NOTE:
Here's
where we start looking at some of Frank's closest friends and
compadre's, as well as some artists who came along a little later in
the music scene. Sammy Davis Jr., who's triple-threat status
made him the most versatile of the Rat Pack; Dean Martin, Sinatra's
closest chum and full of personal charm, as well as Johnny Hartman,
Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, all join the ranks as those who owe a
debt to Sinatra's long influence and sense of timelessness.
Sammy
Davis Jr. - Yes I
Can! The Sammy Davis Jr. Story
Rhino
Records 75972 [CD];
Released November 9, 1999
Sixty-nine studio
recordings, tracing Sammy's career from 1954's "Smile, Darn Ya, Smile"
to "Lover Come Back to Me.
All his hits digitally
remastered, including "Something's Gotta Give," "Too Close For
Comfort," "What Kind Of Fool Am I," "As Long As She Needs Me," "Me And
My Shadow" (with Frank Sinatra), "I've Gotta Be Me," "If I Ruled The
World," "The Candy Man," "Mr. Bojangles" and much more.
An
entire disc of Sammy's live on stage, including impersonations, "Birth
Of The Blues," "West Side Story Medley" and more.
REVIEW: Next to Frank Sinatra, I
consider Sammy Davis to be
the penultimate performer. Sammy's ability to generate pure
electricity on stage during his fiery up-tempo numbers, or put his
whole soul into the smoking ballads; or whether he's doing uncanny
impersonations of friends and colleagues, or showing off his remarkably
nimble footwork, Sammy Davis Jr. was not only successful in all these
talents, he was also a gifted actor on stage and screen and an
extremely gifted writer, as evidenced by his remarkable
biographies. And, having to accomplish all of these successes
in the face of crippling racial bias and the personal tragedy of losing
an eye in a car wreck is all the more inspiring. This box
set, lovingly compiled by Rhino Records is an ideal way to convert all
nay-sayers to the church of Sammy. Sammy, like Frank had the
ability to channel every kilowatt of energy into his performances,
never giving less than his absolute best, whether it's during the slow
burn of the lesser known "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' For New York" or
scaling the heights of "Birth Of The Blues" (found here in an
unbelievable live take), or simmering on the cool backbeat swing of
"Change Partners," Sammy simply is completely convincing in every role
he takes, because when he sings a song, he puts on the coat of the
character he's singing and becomes that role. What's even
more amazing is that with all the material present, ninety-five percent
of it is appearing for the first time on CD! (Granted, much
of it has appeared in other forms since this box's release, but Sammy
still remains one of the most under-appreciated singers on
CD). And while there are several single-disc compilations of
his work out there, it would be a crime to begin with anything so
limiting for an artist of his caliber. If you really don't
own any of Sammy's stuff, this box is the place to start.
There's hardly a dud in the entire set (unless you despise "The Candy
Man" - forgivable), and the thick booklet includes biographical essays,
tributes from some of Sammy’s legions of friends and
admirers, complete track info, a discography, a list of suggested
books, and lots of rare photos of Sammy at home and work.
Stunning - don't even think of welching out on this artist, he's
essential. If you simply can't countenance purchasing a box
set for the first choice, fine single disc collections are available,
such as The
Wham! Of Sam,
Live
at the Cocoanut Grove, and the fun duets collection Sammy
and Friends.
Collector's Choice Music has also release several of Sammy's rare
Reprise albums on CD, which can be purchased through their website, and many of them are
excellent.
Dean
Martin: This Time I'm
Swingin'!/Pretty Baby
EMI International 13832 [CD];
Released April 4, 2000
1.
