Sarah Vaughan "Crazy and Mixed Up" (1982)

Crazy and Mixed Up

udgivet: 1982

format: vinyl / cd (1985 genoptryk)

[vurdering: 4 / 5] [3,85]

producer: Sarah Vaughan

selskab: Pablo Records - nationalitet: USA

Studiealbum af Sarah Vaughan udgivet på Pablo anses som et af hendes bedre albums fra det sidste årti i hendes lange karriere. Albummet følger umiddelbart lige efter Send in the Clowns (1981) optaget sammen med Count Basie Orchestra, ligeledes på Pablo.

Crazy and Mixed Up er en samling standarder og vokaljazz sange, som tæller to krediteret Rodgers & Hart: "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" og "You Are Too Beautiful", Kosma og Prévet kompositionen "Autumn Leaves" (org. "Les Feuilles mortes") med engelsk tekst af Johnny Mercer, Haymes og Brandt klassikeren "That's All", samt fire andre fine og godt valgte numre skrevet af andre. Alle numre demonstrerer, at Vaughan i sine slut-50'ere stadig var sprællevende og i stand til at fortolke andres sange med stor passion og indfølelse.

Stor anbefaling.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings 4 / 4 stjerner ]

Anita Lindblom "Sån't är livet" (1961) (single)

Sån't är livet, 7'' single

release date: 1961

format: vinyl (271 201 TF)

[single rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]

producer: ?

label: Fontana - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: A) "Sån't är livet" (5 / 5) (fan video) - - B) "Det är nå't mysko"

Single release by Anita Lindblom is a cover of a Roy Hamilton 1961 song "You Can Have Her" written by Bill Cook. The Swedish version has lyrics by Stig Rossner (aka Stikkan Anderson), and Lindblom's version was a major hit in all of Scandinavia.

This single was part of my parents' record collection, it's a song I vividly remember from my childhood as a song I have always loved. Not only was the song played on our turntable, but it was and it has been a stable song on national radio ever since the 1960s. It may not be played that often nowadays, but it has status as one of the most played and a highly loved modern standard.

Hamilton's version of the song is fine and strong, and he is one of the many forgotten stars who experienced lesser careers all because Elvis found inspiration in their performances and vocal styles, and he rightfully deserves more recognition. That said, Lindblom's version outshines the original. Her powerful vocal is up there among the greatest, although, she didn't exclusively choose a singing career, but this song more than proves her worth.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Ella Fitzgerald "Sings the Essential Cole Porter Song Book" (1956)

Sings the Essential Cole Porter Song Book

release date: May 1956

format: vinyl (2022 reissue - Colored Series - yellow)

[album rate: 4 / 5]

producer: Norman Granz

label: 20th Century Masterworks - nationality: USA

Album by Ella Fitzgerald, which happens to be a shortened version of the double album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book (May 1956) released on Verve Records containing 32 tracks. This 'truncated' version contains 14 tracks, and despite all fourteen songs truly are essential, I see no good reason to leave out the remaining tracks. The album has been reissued in various formats, including longer editions with alternate recordings. Good news is, Verve Records have reissued the 2 lp vinyl album in its original form, which of course is the right one to get.

1956 double album

Chet Baker "My Funny Valentine [Essential Jazz Masters]" (2006)

My Funny Valentine [Essential Jazz Masters] (compilation)

release date: 2006

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5]

Compilation album by Chet Baker, which seems like a reissue but is filed as a 2006 album release, however, all tracks must have been recorded in the 1950s and/or 1960s, which is quite evident from the mono recordings. It features live sessions, hard bop jazz, as well as his romantic cool jazz ballads including one vocal jazz track, which sort of comprises all his styles but also makes it a very uneven compilation of songs.

Chet Baker "Embraceable You: Chet Baker Sings and Plays" (1995)

Embraceable You: Chet Baker Sings and Plays (compilation)

Release date: Jun. 19, 1995
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

This is a fine album if one hasn't got Chet in the collection. The songs are of the romantic and more melancholic type that was his biggest strength. His soft and clear voice and trumpet sounds much alike - in agony of love lost or a love never realised. The album contains 13 fine jazz ballads written by Gershwin, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers & Hart, among others.

