The husky voice of Helen Merrill sings some fine standards not forgetting the man on the ivory's the great Teddy Wilson !!... every track a gem....a must for all the lovers of Jazz enthusiasts !
7. You Better Go Now
Thursday, 13 March 2025
Charlene Bartley
Another cool voice that I have not heard of before !!...Thanks John for these seemingly "Lost" voices Keep em' coming !!!
The Weekend of a Private Secretary is as hip and delightful as its title promises. A singer whose fierce intelligence and droll wit more than compensate for her limited vocal range, Charlene Bartley is the very essence of postwar chic, navigating the rhythmic twists of Tito Puente's lively arrangements with sophistication and style. Bartley is a consummate storyteller, interpreting lyrics like "She Didn't Say Yes" and "Sand in My Shoes" with inimitable pluck. While Puente's Latin treatments lend the session much of its energy, co-arranger Hal McKusick is no less vital to the album's success, crafting simple but effective settings that underscore Bartley's modernist outlook.
4. Moon Over Miami
Mae West
You can't say that this Music Blog does not have a diverse range of music and singers !! this was recorded in 1966 when she was 73 !....so I guess that it would be inevitable that the front cover would be air brushed !!....and she looks and sounds great !!!..this one is not to be missed !!!
West's recording career started in the early 1930s with releases of her film songs on shellac 78 rpm records. Most of her film songs were released as 78s, as well as sheet music. In 1955, she recorded her first album, The Fabulous Mae West. In 1965, she recorded two songs, "Am I Too Young" and "He's Good For Me", for a 45 rpm record released by Plaza Records. She recorded several tongue-in-cheek songs, including "Santa, Come Up to See Me" on the album Wild Christmas,which was released in 1966 and reissued as Mae in December in 1980. Demonstrating her willingness to keep in touch with the contemporary scene, in 1966 she recorded Way Out West, the first of her two rock-and-roll albums. The second, released in 1972 on MGM Records and titled Great Balls of Fire, covered songs by The Doors, among others, and had songs written for West by English songwriter-producer Ian Whitcomb.
10. Boom Boom
Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....... Ella with just a guitar even though her voice had changed from the "Songbook" days the brilliance still shines through..... pure magic !!.there will never ever be another Ella !!.....Thanks John !!...yep we are in the New York record store for the last few posts and will stay here for a while and see what goodies we can find...Cheers John !!
10. Georgia On My Mind
Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton here with his hit Blue Velvet !...and a load of songs with Blue in the title and he does a good job with all of them !!...I wonder if the A&R people had the idea or maybe it was an idea out of the Blue !!.....and he's wearing a Blue shirt !!
6. St Louis Blues
Neil Diamond.
Another classic L/P from Neil....Side One is some of his hit singles and Side Two is composed of African themes which in the 70's all the major artists were having a go at !!!
1. Cracklin' Rosie
2. Free Life
3. Coldwater Morning
4. Done To Soon
5. He Ain't Heavy He's my Brother
1. Childsong
2. I Am the Lion
3. Madrigal
4. Soolaimon
5. Missa
6 African Suite
7. Chilsong (Reprise)
1. Cracklin' Rose
Barry Manilow.
1. Copacabana
2. Somewhere In The Night
3. A Linda Song
4. Can't Smile Without You
5. Leavin' In The Morning
6. Where Do I Go From Here
1. Even Now
2. I Was A Fool To Let You Go
3. Losing Touch
4. I Just Want To Be The One In Your Life
5. Starting Again
6. Sunrise
2. Somewhere In The Night
Alice Babs
Swingtime Again is a 1998 music album featuring Alice Babs . In addition, Charlie Norman and Anders Berglund Big Band participate .After having been retired for 18 years she released this new album at the tender age of 74 !
The recording was made in Atlantis Studio in Stockholm between August 31 and September 5, 1998.
1. Me And You
2. Its Wonderful
3. Sugar
4. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
5. Our Love Is Here To Stay
6. A Sailboat in The Moonlight
7. Swing It Magistern
8. I Don't Mind
9. Who's Got The Other Half of Heaven
10. Regntunga Skyar
11. I'm Checkin' Out Go'om Bye
12. Drop Me Off In Harlem
13. Bluer Than Blue
8. I Don't Mind
The Crew Cuts
The Crew-Cuts were a Canadian vocal quartet, that made a number of popular records that charted in the United States and worldwide. They named themselves after the then popular crew cut haircut, one of the first connections made between pop music and hairstyle. They were most famous for their recording of The Chords' hit record, "Sh-Boom".