I Can't Believe That You're
in Love With Me
2. True Love
3. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You
4. On the Street Where You Live
5. Imagination
6. Until the Real Thing Comes Along
7. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
8. I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
9. Someday (You'll Want Me to Love You)
10. Mean to Me
11. Heaven Can Wait
12. Just in Time
13. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
14. Only Forever
15. Sleepy Time Gal
16. Maybe
17. I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)
18. Pretty Baby
19. You've Got Me Crying Again
20. Once in a While
21. Object of My Affection
22. For You
23. It's Easy to Remember
24. Nevertheless (I'm in Love With You)
REVIEW: I'll be the first to admit that
I have problems with Dean Martin as a singer. I've confessed
to others that his sometimes sloppy habits of slurring his notes and
distractingly ever-present vibrato have always grated on my
nerves. But that was before I heard this stunning compilation
of two of his LP's from the late 1950s. This Time
I'm Swingin'! (1957) and Pretty Baby
(1960), recorded at Capitol before he jumped to Sinatra's Reprise
label, are excellent in every sense of the word. Swingin'!
is arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle, who does his usual
superlative job at infusing each song with a sense of individual style,
and Dean rises to the challenge of matching the quality of the
arrangements with an overabundance of charm and swing-sense that makes
each song a gem. His voice is at an absolute peak -
from the easy bop of "True Love" to a surprisingly easy conversion of
"The Street Where You Live" to swing-time. He's smart and
sexy on "Imagination," and cool and trippy on "Please Don't
Talk About Me When I'm Gone." Much of the success of
the album I attribute to Riddle's charts, but an
equal share must go to Dean for his careful, involved
singing throughout. The second album, Pretty
Baby, has the reigns taken over by Gus Levene,
who's different style in arrangements lean more towards jazz and
smoothly incorporates cool backup singers to accompany Dean, and he
sounds supremely loose and cool here; whether on the lead off track "I
Can't Give You Anything But Love," or the warm,
buttery tones of "Only Forever" which Dean trades off with
a rich, deep brass solo; the ultra-cool be-bop sounds of
"Maybe" is too groovy for words, and the sleepy tones of "I
Don't Know Why" fit Dean like a glove, while the smoky lounge
arrangement of "Pretty Baby" is again sensitively handled by
Dean. But the whole album is an excellent example of
how hot 50s pop music could be - and Dean Martin is king of
the hill on these fine platters. I would recommend this
disc over and above the greatest hits compilations, which tend
to have too many "Italian" novelty numbers for my tastes, but if you
want to hear something more "hit"-oriented, try Dino:
The Essential Dean Martin, or the even more comprehensive The
Capitol Years for a double-disc dose of
Dino. And, as with Sammy Davis Jr., Collector's Choice
Music has put out Dino's complete Reprise albums on
CD.
Nancy Sinatra: The
Essential Nancy Sinatra EMI/Liberty
International 3562332 [CD];
Released March 14, 2006
1. Bang Bang
2. Sugar Town
3. Somethin' Stupid
4. Highway Song
5. Kind Of A Woman
6. Love Eyes
7. Did You Ever?
8. Flowers In The Rain
9. In Our Time
10. Drummer Man
11. Lady Bird
12. I Love Them All (The Boys In The Band)
13. These Boots Are Made For Walkin'
14. How Does That Grab You, Darlin'
15. Fridays Child
16. Jackson
17. You Only Live Twice
18. Hook & Ladder
19. Some Velvet Morning
20. So Long, Babe
21. God Knows I Love You
22. Here We Go Again
23. 100 Years
24. Let Me Kiss You
25. Machine Gun Kelly
26. Shot You Down
REVIEW:
Yes, yes, I know that Nancy's music isn't really
"related" to Frank's style, but hey, she's his daughter, and you can't
get much more related than that! In the 1960s,
Nancy Sinatra stepped out of her father's shadow in a
big way, and despite never being able to completely
shake comparisons, I've always felt it was a
smart move for her to embrace rock 'n'
roll. But for all her success here in the U.S.,
there has never been a comprehensive disc of her career. So
here, from England, is the best "greatest hits" disc available, and
with tracks hand-picked by Nancy herself, and with the widest range
of songs spanning her entire career, this disc is by far the
best, most complete sampling available. Although Nancy never
hit the artistic heights of her father, as a pop/rock siren she was
almost in a class by herself. Blending a tough-as-nails
independent persona (not unlike the black-leather attitudes adopted by
The Shangri-Las), with her drop-dead gorgeous looks, Nancy hit big with
tracks like the kitch classic "These Boots Were Made For Walkin' "
along with other prototypical 'bad-girl' songs like "I Love Them All
(The Boys In The Band)" "Bang Bang," "Sugar Town" and "How Does That
Grab You, Darlin' " all of which made Nancy a consummate
pin-up girl of the 1960s. The other side of the coin
was her undeniable ties to Daddy, so you'll also find the rather
nauseating treacle of "Somethin' Stupid" here, which despite it's
red-hot chart action, remains one of the lamest songs ever
recorded. Nancy also recorded some true curiousities, from
the James Bond title song "You Only Live Twice" to the previously
unreleased "Machine Gun Kelly" - and this thickly-packed retrospective
also brings us up to the present with her collaborations with Morrissey
on "Let Me Kiss You" and the self-referencing "Shot You Down" which was
a #3 hit with the Audio Bullys. The booklet is filled with
notes by Nancy and loads of pics, all of which confirm that of all the
Sinatras, Nancy is the one to look at. Sundazed Music has
also released remastered, expanded editions of her sixties albums: Boots,
How Does That Grab You?Movin' With Nancy,
Nancy In London,
Nancy,
Country My Way,
and Sugar.
