Happy New Year for 2023 !!

 Thank you all the Guys and Gals that have made comments on this Blog during the last year....hope everybody had a good pleasant Xmas and everyone have a Great 2023.....Cheers....Luigi / Espo

Helen Shapiro

This is a great L/P from "Helen" and if she was sixteen as the title say's her voice was very mature for her age...the songs are varied and her version of "I Want To Be Happy" is fantastic its just like the tracks from my other post of "Helens" "Straighten Up Fly Right" so give them both a listen and be amazed !!!

      5. I Want To Be Happy

Lena Martell

Surprise!! Surprise!!...I really enjoyed this one ..Thanks to "Bob"....But I do love a "Live" performance you can't hide anything.... no little man in the booth messing about with the knobs covering up your "Bum" notes !!!...Can't see any date on the sleeve so don't know what year it could be...maybe someone out there could enlighten us !!...certainly the audience are appreciative and are enjoying themselves....Pity there is no info on the sleeve about "Lena" I believe that she is Scottish (I Think)....no doubt if she's not someone will correct me and perhaps fill in the gaps !!!.....Sorry seemed to have lost track 7/8 on side one !!!

 

Engelbert Humperdinck.

Talking of "Engelbert" here he is in person !!...also from the 60's with a selection of songs including one of his hits !! Title track of course !!...and I'll leave it at that and let the info on the back sleeve fill in the gaps!!!!

1. The Last Waltz
2. Dance With Me
3. Two Different Worlds
4. If It Comes To That
5. Walk hand In hand
6. A Place In The Sun 

1. Long Gone
2. All This World And The Seven Seas
3. Miss Eliane E S Jones
4. Everybody Knows
5. Nature Boy
6. To The Ends Of The Earth

        6. To The Ends Of The Earth

VA..Golden Songs 2

Another "Blast From The Past" with the Original Artists from the 60's....I'm sure this one will evoke some happy memories for a lot of people !!
Just an after thought !!..does'nt the last track "She Wears My Ring" sound like "Engelbert" !!!

1. Moon River...Danny Williams
2. The Wayward Wind...Frank Ifield
3. Walkin' Back To Happiness...Helen Shapiro
4. Speak Softly Love...Matt Monro 
5. Here There And Everywhere...Vince Hill
6. Stranfer On The Shore...Acker Bilk

1. The Carnival Is Over...The Seekers
2. Careless Hands...Des O'Conner
3. With These hands...Shirley Bassey
4. Stairway Of Love...Michael Holiday
5. Still...Ken Dodd
6. She Wears My Ring...Soloman King 

     3. With These Hands 

Paul Anka.

One more from "Bob"....and the message is there for all to see !!!...and some sense on the back sleeve !!

        2. All I Have To Do Is Dream

Sandie Shaw.

 This Sandie Shaw L/P starts off great.. Side One Track One great.. Side Two Track One cool version of "Satisfaction"..I wish she had carried on and done the rest of the album like the first tracks on both sides....Having said that it is still a good L/P but it is the Sandie Shaw that we were used to in the 60's....Later on she did change her style but this one indicates what she could do....Just love her Version of "Satisfaction"....But a good track is also
"Aranjuez Mon Amour".....And the cover is different as well !!

1. Route 66
2. Homeward Bound
3. Scarborough Fair
4. Right To Cry
5. The Same Things
6. Our Song Of Love

1. Satisfaction
2. Words
3. Remember Me
4. Change Of Heart
5. Aranjuez Mon Amour
6. What Now My Love

      5. Aranjuez Mon Amour

Emile Ford.

A bit of a creepy front cover that hides some pretty neat cover versions of popular songs....sung very different from the originals !!....That's what I like to see and listen to...Anyone can do a copy of an original note for note!!!....Proves that some thought has gone into the production !!...It seems that this L/P was made and produced  by "Emile Ford"....No well known Record Label in fact the number on the record is ICPS 001 (Interclub Records Ltd)....So To me that suggests that it was made and on sale when he was doing his gigs....also proved by the fact of a Signature in the left hand corner.....But back the Music !!....Very clever use of the title and concept 100% for a different and good listen !!!.....Doesn't the back cover look as if it doesn't belong to the front!!!!....BUT it does !!!

1. What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For
2. I Can't Take My Eyes Off You
3. Rovin' Eyes
4. Bloodshot Eyes
5.Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
6. Spanish Eyes

1. Ma She's Making Eyes At Me
2. Eyes Of A Woman In Love
3. Yes Yes In Your Eyes
4. When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
5. Jealous Eyes
6. Them There Eyes

      4. Bloodshot Eyes

Mason Williams

Before you get to the Jazzy Trumpet of Jonah Jones have a listen to the quiet singing of Mason William's Ear Show !.....with some quirky original songs and Instrumentals...

1. Road Song

2. Baroque-a-Nova

3. Whistle Hear

4. The Last Great Waltz

5. One Minute Commercial

1. $13 Stella

2. Love Are Wine

3. Cinderella Rockafella

4. Generatah -Oscillatah

5. Saturday Night At The World

     2. Baroque-a-Nova

Jonah Jones & Glenn Gray 's Casa Loma Orchestra

Some great Trumpet playing on this selection well worth a listen to !!

Jonah Jones zoomed to popularity in the late 50s. He found a successful formula and used it to brighten the hit charts with a succession of bouncy albums on Capitol Records. His quartet was one of the three newcomers in the Top 10 wide variety of small groups listed in the favorite Instrumental Billboard lists in 1958.