Best of 1988:Chet Baker "Memories: Chet Baker in Tokyo" (1988) (live)

'My' lp version

Memories: Chet Baker in Tokyo (live)
Release date: 1988
format: vinyl (K28P 6491) / digital
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,80]
producer: Shigeyuki Kawashima
label: Paddle Wheel - nationality: USA

*Tracklist: 1. "Stella by Starlight" - 2. "For Minors Only" - 3. "Almost Blue" [Elvis Costello cover] - 4. "Portrait in Black and White" - 5. "My Funny Valentine"
*[original vinyl version]

alternate cover

This album is sooo cool and... absolutely wonderful.
I always found that tiny bit more pleasure from Chet than Miles Davis - no bad feelings about Miles but I think it has to do with some inner feel and slow sincerity that is ever present in Chet's sound. And also, he's not a bad singer. He's not a great vocalist in terms of ability to articulate and produce clean clear notes but there's something extremely authentic and fragile in his voice that you also find in his instrumentation. The only real down side to this album is the short playing time, of course having it on cd as well, the repeat function really comes handy.

1988 Favourite releases: 1. Chet Baker Memories: Chet Baker in Tokyo - 2. R.E.M. Green - 3. Talk Talk Spirit of Eden

[ collectors' item ]

Gregory Porter "One Night Only - Live at the Royal Albert Hall" (2018) (live)

One Night Only - Live at the Royal Albert Hall (live)
release date: Dec. 21, 2018
format: digital (19 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: non-produced / Jeremy Azis (video-producer)
label: Blue Note - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Mona Lisa" (other concert) - 6. "Miss Otis Regrets" - 8. "In Heaven" - 9. "When Love Was King" (other concert) - 12. "No Love Dying" (live at Polarprisen 2017) - 13. "I Wonder Who My Daddy Is" - 16. "The Christmas Song" - 17. "Smile" (Irish concert) - 18. "Hey Laura"

Live album by Gregory Porter recorded Apr. 2, 2018 at Royal Albert Hall, London. The album contains 19 tracks and is also issued in a cd + dvd combo-edition with the same material on both cd and dvd, also featuring an additional interview with Porter. The majority of the songs here are taken from the most recent studio album Nat King Cole & Me from 2017 as all twelve songs from that album are represented with the addition of seven songs from various studio releases. The band musicians supporting Porter are Chip Crawford on piano, Jahmal Nichols on bass, Emanuel Harrold on drums, and with Tivon Pennicott on saxophone - his usual backing band. Aside from these great jazz instrumentalists they're all supported by The London Studio Orchestra conducted by Vince Mendoza.
It's not an easy task to select highlights from this album where all compositions are fine examples of Porter's capacity as a vocal jazz and jazz standards crooner. He is in no need of modernised auto-tune equipment, nor a producers golden post-production touch - it's recorded as is, and it's the second best when you missed being there.
Basically, this is the best album release in 2018 - I just don't want to include live releases in my top-3 end-list, which is why it isn't there. But asked to choose between this year's studio releases by Robyn, Nils Frahm, Gorillaz and Porter's live album, I'd go with Porter anytime, as it's absolutely wonderful.
Highly recommended.
[ 👍allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Gregory Porter "Nat 'King' Cole & Me" (2017)

Nat 'King' Cole & Me
release date: Oct. 27, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Vince Mendoza
label: Blue Note Records - nationality: USA

5th studio album by Gregory Porter is as the title suggests a tribute to and an album exclusively featuring songs recorded by Nat "King" Cole arranged and produced by Vince Mendoza.

The songs are not that far from Porter's usual style and it really gives you the opportunity to hear from where he got much of his influence. The songs are nicely arranged with the abundance of strings and brass that were associated with Nat Cole, and needless say, it also fits Porter's smooth vocal like hand in glove.

The album comes in various formats - in a standard single cd edition containing twelve tracks, a Deluxe edition containing fifteen tracks like the double vinyl album.

The album hasn't been met by the 'usual' overwhelming positive reviews, and I do understand some of the critics indicating that it's like Porter's voice doesn't compare to the strengths of Cole. In these vocal jazz standards Porter contributes with his honey-dripping warm vocal but doesn't add new dimensions to already classic songs and in that regard has made a bit of the redundant tribute.

