of the best solos on the disc. All in all, "Friday Night in San Francisco" is a fantastic album and one of the best entries in each of these guitarists' fine discographies. ~ Daniel Gioffre

Tracks:
01) Mediterranean Sundance/Rio Ancho
02) Short Tales Of The Black Forest
03) Frevo Rasgado
04) Fantasia Suite For Two Guitars/Viva la Danzarina
05) Guardian Angel (studio recording)

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Peggy Lee: Ole ala Lee (1960)

More than a decade after her massive hit "Mañana", Peggy Lee recorded two albums of Latin themes with "Latin ala Lee!" and this one, "Ole ala Lee!" She gets strong backing support from arranger/conductor Jack Marshall with authentic-sounding Afro-Cuban rhythms. Out of print for many years, EMI-Capitol brought both albums back as a CD twofer in 2000.

Tracks:
01) Come Dance With Me
02) By Myself
03) You're So Right
04) Just Squeeze Me
05) Fantastico
06) Love And Marriage
07) Non Dimentica
08) From Now On
09) You Stepped Out Of A Dream
10) Ole
11) Can't Resist You

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Great Britain's Marian McPartland & George Shearing (1947/1952)

This album caught my attention initially if only for the fact that it let me hear two great British jazz exports to the US some years before they both became icons of the keyboard. Marian led the way to the US shortly after WWII. With her new husband, American cornetist Jimmy McPartland, she eventually settle in Manhattan in 1949. Louis Armstrong greeted them on their first day in the city, and in no time they were ensconced in the middle of the bustling jazz universe. From '52 to '60 Marian led a trio at the Hickory House, a restaurant-cum-nightclub on Manhattan's famous 52nd Street and it was there she grew in stature and reputation among her peers and fans. On any given night customers might include Ellington, Strayhorn, Oscar Peterson, Artie Shaw and celebrities from Broadway and Hollywood. Luckily for us, a novice recording engineer named Rudy Van Gelder taped some of the Hickory House performances for Savoy Jazz, and the label eventually released several albums’ worth of the material.

George Shearing on the other hand moved to the States in 1947 a little later than Marian. Once established there he began to attract attention with his harmonically complex style that mixed swing, bop and even modern classical influences. One of his first gigs was at (you guessed it) Hickory House. He performed with the Oscar Pettiford Trio and led a quartet with Buddy DeFranco. In 1949 he formed the first George Shearing Quintet, with Marjorie Hyams (vibraphone), Chuck Wayne (guitar), John Levy (bass) and Denzil Best (drums) and recorded for Discovery, Savoy and MGM. The quintet idea proved to be popular so he stayed with it right through until 1978. After this he played with a trio, as a solo and increasingly in duo. Among his collaborations were sets with the Montgomery Brothers, Brian Torff, Jim Hall, Hank Jones and Marian McPartland.

In 1952 Savoy released this album and called it "Great Britain's Marian McPartland and George Shearing". To emphasize their common ethnic roots in the title must have validated the pairing on the one disc. Keyboard duos cropped up from time to time, but not two pianists featured individually as in this instance. The fact that the Shearing tracks (1947) were recorded five years earlier than the McPartland ones (1952) adds interest too. Anyway, both Marian's and George's stars were on the rise and Savoy could sense this. This was a taste of things to come. A sound marketing ploy.

Here are the details:

Side A 1-4

Marian McPartland (Piano)

Max Wayne (Bass)

Mel Zelnick (Drums)

Rec.NYC, April 21, 1952

Side A 5-7

Marian McPartland (Piano)

Eddie Safranski (Bass)

Don Lamond (Drums)

Rec.NYC, December 22, 1952

Side B 2,3,6,8

George Shearing (Piano)

Gene Ramey (Bass)

Denzil Best (Drums)

Rec.NYC, February 3, 1947

Side B 1,4,5,7

George Shearing (Piano)

Curly Russell (Bass)

Cozy Cole (Drums)

Rec.NYC, December 23, 1947

Side A

01) It Might as Well Be Spring

02) Gypsy in My Soul

03) Strike up the Band

04) Love Is Here to Stay

05) Love for Sale

06) Yesterdays

07) All the Things You Are

Side B

01) Sweet and Lovely

02) When Darkness Falls (Shearing)

03) So Rare

04) Bop's Your Uncle (Shearing)

05) Sophisticated Lady

06) Buccaneer's Bounce (Shearing)

07) Cozy's Bop (Shearing)

08) Have You Met Miss Jones?