Julie
London: Time For Love - The Best of Julie
London
Rhino Records 707037 [CD];
Released
February 26, 1991
1.
Cry Me a River
2. In the Middle of a Kiss
3. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
4. No Moon at All
5. June in January
6. 'Round Midnight
7. In the Still of the Night [*]
8. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
9. Invitation to the Blues
10. Easy Street [*]
11. Go Slow
12. Thrill Is Gone [*]
13. I Surrender, Dear [*]
14. Two Sleepy People
15. Cottage for Sale
16. Daddy
17. Gone With the Wind
18. I'm in the Mood for Love
REVIEW: Frank
Sinatra may have been a sex symbol in the 1940s (something I still
don't quite grasp), but he didn't hold a candle to the sultry
chanteusse of jazz, 1950s bombshell Julie London. Many music
fans still don't take London that seriously as a singer,
considering her talents to be on par with, oh, say, Marilyn
Monroe. But where Monroe was little but
sex appeal when it came to her singing, Julie London actually has some
very credible roots in jazz and smoky lounge music. This
single-disc collection by Rhino Records is an excellent
sampler for her soft, whispery vocals, often just accompanied
with guitar (as on "Gone With The Wind" and "Cry Me A River"),
or more often carried along with a fine ensemble of players who don't
overwhelm London's intimate vocal stylings, often just having a hint of
strings (as on "In The Middle of a Kiss") or a hiss of snare creating a
mesmerizing soundscape. There's the rare brass punctuation,
as with the fabulous "June In January" and the scatty "In The Still Of
The Night," or the incredibly moody blue shades found in "'Round
Midnight." Occasionally she can even sound like a
wicked Doris Day (on "My Heart Belongs To Daddy.")
And if you want to hear where Madonna swiped her pixie-girl persona
from, look no further than "Daddy." But London's style was
all about atmosphere - encouraging the dim-lit, after
hours vibe that was so suited to lovers. Of course
it didn't hurt that London was drop-dead gorgeous, but her ability to
create a sensuous soundscape is remarkable, and this disc is a great
introduction to her talents l'amour. For more in-depth
examinations of her music, check out 2-fer's Lonely
Girl/Make Love To Me,
Love
Letters/Feeling Good,
The
End Of The World/Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast (love that last title), and Julie
...at Home/Round Midnight,
as well as her canny nod to the blues, About
The Blues.
Johnny
Hartman: The Johnny
Hartman Collection - 1947-1972
Hip-O Records 40137 [CD];
Released September 22, 1998
DISC 1:
1. I'll Never Smile Again
2. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
3. Why Was I Born?
4. I Should Care - (with Dizzy Gillespie & His
Orchestra)
5. That Old Black Magic - (with Dizzy Gillespie &
His Orchestra)
6. Close Your Eyes
7. S'posin'
8. Goodbye
9. September In The Rain
10. Out Of The Night
11. Worry Bird
12. Wheel Of Fortune
13. Wild - (with Perez Prado & His Orchestra)
14. Black Shadows
15. I Feel Like Crying
16. I See Your Face Before Me
17. End Of A Love Affair, The
18. World Was Mine, The
19. Bye, Baby, Bye
20. I Thought About You
21. Mam'selle
DISC 2:
1. My One And Only Love - (with John Coltrane)
2. Lush Life - (with John Coltrane)
3. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
4. Don't You Know I Care
5. Stairway To The Stars
6. My Ship
7. More I See You, The
8. Almost Like Being In Love
9. Very Thought Of You, The
10. Unforgettable
11. If I Had You
12. As You Desire Me
13. When I Get The Time
14. I Cover The Waterfront
15. Fly Me To The Moon
16. On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)
17. Shadow Of Your Smile
REVIEW: Johnny
Hartman has never received the accolades of other singers, although his
25-year career is just as distinguished as some of his contemporaries;
the only reason I can fathom for the continuing ignorance of his
musical accomplishments is racial bais. Like Sinatra, Johnny
was a devotee of the great American songbook, and, posessed of a rich,
molten bass voice, his readings simply drip with warmth and
authority. He could bless ballads (his specialty) with an
immaculate phrasing which was easily on a par with Sinatra's Columbia
sides, as on "I'll Never Smile Again," or "I Should Care," or lend an
aura of mysticism to "That Old Black Magic" (with a fantastic
tiki-driven collaboration with Dizzy Gillespie). In fact,
many of the songs Hartman covers are ones which Frank also had an
affinity for: "My One And Only Love," "In The Wee Small Hours," "The
Very Thought Of You," and "Fly Me To The Moon," all receive excellent
interpretations here, but Hartman doesn't bother to ape Sinatra's
interpretations of the songs, although he obviously was a student of
Frank's delivery and phrasing, Hartman has the talent to
reshape these songs to his own sensibilities, making each song an
interesting contrast to Frank's originals. But he sings with
such passion, and intensity, that it's hard to believe he hasn't gotten
more press. Of course, for my tastes, his voice
occasionally sounds too thick and 'basso-profundo' as
on "September In The Rain" - but more often, his wonderful artistry
shines though on highlights like "Out Of The Night" or
the intriguing latin-tinged drama of "Wild." Hartman
filled each song with emotion, and is his best on heart-wrenching
ballads of lonliness, like "I Cover the Waterfront," "Don't You Know I
Care" and "I Feel Like Crying." Not for everyone's tastes,
but he's too good to be dismissed, and an obvious companion to
Sinatra's style. Other recommendations: John
Coltraine & Johnny Hartman, I
Just Dropped By To Say Hello,
and Unforgettable.
Blossom
Dearie: Blossom Dearie
Polygram
Records 37934 [CD];
Released June 8, 1989
1.
'Deed I Do
2. Lover Man
3. Ev'rything I've
Got
4. Comment Allez-Vous
5. More Than You Know
6. Thou Swell
7. It Might as Well Be Spring
8. Tout Doucement
9. You for Me
10. Now at Last
11. I Hear Music
12. Wait Till You See Her
13. I Won't Dance
14. Fine Spring Morning
15. They Say It's Spring [#][*]
16. Johnny One Note [#][*]
17. Blossom's Blues [#][*]
REVIEW: My
fire of interest for music after re-discovering Frank Sinatra
led me to take a chance on this artist who is often sidelined
(I think in good part due to her unusual name), but delivers a spot-on
slice of cool jazz on this self-titled release. Originally
released in 1956, this album has Blossom (yes, that's
her real name) lending her bright, pixie-sounding voice to a a slew of
standards and a couple of french songs (she had just returned from an
extended trip to France when this was recorded), she laid down
this sparely accompanied platter as her U.S. debut album.
Accompanying herself on piano, and with Ray Brown on Bass and Jo Jones
on drums, Ms. Dearie nevertheless managed to make the songs sound
fuller and of more weight than the sparse instrumentation
allowed. The songs become minature moments,
and the breadth of free space in the arrangements allow Blossom to fill
the gaps with her Betty-Boop-like tones, which gives the songs a
strange fresh quality and interesting brightness.