Chet Baker "Chet Baker Sings" (1954)

Chet Baker Sings
release date: Apr. / May 1954
format: vinyl (2018 reissue, yellow vinyl) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,94]
producer: Richard Bock
label: WaxTime In Color

A very young (23 years old) Chet sings vocal jazz and standards of the time. He is often mentioned as the jazz world's first pop star, or at least a kind of role model celebrity. Photos of him from the 1950s show how he was promoted almost in the same manner as Sinatra, and later stars like James Dean and Cliff Richard - a pop star with a message to all teenagers.

The album came out at the time when Elvis and Sinatra were top of the pop, and Chet was launched accordingly to that tradition, although his music was very different. His singing voice isn't all that fantastic but it has its very own beauty. The album is the first where Baker sings, as he had previously been promoted exclusively as an instrumentalist. The original issue of the album was released by Pacific Jazz in 10'' and 2 x 7'' formats only and contained eight tracks. In 1956 the label reissued the album for 12'' format with 14 tracks - the same songs appear on the 2018 remaster on WaxTime In Color. The original album contained the following songs: "But Not for Me", "Time After Time", "My Funny Valentine", "I Fall in Love Too Easily", "There Will Never Be Another You", "I Get Along Without You Very Well", "The Thrill Is Gone", "Look for the Silver Lining".

The album originally came out to luke-warm reviews, and some critics found Baker's vocal unsuited for commercial releases, to put it mildly 'cause he was also publicly mocked; however, the album was a commercial success and led in 1956 led to the expanded version and earlier it was followed by Chet Baker Sings and Plays (1955).

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings 3,5 / 4 stars ]

1954 original issue
on Pacific Jazz

Rikki Price "You're for Real" (1962) (single)

You're for Real, 7'' single

release date: 1962

format: vinyl (267 200)

[single rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,56]

producer: ?

label: Fontana - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "You're for Real" - - B) "When You Pass By"

Single release by Rikki Price with the title track being England's contribution to the 1962 Eurovision Song Contest.

This copy of the single is a Danish issue, perhaps released at some point after the original release, as it says 'Recording first published 1962" on labels. The single was part of my parents' record collection and not one I found of great interest - although, I recall finding the B-side bettering the title track.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

David McAlmont "Set One - You Go to My Head" (2005)

Set One - You Go to My Head
release date: Oct. 24, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: David McAlmont, Guy Davies, tommy.d [Tom Asher Danvers]
label: Blueport Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "You Go to My Head" (live) - 2. "Night and Day" - 5. "Never Never Never" (live) - 6. "Under My Skin" - 7. "A Certain Smile / The Shadow of Your Smile" - 9."How Long Has This Been Going On"

3rd solo studio album by David McAlmont is co-produced by Guy Davies (who also plays keyboards, piano and guitar) with whom McAlmont would later form the duo Fingersnap. It was originally released by Ether Records but as the label closed later in 2005, it was then reissued on Blue Port Recordings. The album follows his second solo work A Little Communication (1998) and more recently, the sophomore collaboration album by McAlmont & Butler, Bring It Back from 2002.
Set One... is a truly marvellous album. It's far from the pop soul and dance pop of his debut and follows closer to the sound of his '98 solo album, but as an even more quiet and sincere soul and r&b album - closely linked to the spirit of Otis Redding with a huge amount of vocal jazz. McAlmont's voice really shines through on this covers album entirely consisting of classic oldies composed by Cole Porter, the Gershwin brothers, Johnny Mercer, Alberto Testa, Paul Webster, and Rodgers & Hart. These predominantly standards songs are produced in a combination of soul and vocal jazz, and the album is unfortunately one of the most overlooked in the year 2005.
This is highly recommended.
[ The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

