Spotlight on Forgotten Jazz/Pop Vocal Albums

[pmp]

I don't get time to write many blog posts these days, but added a new one tonight that might be of interest to some, as it highlights ten "forgotten" or neglected albums by the great jazz/pop vocalists of the 1950s and 1960s, including Jo Stafford, Sinatra, Ella, and Julie London. There's an embedded YT video for a key song from each one, too. The link is below:

https://silentmovieblog.wordpress.com/2023/02/23/winners-shining-a-light-on-neglected-jazz-and-pop-vocal-albums/

[Greystoke]

Excellent piece, Shane. I'm very fond of Sinatra's Point of No Return and Sammy Davis, Jr. Sings and Laurindo Almeida plays. The latter doesn't suffer one iota from comparison to Sinatra's work with Antonio Carlos Jobim, whilst Frank was so prolific in the late-fifties and early-sixties that a few projects seem to have gotten lost among more highly respected or better-known albums and/or films. Kings Go Forth comes to mind in respect to his movies.

I wouldn't disagree with you in saying that Alone is Judy Garland's best studio album. It's simply stellar, in fact. From the song selections to Gordon Jenkins' first-class arrangements. Right down to the album cover, which is deceptively plain, but depicts the album's title in quite a tangible way. Conversely, the Point of No Return album cover is a work of art!

Torme: A New Album is also terrific, and I really like this phase of his career -- including his numerous cameos on Night Court. His version of New York State of Mind is stunning. It's a song I would love to have heard Sinatra singing. Tony Bennett's version is also outstanding. And Jo + Jazz is another album that's quite a treat to spend time with. The cover is gorgeous, as you commented. But Stafford was truly at the peak of her powers here.

[pmp]

Excellent piece, Shane. I'm very fond of Sinatra's Point of No Return and Sammy Davis, Jr. Sings and Laurindo Almeida plays. The latter doesn't suffer one iota from comparison to Sinatra's work with Antonio Carlos Jobim, whilst Frank was so prolific in the late-fifties and early-sixties that a few projects seem to have gotten lost among more highly respected or better-known albums and/or films. Kings Go Forth comes to mind in respect to his movies.

I wouldn't disagree with you in saying that Alone is Judy Garland's best studio album. It's simply stellar, in fact. From the song selections to Gordon Jenkins' first-class arrangements. Right down to the album cover, which is deceptively plain, but depicts the album's title in quite a tangible way. Conversely, the Point of No Return album cover is a work of art!

Torme: A New Album is also terrific, and I really like this phase of his career -- including his numerous cameos on Night Court. His version of New York State of Mind is stunning. It's a song I would love to have heard Sinatra singing. Tony Bennett's version is also outstanding. And Jo + Jazz is another album that's quite a treat to spend time with. The cover is gorgeous, as you commented. But Stafford was truly at the peak of her powers here.

Thanks, Hugh. I think there might be a part 2 written a bit further down the road, as there were far too many discs I didn't have room to mention! I certainly would like to include Bing, Doris Day, Peggy Lee, and Dinah Washington at some point. I'm actually rather shocked at how many Washington albums haven't made it to CD.

[Greystoke]

Excellent piece, Shane. I'm very fond of Sinatra's Point of No Return and Sammy Davis, Jr. Sings and Laurindo Almeida plays. The latter doesn't suffer one iota from comparison to Sinatra's work with Antonio Carlos Jobim, whilst Frank was so prolific in the late-fifties and early-sixties that a few projects seem to have gotten lost among more highly respected or better-known albums and/or films. Kings Go Forth comes to mind in respect to his movies.

I wouldn't disagree with you in saying that Alone is Judy Garland's best studio album. It's simply stellar, in fact. From the song selections to Gordon Jenkins' first-class arrangements. Right down to the album cover, which is deceptively plain, but depicts the album's title in quite a tangible way. Conversely, the Point of No Return album cover is a work of art!

Torme: A New Album is also terrific, and I really like this phase of his career -- including his numerous cameos on Night Court. His version of New York State of Mind is stunning. It's a song I would love to have heard Sinatra singing. Tony Bennett's version is also outstanding. And Jo + Jazz is another album that's quite a treat to spend time with. The cover is gorgeous, as you commented. But Stafford was truly at the peak of her powers here.

