The finest jazz vocal treatment of the Gershwin songbook was recorded by Chris Connor between February and April 1957. The double album for Atlantic Records was called Chris Connor Sings The George Gershwin Almanac of Song. The personnel varied over the seven dates needed to complete all 32 songs, but the New York musicians on any given session were the very best in town. Pianist Ralph Sharon arranged two-thirds of the songs, but he left Chris in a lurch mid-project to join Tony Bennett as his accompanist. Ray Ellis was brought in to score the remaining songs.
When I interviewed Chris in 2008, she told me this album was her favorite. After you listen to it, you'll understand why. Chris's voice here was at its peak, and the arrangements set her up beautifully. Breathy and coy, Chris's voice takes Gershwin's songs seriously but it also gives them a hip, sophisticated feel. This becomes apparent on virtually every song you put on. On I've Got Beginner's Luck, for example, Sharon opens with a pre-intro of sorts featuring a series of descending chords that give us a fine feeling of fate and love. Bassist Oscar Pettiford follows Sharon down with single notes before guitarist Barry Galbraith and flutist Herbie Mann play an intro in unison. Then Chris comes in. So gorgeous. Her voice is so sauna-dry and reedy. Nothing is conventional on this album, which is what makes it so special.
Another one with a shrewd arrangement is That Certain Feeling, which an intro arranged by Ellis that sounds remarkably like Shorty Rogers' Infinity Promenade. It's deliciously West Coast in its approach, which is perfect for Chris's sound. On this one, the musicians were Doc Severinsen (tp), Eddie Bert (tb), Al Cohn (ts), Danny Bank (bar), Stan Free (p), Mundell Lowe (g), Wendell Marshall (b) and Ed Shaughnessy (d), with Cohn blowing a lovely solo. The whole thing is flawless.
Even if you are more partial to Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, which was recorded two years later, Chris's album is sure to give you a thrill. I only wish she s had recorded a dozen other songbook albums.
Chris Connor died in 2009. I miss her. She was a wonderful person and a marvelous interview.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Song here.
It's also available at Spotify.
JazzWax note: You'll find Part 1 of my five-part interview with Chris Connor here. For a link to subsequent parts, scroll up above the red date at Part 1.
JazzWax clips: Here's I've Got Beginner's Luck...
And here's That Certain Feeling...
And for kicks, here's Short Rogers' Infinity Promenade, to compare against the opener of That Certain Feeling...
JazzWax correction: In yesterday's post, I wrote that the tracks on Real Gone Music's new Rosemary Clooney: I Feel a Song Coming On album are also on the Mosaic box. I was mistaken. The new Clooney tracks are previously unreleased recordings.
Related Stories
from JazzWax http://ift.tt/2wS9jYC
No comments:
Post a Comment