Amy Winehouse "Frank" (2003)

original cover

Frank [debut]
release date: Oct. 20, 2003
format: 2 cd (2008 reissue - Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,94]
producer: Gordon Williams; Salaam Remi
label: Universal Island - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: Disc 1) 1. "Intro / Stronger Than Me" - 2. "You Sent Me Flying" - 3. "Know You Now" - 4. "Fuck Me Pumps" - 5. "I Heard Love Is Blind" - 7. "(There Is) No Greater Love" (aol live session) - 8. "In My Bed" - 9. "Take the Box" - 11. "What Is It About Men?" - 12. "Help Yourself" - 13. "Amy Amy Amy / Outro" - 'Brother' (hidden track) / 'Mr Magic (Through the Smoke)' (hidden track)
Disc 2) 1. "Take the Box" (Original Demo) - 2. "You Sent Me Flying" (Original Demo) - 3. "I Heard Love Is Blind" (Original Demo) - 4. "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Original Demo) - 5. "What Is It" (Original Demo) - 6. "Teach Me Tonight" (live) (Hootenanny) - 9. "Stronger Than Me" (live) (Later with Jools Holland) - 10. "I Heard Love Is Blind" (Live at the Concorde, Brighton) - 11. "Take the Box" (Live at the Concorde, Brighton) - 12. "In My Bed" (Live at the Concorde, Brighton) - 13. "Mr Magic" (Janice Long Session) - 14. "(There Is) No Greater Love" (Janice Long Session)

Studio album debut by Amy (Jade) Winehouse (born Sep. 1983 in Southgate, London) originally released on Island Records is made with several producers where the two main forces are Gordon Williams (aka Commissioner Gordon) and Salaam Remi (aka The Chameleon), who are both credited as producers of six of the standard album's thirteen compositions either alone or together. Winehouse herself, Matt Rowe, Jimmy Hogarth and Jony Rockstar are all credited as co-producers.
Stylistically, the album represents a huge mix of styles and genres with vocal jazz, rhythm & blues, and soul at the core of most compositions, although, it's difficult not also to mention pop soul and neo-soul and perhaps the all-American standards of the 1950s and 60s as one of the major inspirational sources. Additionally, the album title both refers to Winehouse's lyrics as well as hinting at one of her childhood idols: Frank Sinatra.
Winehouse has written the majority of the lyrics and composed the songs in collaboration with either Salaam Remi (5 songs), Gordon Williams (3 songs), and Donovan Jackson (3 songs) plus a variety of others. The album also contains two classic jazz compositions (tracks #6 and #7). The Deluxe Edition contains a Bonus disc of 18 additional songs - consisting of B-sides, live recordings and extended mixes of songs from the album.
The album went as high as to number #13 on the UK charts, and although, none of the four single releases from the album made it any higher than #57 on the national singles chart, the album was nominated the Mercury Prize in 2004 and Winehouse was awarded the Ivor Novello Award for her songwriting and she was nominated British Female Solo Artist and British Urban Act at the Brit Awards also in 2004.
Following Winehouse's death, the album re-entered the albums chart and went to number #3.
Frank is the fine and yet somewhat incoherent debut by one of Britain's most talented songwriters and vocalists of the modern era. Winehouse sings with ease and so much soul that it's a thrill - despite, production-wise, being a bit messy, as if the people in charge were unable to decide whether it was made for the vast pop masses or for lovers of vocal jazz. Winehouse herself was left dissatisfied about the album production, which she among other things described "a shambles made by idiots". You really have to grant her that the included demos on the Bonus Disc support her by revealing the strength of several songs appear to have been over-produced beyond recognition. E.g. the brilliant demo recording of "You Sent Me Flying" has completely lost the strong tenderness and vocal power of the original, and the same quality may also be said about all the other four demos. Perhaps, too many chefs were involved in the making of her debut? They simply had no idea of the kind of magic they were holding in their hands, so they felt forced to re-arrange and produce raw material into something else. Unfortunately.
That said, Frank is still a very very fine debut by Amy Winehouse.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian 4 / 5, PopMatters 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5 stars ]

2008 2-Disc
Deluxe Edition

Nat King Cole "Skip to My Lou" (1962) (single)

Skip to My Lou, 7'' single

release date: 1962

format: vinyl (4F 189)

[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]

producer: ?

label: Capitol Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: A) "Skip to My Lou" - - B) "Wolverton Mountain"

Single release by Nat King Cole with a traditional arranged by Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole, and a song by Merle Kilgore as B-side.