Thanks, Hugh. I think there might be a part 2 written a bit further down the road, as there were far too many discs I didn't have room to mention! I certainly would like to include Bing, Doris Day, Peggy Lee, and Dinah Washington at some point. I'm actually rather shocked at how many Washington albums haven't made it to CD.

There's certainly been great efforts to get some of Bing's best albums on CD over the past decade, or so. Although new releases are few and far between now. But it is good to several of the Collector's Choice releases on streaming platforms. Especially when many of those albums may have sold out or have been discontinued on CD.

[pmp]

I got around to writing part 2 tonight. I have a feeling there might be a book on this subject next year...

https://silentmovieblog.wordpress.com/2023/03/03/winners-part-2-more-neglected-jazz-and-pop-vocal-albums/

[Greystoke]

I got around to writing part 2 tonight. I have a feeling there might be a book on this subject next year...

https://silentmovieblog.wordpress.com/2023/03/03/winners-part-2-more-neglected-jazz-and-pop-vocal-albums/

It's actually quite surprising that Crosby at the Palladium hasn't been released in its complete form on CD, especially with the aforementioned reissues of Crosby albums and some great releases by the likes of Sepia. It's quite monumental in many respects. Less so Sammy in Australia, although this is a fine album in its own right.

We've certainly discussed Francis A. & Edward K. in the past, and it's such a good album. The song selection is excellent and I love the pacing, with that exhilarating finale in Come Back to Me. Yellow Days is especially good, and the instrumental break on Sunny is marvellous. I'm a big fan of this one.

[pmp]

I got around to writing part 2 tonight. I have a feeling there might be a book on this subject next year...

https://silentmovieblog.wordpress.com/2023/03/03/winners-part-2-more-neglected-jazz-and-pop-vocal-albums/

It's actually quite surprising that Crosby at the Palladium hasn't been released in its complete form on CD, especially with the aforementioned reissues of Crosby albums and some great releases by the likes of Sepia. It's quite monumental in many respects. Less so Sammy in Australia, although this is a fine album in its own right.

We've certainly discussed Francis A. & Edward K. in the past, and it's such a good album. The song selection is excellent and I love the pacing, with that exhilarating finale in Come Back to Me. Yellow Days is especially good, and the instrumental break on Sunny is marvellous. I'm a big fan of this one.

Much of the Sammy disc was included on a Curb CD called Greatest Songs, IIRC. It had a couple of tracks from the 1978 Stop the World disc, too. A Sammy website says that Hearin is Believin' is from a later concert, but I'm not convinced about that - it feels like a mining of the same shows for a second album to me. but I may be wrong on that. It's a long while since I've heard it.

It's odd that the Frank/Ellington album has never really been championed in the way that the Basie ones have - in fact, it could easily have been put together as a double disc with the Sinatra/Basie albums.

[Greystoke]

I got around to writing part 2 tonight. I have a feeling there might be a book on this subject next year...

https://silentmovieblog.wordpress.com/2023/03/03/winners-part-2-more-neglected-jazz-and-pop-vocal-albums/

It's actually quite surprising that Crosby at the Palladium hasn't been released in its complete form on CD, especially with the aforementioned reissues of Crosby albums and some great releases by the likes of Sepia. It's quite monumental in many respects. Less so Sammy in Australia, although this is a fine album in its own right.

We've certainly discussed Francis A. & Edward K. in the past, and it's such a good album. The song selection is excellent and I love the pacing, with that exhilarating finale in Come Back to Me. Yellow Days is especially good, and the instrumental break on Sunny is marvellous. I'm a big fan of this one.

Much of the Sammy disc was included on a Curb CD called Greatest Songs, IIRC. It had a couple of tracks from the 1978 Stop the World disc, too. A Sammy website says that Hearin is Believin' is from a later concert, but I'm not convinced about that - it feels like a mining of the same shows for a second album to me. but I may be wrong on that. It's a long while since I've heard it.

It's odd that the Frank/Ellington album has never really been championed in the way that the Basie ones have - in fact, it could easily have been put together as a double disc with the Sinatra/Basie albums.

I would have to take a listen to those Sammy CDs for a reminder, but with regards to Francis A. & Edward K., at the very least it has been reissued in fine sound with the batch of Sinatra reissues from a few years back. I think the Basie albums work in their own right and that this one would muddy those waters to some degree, but it is increasingly obscure, unfortunately.