Sinatra loved to experiment with Jazz combos on several tours
he made, and he always seemed to be looser and more playful with these
light troupes, and it's the same here, Blossom floatst through
the songs, from Rogers & Hart's "Thou Swell," to "I Hear
Music;" from "I Won't Dance" to "Lover Man." There's also a
decidely spring-like mood to the songs, with "Fine Spring
Morning," "It Might As Well Be Spring," and "They
Say It's Spring" (included as an apt bonus track) all lending
their lyrical adriotness to the overall Vernal Equinox feel of
this light, bouncy disc. Later recordings had more money
thrown at them, giving them weightier arrangments and glossier sound,
but this intitial outting is a perfect introduction to Blossom's
intruiguing style. Other fine platters include Once
Upon A Summertime,
...Sings
Comden and Green,
and the most polished of her LPs, May
I Come In?
Johnny
Mathis: A
Personal Collection
Columbia/Legacy 48932
[CD];
Released September 11, 2001
Eighty-six tracks,
personally chosen by Johnny Mathis, covering his entire career (through
1994)
Comprehensive booklet
featuring discography, track-by-track commentary by Mathis himself, and
many rare photographs.
Hits
include "Misty," "When Sunny Gets Blue," "Chances Are," "Heavenly,"
"Too Much, Too Little, Too Late," and a new duet with Barbara Streisand
"One Hand, One Heart"
REVIEW: Despite the presence
of such 70s
MOR hits as "Feelings" and "With You I'm Born Again," Johnny
Mathis' early career was built on Sinatra's templet, focusing heavily
on standards and ballads which complimented
his delicate, quivering tenor voice. In
fact, the first two discs of this excellent box set are just about as
fine a retrospective of Mathis' talent as any you're likely to find,
and even though the quality of the material begins to dip about halfway
through the third CD, there is still much excellent stuff
here, with top-notch orchestras accompanying Mathis as he
croons "It Could Happen To You," "Warm," "I've Grown
Accustomed To Her Face," and "Moonlight Becomes You." Also
here are the smash hits which were staples of teenage girls record
players everywhere, "The Twelfth Of Never," "Chances
Are" (with its distinctive piano signature), and the
pathetic swoon of "What'll I Do." It's interesting
to me that Sinatra cultivated the same frail, quivering image
at the onset of his solo career; much mention was made of his trembling
frame, and shivering lips as he sang, grasping onto the
microphone stand as if for support, which often sent
the bobby-soxers into paroxisms of ecstacy. Mathis
simply built on that image, with similar success in the 1960s among
teenage girls (my Mother among them). There are many times
when Mathis devolves into a parody of himself, allowing his chewing of
consonants and vibrato take over a line, or reading. But his
best efforts are very, very good, and his control and breathing are
often on par with Sinatra, and occasionally surpasses him in sheer
vocal pyrotechnics. Of course whether you approve of Mathis's
eventually slide into MOR mediocrity will be tested by disc four, but
it's a testiment to Mathis's staying power that he survived the 70s and
80s, even having chart hits in each decade, and has continued to
produce CD's worthy of discovery, and with a voice that remains one of
the most distinctive and lovely in popular music. For those
who want a thinner slice to explore, try the two-disc The
Essential Johnny Mathis,
the representative album Heavenly (again, my Mother's favorite), and
for a more recent discovery, Isn't
It Romantic - The Standards Album.
