From Anita & Ella To Nina & Sassy: Celebrated Songstresses Of Jazz & Standards

It’s a good album. For anyone in the UK, Fopp stock the Japanese import for three pounds (or they did a couple of weeks ago, at any rate).

 

Ella Fitzgerald Someone To Watch Over Me (w/LSO) Verve EU 2017









Review

What can I say, I like the idea, because so many records have been done incorrectly. And they can be restored, saving our favorite voices. Especially very early recordings (Bessie Smith comes to mind). I would be delighted to hear Bessie singing with a cool modern band ... but who dares.
That's why this big project is an important thing.

Secondly, the song selection is very good here. This is the album "Ella Fitzgerald - A Master Balladeer".
There is an excellent version 'With a Song in My Heart' - unavailable on youtube.

In addition, although I like when ladies sing jazz with small groups, not with a symphonic orchestra, in this case orchestra is very supportive and tasteful. The old versions were with an orchestra anyway.

This is not a first project like that.

(from the different thread)
...especially mind-blowing is how they added duets with contemporary male singers:
Vera Lynn - 100 - Official Album Trailer

I like Ella's duet w/ Gregory Porter and I wanted to post it, but there is no full version on youtube.


What could be wrong to improve Ella's sound using new tech and replace the orchestra with one of the best?
Do you like Ella? I do. Do you like London Symphony Orchestra? I do.
So what could be wrong to put them together?
Please compare w/a new version:

Ella Fitzgerald, London Symphony Orchestra - Someone To Watch Over Me (Audio)

Nevertheless, the album left me a little disappointed. Probably, I expected too much - sound at the reference level, since this is a new recording for Centennial Edition. Do it without flaws, for Ella's sake ... Nope.
The vocals have a small brightness, and the overall dynamics and clarity of sound can be better.
I wanted to put this album in the category "Best", but it will remain in the middle of the "Very good" section.

 

I wish she could grab everything she did in 50's and 60's and re-sing it with voice like this:

Underrated Ella (21 years old - cute as only could be...)


Love them young - nothing I can do...

 

Rigolo maybe is a Man, not to mention Nat Cole, but we are talking about Ladies, who defined the genre.

 

P.S.

I referred it as a Stereo, because I saw this:



However, it did sound like Mono to me. Now, when I read:
"Mastered from the original mono master tape by Seth Foster at Universal Mastering Studios-East", I have no doubt:
It is MONO recording and Japanese used the same file for the SHM pressing.

 

Apologizes... simply saw the Rugolo reference in a post and added my comment without thought of the stated topic.

And while I'm here may I add; I believe the unmentioned: Mavis Rivers, Teri Thornton, Etta Jones and Sheila Jordan; as well as a later day favorite of mine Tierney Sutton. Babes one and all.

 

Fenderest,

Name of this thread is misleading... (but any name of it would be misleading either).

Strangely enough, no one from the singers, you mentioned, belong to this thread...

There is a List of 33

Betty Carter
June Christy
Rosemary Clooney
Chris Connor
Doris Day
Blossom Dearie
Ella Fitzgerald
Judy Garland
Eydie Gorme
Billie Holiday
Shirley Horn
Lena Horne
Eartha Kitt
Peggy Lee
Abby Lincoln
Julie London
Carmen McRae
Ethel Merman
Helen Merrill
Anita O'Day
Patti Page
Dinah Shore
Nina Simone
Keely Smith
Jeri Southern
Jo Stafford
Kay Starr
Dakota Staton
Barbra Streisand
Sarah Vaughan
Dinah Washington
Margaret Whiting
Nancy Wilson

There is a thread: Obscure & Neglected Female Singers Of Jazz & Standards (1930s to 1960s), which covers obscure and neglected singers until 1970, who have no dedicated thread on the forum. (Please read Post 1, Page 1 of that tread and you will understand...).

This List of 33 is a list of the most famous singers of jazz and standards, and plus those, who have dedicated threads on the forum. They were excluded from Obscure and Neglected thread.