This single was part of my parents' record collection, and it's a song I vividly remember from my childhood 'though it's not one of Cole's most memorable singles but still a song that will forever be associated with the great Nat King Cole.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Sinéad O'Connor "Am I Not Your Girl?" (1992)

Am I Not Your Girl?

release date: Sep. 22, 1992

format: cd

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]

producer: Phil Ramone, Sinéad O'Connor

label: Ensign / Chrysalis - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 1. "Why Don't You Do Right?" - 2. "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" - 4. "Black Coffee" - 5. "Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home" - 9. "Love Letters"

3rd studio album by Sinéad O'Connor following 2½ years after I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (Mar. 1990) is yet another species of sorts. The debut was strong and promising sparkle filled filled to the brim with resistance and much anger. The sophomore '90 album was a majestic revelation that hit mainstream pop / rock like an earthquake. These two albums showcase O'Connor's inner thoughts, her personal stories, and both invite us all the way in without much protection. Her apparent open-heartedness combined with a will to make a difference and to use her public exposure to fight for human rights against inequality and exploitation wherever it perseveres also made her a target of personal criticism. Her confronting attitude was ridiculed and her role as a young mother was openly debated. In that regard, Am I Not Your Girl? is a sidestep, or an attempt to show another side of her artistry. Apparently, her own ambition was to show fans the type of music she had found inspiration in and what she had grown up listening to, which is why the music here differs greatly to her first two albums. Aside from that, it's also an album reserved to covers, and primarily of vocal jazz and American pop standards, and it's also quite apparent with the originals in mind that the album has been arranged and promoted. In that regard, O'Connor's version don't differ much from the popular versions of these classic songs.

I wasn't exactly a fan of any of these recordings, and I still find it - if not really redundant, at least more of a curiosity. There's much sincerity and heartfelt ambition in here, somewhere, although, I think it mostly drowns in pomposity. Had she only been persuaded to make her own adaptations, it may have served her better. Perhaps her private life was in too much need of some sort of foundation that this is what she could engage in - she had had a miscarriage and was later separted from her son's father after only one year's of marriage [this wouldn't be her only time with this kind of experience, though], and she alledgedly lived an on/off affair with Peter Gabriel. So, instead she comes out showcasing herself as a persona - a Sinatress, and all for the show of it, and to what end? Her Cole Porter contribution with "You Do Something to Me" was ever so much better. Bu it probably paved way for the idea of this album, which in comparison lacks foundation and soul. Actually, she made a contribution on two songs for the aforementioned Gabriel's Us, released the same month, which both overshines her own album by a clear margin. Her emotional engagement with Gabriel later led her to write the end-song on her '94 album Universal Mother.

Prior to this, she had come out on a bad stand with the American public when touring with her 1990 album. She had rejected to perform live as the arrangers insisted on played the national anthem before her live concert. This led to some turmoil which had radio stations banning O'Connor as a response to her banning the American anthem. In this regard, O'Connor stood by her own convictions, regardless what cultural implications she was up against. Now, with this new album, I guess she saw that as an opportunity to turn things to the better, but effectively they went from bad to much worse shortly after O'Connor had embarked on her American promotion tour with the album in Oct. '92. Her own story short being brought up with a mentally sick mother, at a strict Roman-Catholic nuns' center in Dublin, which had included punishment and exploitation, she ultimately found herself in a conflicting stand concerning religion and Catholicism in particular, and when it - once again - became publically known that priests of the Catholic Church had been sexually abusing children, she took advantage of her live TV-performance on Saturday Night Live to send a message by tearing up a picture of the current Pope while proclaiming: "Fight the real enemy!". The scene was sat, so to speak. America united against O'Connor it seemed. In the US, she was ridiculed by TV-hosts and celebrities, she was rejected nation-wide, and the story expanded on a world-wide scale. In england and in Ireland newspapers were dealing with gossip about her role as a mother, a wife, and her mental issues. Completely out of proportions with apparently noone interested in the background of her message, nor any of her intentions regarding her stand. Instead of promoting her music, O'Connor ended up adding to the image of her as troublesome and mentally unstable.

Nevertheless, Am I Not Your Girl? is not one of her great albums. At best, it serves as background muzak, and as a sidestepping parenthesis.

Not recommended.