Andy
Williams: The
Complete Columbia Chart Singles Collection
Taragon 1093 [CD];
Released August 27, 2002
DISC 1:
1. Danny Boy
2. Fly By Night
3. Wonderful World Of The Young, The
4. Stranger On The Shore
5. Don't You Believe It
6. Can't Get Used To Losing You
7. Days Of Wine And Roses
8. Hopeless
9. Fool Never Learns, A
10. Charade
11. Wrong For Each Other
12. On The Street Where You Live
13. Almost There
14. Dear Heart
15. And Roses And Roses
16. Ain't It True
17. Quiet Night Of Quiet Stars (Corcovado)
18. You're Gonna Hear From Me
19. Bye Bye Blues
20. How Can I Tell Her It's Over
21. In The Arms Of Love
22. Music To Watch Girls By
23. More And More
24. Holly
25. Sweet Memories
26. Battle Hymn Of The Republic
DISC 2:
1. Happy Heart
2. Live And Learn
3. Woman's Way, A
4. Can't Help Falling In Love
5. One Day Of Your Life
6. Home Lovin' Man
7. Love Story, (Where Do I Begin)
8. Song For You, A
9. Love Is All
10. Music From Across The Way
11. Love Theme From The Godfather (Speak Softly Love)
12. Mac Arthur Park
13. Solitaire
14. Remember - (featuring Noelle)
15. Love's Theme
16. Another Lonely Song
17. Love Said Goodbye - (from "Theme The Godfather Part II")
18. Cry Softly
19. Sad Eyes
20. Tell It Like It Is
21. Can't Take My Eyes Off You
22. It's So Easy
23. Eri Un Abitudine (Can't Get Used To Losing You)
24. Moon River
REVIEW: Pity the poor
crooners of the 1970s. If folks like Andy Williams
had been around in the 1940s, he probably would have scaled
the heights of singers like Dick Haymes and been in several
popular feature films, but as it was, Andy had to settle
for decades of television, and, instead of the glittering
lights of Vegas, he's interred in Branson, Missouri. I grew
up watching Williams' perennial television specials (especially his
Christmas shows) and yet, when I grew older, I dismissed him
as a corny tv personality (much like
Dinah Shore). Not until I'd matured did I go back
and re-discover him, and much to my surprise, learn that Andy Williams
had a killer voice! Columbia Records, which should be ashamed
by it's shoddy, thread-bare treatment of Williams' extensive
catalog, is undercut by Taragon records, which has masterfully
collected Williams's complete singles releases on the Columbia label
(with the exception of two Christmas singles), and chronologically
compiled them on this 50-track, two-CD set. Andy's incredibly
supple, warm baritone voice is instantly endearing, from the first
track "Danny Boy" to his smash cover of "Moon River"
it's hard to believe that his recordings haven't
received more recognition by fans of classic pop. Of course
it doesn't help that these recordings, from the 1960s and 70s,
tread much the same ground as other artists of the era,
including Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, and Matt Monro; Williams was never
much interested in covering standards from Broadway or the Great
American Songbook - he was strictly given contemporary songs to cover,
although the occasional classic would work its way in: "On The Street
Where You Live," "Moon River, " and oddly, "Battle Hymn of the
Republic" all show up on singles. Even more suprising is
Williams' affinity for country and western music, "Hopeless," "Fool
Never Learns" and others all dip their toes into this genre;
but there's also grand, epic declarations: "Charade," "Love
Story" and "How Can I Tell Her It's Over." Another stumbling
point in my estimation are the arrangements, which forgo using
the comprehensive colors of a full orchestra and instead lean
on contemporary arrangments, which immediately date the
songs. But it's Williams' voice that's the biggest
selling point - immediately compelling, rich, melodic and
confident, with phrasing that is right on target, especially
on the ballads like the gorgeous "Quiet Night Of Quiet
Stars." A great starting point, but for
other recommendations, I'm somewhat biased towards his
seminal holiday albums: Merry
Christmas and Christmas
Album.
Anita
O'Day: Pick Yourself Up with Anita O'Day
Verve
17329 [CD];
Released November 17, 2002
1.