Nevertheless, we felt the necessity to have some single place to talk about them too. This From Anita and Ella thread is such a place. (Please read Post #1 and #9 here for explanation - sorry for misspelling).

After all, Mavis Rivers, Teri Thornton, Etta Jones and Sheila Jordan are belong to the Obscure and Neglected thread, while Tierney Sutton goes to contemporary thread (see Post #9). Also do not hesitate to discuss Sheila Jordan at contemporary thread, since almost all of her recordings were made after the 60's.

P.S.
(Due to a lot of confusions, the tread starter gave up on this tread. But I will try to make it work). At least I'm going to collect, spreading along the forum, all info about new releases of these 33 masters of jazz and standards here in one place.

Your contribution to either thread will be greatly appreciated. Please start with Obscure & Neglected Female Singers Of Jazz & Standards (1930s to 1960s) You will find plenty of interesting info and discover "new" old names that you've never heard of.

 

Keely Smith New Releases

So far, these two albums sound absolutely amazing:







Looks like labor of love to me:

A Capella

 

New Releases From Spain (with new remastering)

Keely waited 60 years to see (finally) her two Capital albums with a sound revealing all the nuances of her unique voice...

Keely Smith I Wish You Love / Swingin' Pretty Jackpot Records, Spain Nov. 17, 2017 (Ltd. Ed., Rmst., Digipak) 8436559463584

 

Highly recommended!

 

Of the songstresses of this sort, I usually prefer Dinah Washington although I certainly enjoy Billie and Ella, FWIW.

 

Two more related CDs from Jackpot with excellent sound:

Las Vegas Prima Style: The Complete Performance Jackpot Records, Spain Nov. 17, 2017 (Ltd. Ed., Rmst., Digipak) 8436559463577
Wildest Show At The Tahoe / Strictly Prima! Jackpot Records, Spain Nov. 17, 2017 (Ltd. Ed., Rmst., Digipak) 8436559463560











(from the comments)
"I fell in love with Keely Smith's voice hearing her sing with Louis Prima. She was singing in the background and the clarity, power and her unique tone blew me away."


Autumn Leaves - Louis Prima & Keely Smith

P.S.
Unbeatable Value

Do not let the wrong cover (in the listing) fool you.
I bought them here (the first for $9.68 + free shipping and another two - 15% off):
Keely Smith - I Wish You Love / Swingin Pretty [New CD] Ltd Ed, Rmst, Digipack P 8436559463584 | eBay

 

I created my top 10 list and offered to everyone to try his own:

To place them in order, it's the most difficult part of the List thing.
Because when I listen to Billie, I think I love her more than Dinah...
And when I listen to Dinah, I think I love her more than Billie...

 

These are all great. Essential!!

 

Another great thread!

I bought two of those Ella Fitzgerald Songbook cds that came out in the early 1990s.

But my first exposure to these singers came from a picture sleeve, EP of Sarah Vaughan with Broken Hearted Melody, that my elder brother left behind when he went off to work, and the then current Nancy Wilson hit "How Glad I Am".

At one time in the 60s I bought an LP that had tracks by 3 "Torch Singers" on it. Probably a record club album.

Many years later I can say I now have around 15 Nancy Wilson cds, and a couple of shelves of the kind of artists that will be mentioned in this thread.

Need to listen more!

 

I'm a big Keely Smith fan, and I had no idea about this reissue. I just went to Amazon and grabbed it, along with the Wildest Show in Tahoe reissue. And I pre-ordered the Lennon & McCartney Songbook CD by Keely Smith as well. This might prove to be an expensive thread for me!

Among the celebrated songstresses I collect (and adore), we have:
Ella Fitzgerald
Keely Smith
Doris Day
Dinah Shore
Peggy Lee
Rosemary Clooney
Blossom Dearie
Judy Garland

 

These Ella's Songbooks of the 90's were good stuff at the time. But now, when CDs finally start sounding great, beating in many cases old records, we need to focus on new releases. Especially on inexpensive but excellently sounding and looking releases from Spain - and Limited Editions, first of all.