[ 👎allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 2 / 5, 🤯NME 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Louis Prima "My Cucuzza" (1960) (single)

My Cucuzza, 7 '' single

release date: 1959

format: vinyl (D 45-208) (1960 issue)

[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]

producer: ?

label: Dot Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: A) "My Cucuzza (Goo-goot-za)" - - B) "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop"

Single release by American entertainer and vocalist Louis Prima, who often made use of Anglicisation of popular Italian (folk) songs. The A-side is a song by Victor (Gari) Corpora music by Milton Rogers, and the B-side is a song by Curley Hamner (aka William J. Hamner) and Lionel Hampton.

This Danish issue of the US version switched the A and the B-sides, and the item was part of my parents' record collection. It was a single I used to play on a portable turntable at 6-8 years of age. The front cover went missing early on, say some 3-4 decades ago.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Bryan Ferry "As Time Goes By" (1999)

As Time Goes By
release date: Oct. 25, 1999
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Bryan Ferry, Rhett Davies
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "As Time Goes By" - 2. "The Way You Look Tonight" (4,5 / 5) (live version from Paris) - 4. "I'm in the Mood for Love" - 8. "Miss Otis Regrets (She's Unable to Lunch Today)" (4 / 5) - 10. "Lover, Come Back to Me" - 11. "Falling in Love Again" - 13. "You Do Something to Me" (live) - 15. "September Song"

10th solo studio album by Bryan Ferry is a collection of re-arranged oldies completely without the sophisti-pop traits one has come to associate the name of Bryan Ferry with. These 15 tracks are popular standards, traditional swing and vocal jazz songs that have been carefully updated without compromising their integrity as they have all been arranged with strings and brass and (seemingly) no electrical instrumentation.
I used to really enjoy Roxy Music and Ferry's solo releases, although the late 1980s and early 90s didn't justify his talent. Roxy Music officially disbanded in the early 80s at the height of its career, actually - Avalon (1982), a beloved classic pop album, was the last real Roxy Music release as the members apparently were more interested in solo and collaboration projects, or just got tired of each others company. Ferry relaunched a fine solo career and he was on everyone's lips when he released the polished sophisti-pop album Boys & Girls (1985), an album that took off pretty much from where Avalon finished. The following releases didn't really make it as good, and for every new album he just seemed to be on a descent until As Time Goes By. Throughout his career he has taken the part as a distinguished British upper-class gentleman, and maybe therefore it suits him so well to cover old classics of the 1930s and 40s, interpreting Cole Porter, Rogers & Hart, Oscar Hammerstein, Kurt Weill, among others, and the result is a fine atmospheric and almost anachronistic tribute to other heydays. I simply adore his versions of these classics because he lifts the songs without too much superfluity. The arrangements with horns and strings are in the spirit of the old songs. Maybe this is also at the core of his potential - his ability to interpret other people's songs, and very often with a better result than the original version. He has always been a great interpreter (he has hardly ever released an album written entirely by himself) whether it's Bob Dylan (whom he manages to make more tolerable), Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Lou Reed, and the great songwriters of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s as well as rearrangements of old traditionals. I only wish he would do more of this old stuff - it's really like hand in glove, and it suits him like... a fine Italian jacket.

Paul Young "Rock Swings (On the Wild Side of Swing)" (2006)

Rock Swings (On the Wild Side of Swing)
release date: Nov. 6, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: Dieter Falk
label: Maxi Media - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Tainted Love" - 2. "Bennie and the Jets" - 4. "Why Does It Always Rain on Me" - 6. "The Boys of Summer" - 8. "Hungry Heart" - 10. "In the Ghetto"