Artist Biography by Richie Unterberger
On most informed lists of rock & roll villains, the Crew Cuts would have to rank near the top. They weren't rock & rollers in the first place: their clean-cut white harmony glee club approach was really in the style of early- and mid-'50s groups such as the Four Aces, the Four Lads, and the Four Freshmen. The Canadian quartet differed from those acts, however, in their concentration upon covers of songs originally recorded by R&B/doo wop vocal groups. Their cover of the Chords' "Sh-Boom" set the pattern, going to number one in 1954 and setting the stage for their other commercially successful pop treatments of R&B hits by the Penguins, Gene & Eunice, Otis Williams & the Charms, the Robins, the Spaniels, the Nutmegs, and others.
1. Crazy 'Bout You Baby
2. Sh Boom Sh Boom
3. Oop Shoop
4. A Story Untold
5. Don't Be Angry
6. Earth Angel
7. Gum Drop
8. Ko Ko Mo
9. Slam Bam
10. Two Hearts Two Kisses
11. Honey Hair Sugar lips Eyes Of Blue
12. Tell Me Why
13. Susie Q
14. Young love
15. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
%202d.JPG)
14. Young Love
Helen Carr
With the exception of one song cut with Charles Mingus in 1946 and two with King Curtis later in the 1950s, this single CD (which consists of Helen Carr's two Bethlehem albums) has the complete output of the talented but short-lived singer who died in 1960 at age 36. Carr's interpretations fall between jazz and middle-of-the-road pop, yet her treatments of the standards consistently swing and uplift the material. On one occasion she is joined by a quintet with husband/pianist Donn Trenner, trumpeter Don Fagerquist and altoist Charlie Mariano, while the other session finds Carr interacting quite winningly with a trio consisting of guitarist Howard Roberts, bassist Red Mitchell and the muted (but fiery) trumpet of Cappy Lewis.
.jpg)
.jpg)
19. Your Getting To Be A Habit With Me
Sparky's Magic Piano
WOW !!!...here's a blast from my past !!....I had this on 78's
when I was about 12 or there about's and loved it....haven't heard it for years....so thanks John for this memory !!..I guess that this is why I like piano music so much !!....if you haven't heard it it's a story about a Piano that plays itself !! and "Sparky" of course !!!...so be a kid again and have a listen !!!!....it only lasts about 15 mins !!
The Vernons Girls
The Vernons Girls were an English musical ensemble of female vocalists. They were formed at the Vernons football pools company in the 1950s in Liverpool, settling down to a sixteen strong choir and recording an album of standards.
As a 16-piece vocal group, the Vernons Girls appeared on the ITV show Oh Boy with the house band between 1958 and 1959, and made a series of relatively successful singles for the label Parlophone between 1958 and 1961. Their 1958 LP released on Parlophone was arranged and conducted by Peter Knight, with sleeve notes by Eamonn Andrews. This record is significantly different from their later pop hits, featuring such fifties standards as "We'll Gather Lilacs", "Lonely Ballerina", and the "Cuckoo in the Clock".
Led by Maureen Kennedy, from 1961 the group reduced their membership to five and then three members, and by 1962 had signed to Decca Records where they recorded covers of American hits. Their cover of Clyde McPhatter's "Lover Please" and "You Know What I Mean" were both hits; the latter was also originally the B-side of "Lover Please". In the US, the group charted with the first Beatles tribute album there, We Love The Beatles. The Carefrees had previously charted with a Beatles tribute called "We Love You Beatles" in the UK in 1964.
As session singers for Decca, the Vernons Girls were the female backing voices on many hit singles during the 1960s – one of the first being Billy Fury's "Maybe Tomorrow". The trio of Jean Owen (aka Samantha Jones), Frances Lea, and Maureen Kennedy.
Jean Owen had solo success under the name Samantha Jones.
1. Lover Please
2. You Know What I Mean
3. Dat's Love
4. Be Nice To Him Mama
5. Don't Wanna Go
6. The Locomotion
7. See For Yourself
8. Funny All Over
9. Do The Bird
10. I'm Gonna Let My Hair Down
11. Stay at Home
12. He'll Never Come back
13. Mama Doesn't Know
14. Just Another Girl
15. Tomorrow Is Another Day
16. Why Why Why
17. Hey Lover Boy
18. Stupid Little Girl
19. We Love The Beatles
20. Only You Can Do It
21. It's A Sin To Tell a Lie
22. Don't Say Goodbye
Vicky Lane
This Cool Lady only recorded this one L/P....Shame !!
Vicky Lane was born Grace Patricia Rose Coghlan in Dublin, Ireland in 1926. At a relatively young age, she had already travelled around the world twice before settling with her family in Mexico, then Nevada, and finally Beverly Hills.
Lane first went to Mexico with her family, then to the United States. As a teenager, her first Hollywood role was in 1942. She became known for her role as the Ape Woman Paula Dupree in the horror film The Jungle Captive (1945, directed by Harold Young).It was followed by supporting roles in films such as The Cisco Kid Returns (1945)
After a brief marriage to film actor Tom Neal (1948–49), Lane married jazz musician and bandleader Pete Candoli in 1953, Around 1953, she recorded several songs for the Sunset label with Candoli, Jimmy Rowles, Joe Mondragon and Shelly Manne such as 'S Wonderful and I Got Nothin' But the Blues. Candoli also arranged the songs for her only solo album, which she recorded with the Candoli Orchestra in 1959 for Time Records, I Swing for You.