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Henry Mancini Pops Orchestra: Top Hat (1992)

Master film composer meets quintessential tux-and-tails entertainer in "Top Hat". Henry Mancini arranged and conducts seven orchestral medleys, each based on a film Fred Astaire made with Ginger Rogers. That means we're treated to some of the most delicious songs in the history of American music, by such stalwarts as George and Ira Gershwin, Irving
Berlin, Cole Porter, and Jerome Kern. A bonus medley collects a few other songs associated with Fred, including one composed by the dancer himself. Yes, this is schmaltz, but it's schmaltz of the highest class. ~ David Horiuchi

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Barbra Streisand & Friends: Pins And Needles (1962)

First the cover, then that name in the cast list and finally the catchy revue-style music. I was reeled in and hooked. Did some digging and discovered that in the late 1930s the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (the ILGWU) was using the Princess Theatre in New York City as a meeting hall. Several members talked the union heads into sponsoring an inexpensive revue with a cast made up of ILGWU workers. It was left to one Harold Rome to supply the music and lyrics. The show looked at current events from a pro-union standpoint. Word-of-mouth was so
positive that the cast abandoned their day jobs and the production expanded to a full performance schedule of eight shows per week. The show comprised songs and skits with an edge of satire aimed at politics, economics, overseas dictators and American decadence. New songs and skits were introduced every few months to keep the show topical. "Pins and Needles" as it was called was the only hit review ever produced by a labor union, and the only time when a group of unknown non-professionals brought a successful musical to Broadway. It opened on November 27, 1937, and ran for 1108 performances.

In commemoration of the show's 25th Anniversary in 1962, Columbia Records released a studio recording of the score featuring Harold Rome, the rehearsal pianist for the original show (in addition to his music and lyrics). Here he is a vocalist. Joining him are Jack Carroll, Rose Marie Jr, Alan Sokoloff, and a then relatively unknown Barbra Streisand. She was just 19 or 20 at the time. She certainly adds youthful charm, simplicity and enthusiasm to proceedings. Her songs are "Doing The Reactionary" (track 2), "Nobody Makes A Pass At Me" (track 5), "Not Cricket To Picket" (track 7), "Status Quo" (track 9), and "What Good Is Love" (track 14).

Tracks:

01) Sing Me A Song With Social Significance (Rose Marie Jr)

02) Doing The Reactionary (Streisand)

03) One Big Union For Two (Rose Marie Jr & Jack Carroll)

04) It's Better With A Union Man (Harold Rome)

05) Nobody Makes A Pass At Me (Streisand)

06) I've Got The Nerve To Be In Love (Rose Marie Jr & Jack Carroll)

07) Not Cricket To Picket (Streisand)

08) Back To Work (Jack Carroll)

09) Status Quo (Streisand)

10) When I Grow Up (Harold Rome)

11) Chain Store Daisy (Rose Marie Jr)

12) Four Little Angels Of Peace (entire cast)

13) Sunday In The Park (Jack Carroll)

14) What Good Is Love (Streisand)

15) Mene Mene Tekel (Harold Rome)

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Andre Previn: Thinking Of You (1961)

Andre Previn has been described as one of the most versatile musicians on this planet. He has credentials as a jazz pianist, a first class Hollywood arranger and composer and a world renowned classical conductor, pianist and composer. Whatever musical hat he wore Previn always produced music of the highest quality and integrity. Have never been a fan of the "with strings" genre, but the Previn touch on this collection of standards helps me negotiate that hurdle. Typically here he acts as soloist, arranger and conductor.

Side 1:
01) Thinking Of You
02) When Will I Hear From You
03) I'm Gonna Sit Right Down
04) P.S. I Love You
05) Hello My Lover, Goodbye
06) Yours Sincerely

Side 2:
01) What's New
02) Lost Letter
03) I Remember You
04) Don't Worry About Me
05) Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
06) Signing Off

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Doris Day: Cuttin' Capers (1958)

Doris Day was nearing her peak as a box-office star in 1958 and had just scored a Top Ten hit with the up-tempo "Everybody Loves a Lover", but her album sales had fallen off with the dreamy ballad collection "Day By Night". So, when she came to cut a new LP in November of '58, she teamed with conductor Frank DeVol and made a deliberately livelier record. And this is it, "Cuttin' Capers". I like it especially Frank's scoring for brass. Hopefully, for some of you, it may fill another gap in your DD collections.

Side 1:

01) Cuttin' Capers

02) Steppin Out With My Baby

03) Makin' Whoopee

04) The Lady's In Love With You

05) Why Don't We Do This More Often

06) Let's Take A Walk Around The Block

Side 2:

01) I'm Sitting On Top Of The World

02) Get Out And Get Under The Moon

03) Fit As A Fiddle

04) Me Too

05) I Feel Like A Feather In The Breeze

06) Let's Fly Away

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Glenn Miller & The Andrew Sisters: The Chesterfield Broadcasts (1939/40)

This first CD of Miller's airchecks with the Andrews Sisters on the CBS Chesterfield shows of 1939-1940 will get the speakers bouncing, as Miller's incredibly swinging band tries its best --and succeeds -- to keep up with the fabulous syncopating harmonies of Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne. Hits of each artist are plentiful with Vic Schoen's arrangements giving the sisters an added bounce. The swinging tunes, the nostalgic announcements, and the fever-pitch audience response all result in a perfect sound-bite of the energy contained in the big-band era. For more info on the trio's working relationship with Miller, check out my book, "Swing It! The Andrews Sisters Story". ~ John Sforza

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