Some of them were based on Original sound sources and were released for the local (EU) market only and not available for sale in the US. Yes, damn, not just Limited, but Restricted releases. At first glance this is a bad thing. But on the other hand, it gives us (who hang out on this thread) a chance to find them... (I will talk about these released soon).

I have high expectations for this thread - Thread 33 - Ridin'High came up with a good number.
Only 33 jazz and standards singers, but what names!
I will no longer contribute to the dedicated threads. Quite the opposite: I will bring everything related to these 33 here - whatever I find to be interesting and helpful.

Nancy Wilson? - Of course, I'm counting on your help, John B Good, talking about her, but not now ...

I have a big pile of new releases waiting to be pictured, evaluated and posted here.
What everyone has to do - to open in your computer a separate file: New Releases - sometimes, we have to steal from themselves to buy them...

Everyone is invited to participate, especially the tread-starter.
Ridin'High, where are you?!

 

Thank you, David D, for mentioning of the just announced new release:

Keely Smith Sings John Lennon - Paul McCartney Songbook Real Gone Music June 1, 2018 848064007128

I want to remind everyone that Real Gone Music cut a deal with Keely when she was still alive on release of her 5 Reprise albums.

Sound quality of two already released albums are amazingly good. And I have no doubts about third "songbook" album, because thy are not in a hurry to cut corners - they are doing a good job.

 

P.S.
I have never had an opportunity to listen to this album before. I missed the LP, and the CD was never released at all.
There were only 3 songs on youtube. I tried them, and I was shocked how much this natural wonder, Kelly Smith, has outstripped her time - 30 years, I think.

I was also amazed to see that it was a very tasty jazz performance of the word Beatles that appeared almost immediately after its original release, when the Beatles had just started and were not so famous in the US. Nobody knows, but two people in the world Keeley Smith and the Beatles manager Brian Epstein, what kind of success awaits them in the next few years.

Her smoky voice gives me a chill:



Keely Smith - Please Please Me (The Beatles Cover)

Keely Smith - This Girl

Keely Smith - If I Fell

SOUL GIRL - ( Keely Smith - A Hard Day's Night )

P.P.S.
There is a better deal on the preorder than at amazon - $9.98:
Keely Smith Keely Smith: Sings The John Lennon-paul Mccartney Songbook on ImportCDs

 

I have the LP of Keely Smith Sings the John Lennon - Paul McCartney Songbook, and it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a Keely Smith album -- some swing, some sultry jazz, some bossa nova, some ballads. It all works quite well, and it's a very enjoyable listen. I absolutely love the way she turns "A Hard Day's Night" into something almost like Peggy Lee singing "Fever."

There are probably a million different covers of Beatles songs in every imaginable style and genre, but Keely Smith managed to make an album that is unlike any Beatles cover album I've ever heard. It could very well be because, as you mentioned, she recorded this very early on in the Beatles' timeline in the U.S.

 

Picked up the following four original long players for 50 cents each yesterday at a local Salvation Army

Julie London About the Blues
Jeri Southern The Southern Style
Jeri Southern You Better Go Now!
Chris Connor This Is Chris

Definitely excited to find them. The covers look their age and the records look like they were stored in someone's barn. But beneath the grime they look pretty good.

I know I can find CD copies of all of them, but it's cool to hold the vintage copies in your hand. I'm really looking forward to spinning them on the turntable.

I'll comment more when I do.