8th studio album by Paul Young is his first album in 9 years. It's recorded, arranged, mixed and produced nearly only with Dutch musicians at Wisseloord Studios in The Netherlands and it's released on the small German label, Maxi Media (distributed by Sony BMG).
Although, being a studio release consisting of 13 tracks it only contains 1 original track written by Young and Steve Sidwell, who has also arranged most of the songs. Now, Paul Young isn't famous for writing a lot of great songs, but more famous for his singing qualities - yet, this is something different as all songs are arranged as swing band compositions. Instead of just singing classic standards (it does contain one standard - Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (made famous by Bing Crosby with his version from the movie "Holiday Inn" from 1942), this is more like a selection of modern standards. The selection of songs is a mix from all genres and styles, and despite using songwriters from various decades [and centuries] and as diverse as Elton John, Metallica, Travis, George Harrison, Eminem, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Lou Reed and Irving Berlin [geeh] the end result is remarkably uniform all thanks to the artistic arrangements.
Once you have accepted... (or: If you get to the point of accepting) the idea of using familiar songs and turned these into swing band standards, it's really an impressive accomplishment. As Paul Young comments in the inlay: "some [songs] were more of a challenge than others, when it comes to arranging them in a new style." and: "...the planning took longer, than the recording!" Yeah, I bet they did!
At first my favourites were songs like "Tainted Love" (written by Ed Cobb and song by Gloria Jones back in '65, but really first made famous by Soft Cell with its new wave and synthpop version from 1981) and Springsteen's "Hungry Heart" (heartland rock from The River, 1980), but as I got to hear it over again, it was just such a treat to hear that great singing voice of Paul Young just coming to terms with new material and adding his special touch that ultimately lifts these arrangements over most of mainstream pop these days. A britpop song like Travis' "Why Does It Always Rain on Me" sounds as an old classic standard in the hands of Young and Sidwell, and even the heavy metal track "Enter Sandman" by Metallica becomes more than digestable in this completely altered version. "In the Ghetto" was brought to international fame by one Elvis Presley, but here it's just as great - just completely different. The perhaps most difficult songs on the album are the two by David Bowie and Lou Reed: "Walk on the Wild Side" and "The Jean Genie", but they cannot disturb the sensation that the album is a much better release than some critics suggest.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Nina Simone "Wild Is the Wind" (1966)

Wild Is the Wind
release date: Sep. 1966
format: cd (2006 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]
producer: Hal Mooney
label: Verve Record - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "I Love Your Lovin' Ways" - 2. "Four Women" (5 / 5) - 3. "Lilac Wine" - 4. "Break Down and Let It All Out" - 5. "Why Keep on Breaking My Heart" - 6. "Wild Is the Wind" - 7. "Black Is the Colour of My True Love's Hair" (live) - 8. "If I Should Lose You" - 9. "Either Way I Lose"

One of vocal jazz biggest female voices with a great example of her ability to mix soul with jazz and standards. Nina Simone is a wonderful vocalist and this album is one of her finest. Lisening to this, I cannot help thinking of modern contemporary artists like Amy Winehouse, Anohni (vocalist of Anohni and the Johnsons), Jimmy Somerville, and Roland Gift to mention just a few who may have listened to and thought of Miss Simone when shaping their own individual sound. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

Laurie London "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" (1957) (single)

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, 7'' single

release date: 1957

format: vinyl (45-R 4359)

[single rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,64]

producer: ?

label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" (TV appearance) - - B) "The Cradle Rock"

Single release by British child phenomenon / wonderkid, Laurie London, or here credited 'Laurie London with Geoff Love & His Orchestra'. Laurie London experienced his greatest success with this title song, which was recorded at age 13 but which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaking as number #12 in the UK.

This copy of the single is a Danish issue, perhaps released at some point after the original release, which came with red labels - this one has purple labels and it appears to have been issued with a generic sleeve. The single was part of my parents' record collection, and it was a single I occassionally played when 6-8 years old before finally tiring of it's old-school monotomy.

The song is one of my very first music memories that wasn't purely children's songs.

👉 Another one from that earliest stage.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Lisa Ekdahl "Back to Earth" (1998)

Back to Earth
release date: Oct. 23, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Patrick Boman and Peter Nordahl
label: BMG Classics / RCA Victor - nationality: Sweden

2nd collaboration album featuring Lisa Ekdahl released as Lisa Ekdahl & Peter Nordahl Trio. This is her second jazz album with Peter Nordahl Trio and it's only slightly better than the first. Between these two jazz releases she released two solo studio albums - her second solo album Med kroppen mot jorden in 1996, and her third solo album, Bortom det blå (1997).
This album is another "cover" versions release from the huge vocal jazz standards catalogue, and it's very much like the '95 release. Her voice doesn't really add much new to the classics, nor does it put her on par with Ella Fitzgerald or the like but it may ensure the album as a favourite by many younger buyers because "it's just sooo good" when you want music as background noise for a romantic candlelight dinner.