(Info Edited From Wikipedia)....Note Track "Song Is You" 47 seconds X three !!
AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden
This RCA Victor LP marked the recording debut of Vicky Lane, a native of Ireland who was also an actress. Although gifted with an attractive voice in the alto range, Lane evidently didn't make much of an impression with record buyers, as this also seems to be the only recording under her name. This doesn't mean this is a bad record; in fact, she shows a lot of promise for a first-time recording artist, assisted by Pete Candoli's swinging arrangements and a supporting cast that also includes Jimmy Rowles, Barney Kessel, Alvin Stoller, and Joe Mondragon, along with a host of additional percussionists. Perhaps her selection of all upbeat songs instead of mixing a wider variety of material worked against her, though it is impossible to tell almost a half century after these sessions were completed.
1. The Trolley Song
2. Our Very Own
3. My Romance
4. You Hit The Spot
5. Love Isn't Born It's Made
6. My Heart Stood Still
1. They Say It's Wonderful
2. The Song Is You
3. Long Ago And far Away
4. I Love You
5. Right As Rain
6. This Heart Of Mine
Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Janice Harper
We now have a singer that seems to be well forgotten there is hardly anything about her on the internet which is a pity because she has got a great voice and should have been heard more in her time...she should have been with that voice a top seller for "Capitol" records but somehow she missed out.....So here you can find out what people have missed all these years.....
1. Cry Me A River
2. Always
3. I Am Forgetting You
4. If You Are But A Dream
5. If You Love Me Really Love Me
6. I'm Thru With Love
1. The Thrill Has Gone
2. All The Things You Are
3. Just Say I Love him
4. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
5. For All We Know
6. I Believe
7. Bon Voyage
Ivie Anderson
Here's A Great Singer from the 30's the Era of The Swing bands !!
Ivie Anderson (sometimes Ivy) (July 10, 1904 – December 28, 1949) was an American jazz singer. Anderson was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.Her career for over a decade consisted of touring with Ellington. Her first appearance on record, "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)", recorded in 1932, was a hit. She participated in Ellington's first European tour in 1933. In 1940, she recorded "Solitude", "Mood Indigo", and "Stormy Weather".
1. I'm Checking Out Goo'm Bye
2. I've Got To be A Rug Cutter
3. Shoeshine Boy
4. Chocolate Snake
5. It Don't Mean a Thing
6. Troubled Waters
7. I Got it bad And That Ain't Good
8. My Old Flame
9. Let's have A Jubilee
10. Rocks In My Bed
11. Me And You
12. I've Got The World On a String
13. Isn't love The Strangest Thing
14. All God's Chillen Got Rhythm
15. Killin' Myself
16. Cotton
17. There's a Lull In my life
18. Oh Baby Maybe Someday
19. Heyfoot Strawfoot
20. Truckin'
21. Alabamy Bound
Acquaviva & His Orchestra
Anthony "Tony" Acquaviva (May 10, 1925 – September 27, 1986, also known professionally as Acquaviva, was an American composer, conductor and string instrumentalist, and the founder of the New York Pops Symphony Orchestra.
1. Intermission
2. Green Valley
3. Open Your Eyes
4. Hills Of Rome
5. Dancing Notes
6. Autumn Again
1. Yesterdays Love
2. A New Shade Of Blue
3. One Look At You
4. I Found A Rainbow
5. A Fool Was I
6. C'est La Vie
7. After A Dream
Kylie Minogue.
5. Enjoy Yourself
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney without Wings !!...BUT a bonus in the shape of "Michael Jackson" on a couple of tracks
1. Pipes Of Peace
2. Say Say Say...with Michael Jackson
3. The Other Me
4. Keep Under Cover
5. So Bad
1. The Man...with Michael Jackson
2. Sweetest Little Show
3. Average Person
4. Hey Hey
5. Tug Of Peace
6. Through Our Love
6. The Man
Tuesday, 11 March 2025
Bob Thompson & His Orchestra
Another great Stereo Recording from a great Orchestra as good as all the others !!..from what info I have found out I have posted all the L/P's that Bob Thompson made !...unless anybody out there knows any different !!
1. On The Street Where You Live
2. A Foggy Day
3. Makin' Whoopee
4. Look For The Silver Lining
5. Mad About The Boy
6. Angel Eyes
7. Peek-a-Boo
1. It might As Well be Spring
2. All of You
3. It's Alright With Me
4. Diga Diga Doo
5. Bye Bye Blackbird
6. Why Do I Love You
7. Just For Kicks
12. Bye Bye Blackbird
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)