 

Journalist and writer, Will Friedwald, in his new book The Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums selected over 50 albums.
Relatively to our threads (without male singers) his selection looks like this:

32 Great Jazz and Standard Albums
(by Will Friedwald)

1. June Christy, Something Cool
2. Rosemary Clooney, Blue Rose
3. Doris Day, Day by Day
4. Doris Day, Day by Night
5. Doris Day and Robert Goulet, Annie Get Your Gun
6. Blossom Dearie, My Gentleman Friend
7. Ella Fitzgerald, Lullabies of Birdland
8. Ella Fitzgerald, Mack the Knife: Ella in Berlin
9. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Ella & Louis
10. Judy Garland, Judy at Carnegie Hall
11. Billie Holiday, Lady in Satin
12. Lena Horne, Lena Horne at the Waldorf Astoria
13. Barb Jungr, Every Grain of Sand: Barb Jungr Sings Bob Dylan
14. Eydie Gormé and Steve Lawrence, Eydie and Steve Sing the Golden Hits
15. Peggy Lee, Black Coffee
16. Peggy Lee, The Man I Love
17. Marilyn Maye, Meet Marvelous Marilyn Maye
18. Carmen McRae, As Time Goes By: Live at the Dug
19. Anita O’Day, Anita O’Day Sings the Winners
20. Della Reese, Della Della Cha Cha Cha
21. Annie Ross, Sings a Song with Mulligan!
22. Nina Simone, Nina Simone and Piano!
23. Jo Stafford, Jo Stafford Sings American Folk Songs
23. Jo Stafford Sings Songs of Scotland
24. Jo Stafford, I’ll Be Seeing You (G.I. Jo)
25. Kay Starr, I Cry by Night
26. Maxine Sullivan, Memories of You: A Tribute to Andy Razaf
27. Sarah Vaughan, Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown
28. Sarah Vaughan, “Live” in Japan
29. Dinah Washington, Dinah Washington Sings Fats Waller
30. Margaret Whiting, Margaret Whiting Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book
31. Lee Wiley, Night in Manhattan
32. Cassandra Wilson, Belly of the Sun

This is a very controversial list, because any such list reflects personal preferences and cannot satisfy everyone.
But this is an interesting point of view from a guy who is very experienced in our topic.

Speaking about position 19, Anita O’Day, Anita O’Day Sings the Winners

New Release

Anita O’Day Sings for Oscar + Sings the Winners Jazz Images, Spain 2018 Limited Ed. d/p 8437016248430











(only 5 pictures per post)

 

Review
"I love Anita O'Day and "The Winners" is one of her very best albums. O'Day's place in the pantheon of great jazz singers is assured, and yet I think there is still a tendency to overlook her contribution. Her sense of time and rhythmic accuracy was extraordinary, and, while she wasn't a song dramatist in the way that Peggy Lee or Frank Sinatra was, she nonetheless captured the emotion of a lyric very persuasively. Still, O'Day was first and foremost a very musically singer, and she made her voice part of the band, trading solos and improvising incessantly. "Winners" finds her with some great jazzmen and she seems inspired. The program runs mainly to jazz compositions like "Whisper Not", "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Hershey Bar", and these intricate, harmonically adventurous tunes inspire some pretty far out improvisations and scat solos. Anita always sounded fantastic on standards, but this is a special chance to hear her really tackle bona fide jazz material. It's a great record."

Sound did not reach the "Best" category due to brightness in vocals, which was less noticeable in the "Winners" album, where sound was also smoother.
I had to place it in the lower section of the category "Very Good".

Two tracks from each album that I really like:



Early Autumn

Anita O'Day - Take The 'A' Train

Anita O'day & Oscar Peterson Trio - Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered

"...she made her voice part of the band, trading solos and improvising incessantly."
(from the review)
Anita O'Day - Sing Sing Sing


P.S.

Unbeatable Price - $7.79
O'DAY,ANITA / PETERSON,OSCAR Anita Sings For Oscar / Anita Sings The Winners [Import] Limited Edition, Deluxe Edition, Remastered, Digipack Packaging on ImportCDs

 

Position 31. Lee Wiley, Night in Manhattan

This position is also covered by Jackpot Records release:

Lee Wiley Night in Manhattan + Sings Vincent Youmans & Irwin Berlin Jackpot Records, Spain Feb. 23, 2018 Limited Ed. d/p 8436559464505




For complete in-depth review please visit our corresponding thread:
Obscure & Neglected Female Singers Of Jazz & Standards (1930s to 1960s) (Post 1602-1607; Page 65)