Don't Be That Way
2. Let's Face the Music and Dance
3. I Never Had a Chance
4. Stompin' at the Savoy
5. Pick Yourself Up
6. Stars Fell on Alabama
7. Sweet Georgia Brown
8. I Won't Dance
9. Man With a Horn
10. I Used to Be Color Blind
11. There's a Lull in My Life
12. Let's Begin
13. I'm With You [*]
14. Rock & Roll Waltz [*]
15. Getaway and the Chase [*]
16. You Picture's Hanging Crooked on the Wall [*]
17. We Laughed at Love [*]
18. I'm Not Lonely [*]
19. Let's Face the Music and Dance [Alternate Take][*]
20. Ivy [*]
21. Stars Fell on Alabama [Alternate Take]
REVIEW: Anita
O'Day is just class;
although not considered
in the same league as Ella or Frank, Anita is no slouch. Her
voice has a captivating blend of smokiness and sly fun - she can bound
between torchers like "Don't Be That Way" and then samba in the
tropical rhythms of "Let's Face The Music and Dance." Then
she'll turn around and become the ideal saloon singer during the molten
flow of "I Never Had A Chance" before reminding you of what a joker she
is in "Stompin at the Savoy." In fact, this album - Pick
Yourself Up, originally recorded in 1956, is considered a
classic of the bebop school of singing, with infectious rhythms and
impecable scat singing being the order of the day. And Anita
O'Day is certainly, if not the queen, then the duchess of rhythm,
tackling the rev-ved up "Pick Yourself Up" as if she were born to
it. Accompanied by the very versatile Buddy Bregman
Orchestra, the album zips and flutters from one track to the next with
enviable ease; and points out a key difference from Sinatra's albums of
this period: whereas Frank was creating whole-cloth albums with linking
themes and moods, Anita was having equal artistic success by throwing
all sorts of genres and styles and moods onto a single
album. The Doris Day-like "I Won't Dance" is preceded by a
remarkably dark and rhythmic "Sweet Georgia Brown," filled with tribal
drums and Anita's restrained, haunted vocal. But either
choice is justified, and the variety found on this album is a constant
surprise, as O'Day revels in the ebb and swell between the tracks,
showing off her chameleon-like ability to fit into anything that's
thrown at her. But the album is overall effervescent and
cheery; if you haven't had the chance to be beguiled by the
many charms of Anita O'Day, this album would be my first
choice. But all of her albums from the 50s are worthy of
exploration, including: Anita O'Day Sings the
Winners, Anita O'Day Swings Cole
Porter with Billy May, and Incomparable!
being other fine choices.
Matt
Monro: This Is The Life/Here's To My Lady
EMI
International 55392 [CD];
Released June 30, 1998
1.
I'm Glad There Is You
2. This Is the Life
3. You're Gonna Hear from Me
4. I'll Take Romance
5. Strangers in the Night
6. On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)
7. Sweet Lorraine
8. My Best Girl
9. On a Wonderful Day Like Today
10. Merci Cherie
11. Honey on the Vine
12. When Joanna Loved Me
13. Real Live Girl
14. When Sunny Gets Blue
15. Laura
16. People
17. Here's to My Lady
18. Good Life
19. You've Got Possibilities
20. Rain Sometimes
21. Sweet Talkin' Hannah
22. Nina Never Knew
REVIEW: Matt
Monro, like
Andy Williams, is considered
one of the countless pop singers of the sixties and seventies who were
hopelessly out-of-step with the times; a slush of artists who clung to
pop standards even after The Beatles and their like had wiped the slate
clean and left numerous similar artists in the wreckage. But
Matt Monro was able to survive, even thrive, due to his undeniable
talent. Blessed with a honey-warm baritone, and looks that,
while hardly movie-star caliber, posessed a comforting "Ozzie and
Harriet" familiarity, Monro was able to bridge the gap between the
bobby-soxers and the baby-boomers with his serene, romantic
ballads. This pair of albums from England is an ideal place
to discover Monroe's finely-honed abilities; he croons with the best of
them, placing a great deal of space in his phrasing, whether it's on
"I'm Glad There Is You" or "You're Gonna Hear From Me;" or he gently
swings, as on "This is The Life" and "I'll Take Romance."
Backed with an ultra-lush orchestra swelling with strings or chastely
brassy, as on the frenetic "On A Clear Day (You Can See
Forever)." Matt's repetoire borrows heavily from broadway and
film, and there are some surprises on this pair of albums, as with the
inclusion of "You've Got Possibilities" from the failed Broadway flop It's
A Bird, It's A Plane, It's Superman! or the
unusual bluesy R&B found on "Sweet Talkin' Hannah" which
manages to succeed despite it's incongruous presence. And
while the songs on these two albums tend to melt together, rather than
stand out as individual gems, there are times when Monro's talent rises
above the sameness and becomes something sublime, as on "When Sunny
Get's Blue" - which compares favorably with Sinatra's
version. And Monro's ease of singing, making everything sound
friendly and cool, make him a prime artist of the school of popular
music. Several greatest hits albums are
available, along with a few more two-on-one albums - check him out.