Jonah Jones/Glenn Gray Review by Scott Yanow Of ALLMUSIC

Since trumpeter Jonah Jones and bandleader Glen Gray were two of Capitol's biggest jazz-oriented attractions of the late '50s/early '60s, a collaboration seemed logical. Gray's Casa Loma Orchestra (which at this point was really a big band filled with top West Coast studio players) performs a dozen Benny Carter arrangements; tenorman Plas Johnson gets in a few licks, and the swing-oriented repertoire suits Jones' playing just fine on this instrumental LP. Highlights include a remake of "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," "Two O'Clock Jump," "After You've Gone" and "West End Blues."

1. Baubles Bangles And Beads

2. Echoes Of Harlem

3. Two O'clock Jump

4. I Can't Get Started

5. Boy Meets Horn

6. Hot Lips

1. After You've Gone

2. West End Blues

3. Ciribiribin

4. Tenderly

5. Sugar Blues

6. Apollo Jumps

        5. Boy Meets Horn

Ella Fitzgerald

Another great live performance by Ella from 1973.....

A memorable Carnegie Hall concert that both features and pays tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. The great singer is joined on a few numbers by a Chick Webb reunion band that has a few of the original members (plus an uncredited Panama Francis on drums). Although the musicians do not get much solo space the music is pleasing. Fitzgerald performs three exquisite duets with pianist Ellis Larkins and then sits out while the Jazz at the Philharmonic All-Stars romp on a few jams and a ballad medley. Trumpeter Roy Eldridge's emotional flights take honors, although tenorman Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and trombonist Al Grey are also in good form. Fitzgerald comes out for the second half of the show and sings 14 numbers with guitarist Joe Pass (including a pair of tender duets) and the Tommy Flanagan trio. Although her renditions of "I've Gotta Be Me" and "What's Going On" are unnecessary, Fitzgerald sounds beautiful on "Good Morning Heartache," "Don't Worry About Me," and "These Foolish Things," and swings hard on the scat-filled "Lemon Drop." An excellent retrospective of Fitzgerald's first 40 years in jazz. (Info Edited from a Review by Scott Yanow from ALLMUSIC)

1. Opening Announcement by Eddie Barefield.

2. Stompin' At The Savoy

3. A- Tisket -A- Tasket

4. Indian Summer

5. Smooth Sailing

6. Eddie Barefield Original

7. Band Introductions...Lets Get Together 

8. Announcement By George Wein

9. You Turned The Tables On Me

10. Nice Work If You Can Get It

11. I.ve Got A Crush On You

12. Introduction Of Jazz at Carnegie All Stars By George Wein

13. Somebody Loves Me

14. Medley..I Can't Get Started-the young man With the Horn-Round Midnight

15. Stardust

16. Avalon

17. C-Jam Blues

18. Introduction Of Ella Fitzgerald By George Wein And Carmen McRae

19. I've Gotta Be Me

20. Down In The Depths

21. Good Morning Heartache

22. Whats Going On

23. Miss Otis Regrets

24. Don't Worry 'Bout Me

25. These Foolish Things

26. Any Old Blues

27. Taking A Chance On Love

28. I'm In The Mood For Love

29. Lemon Drop

30. A-Tisket-a- Tasket (Excerpt)

31. Some Of These Days

32. People

33. A-Tisket-a-Tasket (Excerpt)

      3. A-Tisket-a-Tasket

      5. Smooth Sailing

      23. Miss Otis Regrets

Caterina Valente.

Including in this Re-Post is the "Stereo" version so you have a choice of comparing the sound !!....It would be interesting to see how many people prefer the Mono version to the Stereo one..so feel free to make a comment !

A very good Swingin' L/P from Caterina one of her best on the "Decca" label....Best track is definatly "Never Will I Marry"....and she has a great orchestra in "Johnny Keating" That definatly swings along with her !!

1. Let's Fall In Love
2. Love Walked In
3. There Will Never Be Another You
4. My Funny Valentine
5. Old Devil Moon
6. Come Fly With Me

1. Never Will I Marry
2. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
3. I've Got You Under My Skin
4. Hindustan
5. Summertime Love
6. Cherokee

    4. Hindustan... Mono

           

    4. Hindustan... Stereo

    6.Cherokee...Mono

    6. Cherokee...Stereo

Mary Wells

Can't get any better than "Mary Wells" doing her thing !!!

       4. Two Lovers

Tony Bennett

A double dose of Tony with this Volume 4 !

1. May I Never Love Again

2. Come Back And Tell Me That You Love Me

3. Afraid Of The Dark

4. Come Next Spring

5. Happiness Street (Sunshine Square)

6. Can You Find It In Your Heart

7. Forget Her

8. Sing You Sinners

9. Capri In May (Je Me Sens Si Bien)

10. From The Candy Store On The Corner To The Chapel On The Hill

11. One For My Baby And One More For The Road

12. The Autumn Waltz

13. One Kiss Away From Heaven (Malatia)

14. Just In Time

15. Sold To The Man With The Broken Heart

16. No Hard Feelings

17. I Never Felt More Like Falling in Love

          9. Capri In May

Tony Bennett

Volume 3 of Tony's early recordings 78's/45's

1. Someone Turned The Moon Upside Down

2. Why Does It Have To Be Me

3. Until Yesterday (Non e La Pioggia)

4. Please Driver Once Around The Park Again

5. There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight

6. My Heart Won't Say Goodbye

7. Take Me Back Again

8. Not As A Stranger

9. Cinnamon Sinner

10. Funny Thing

11. Punch And Judy Love

12. Shoo-Gah (My Pretty Sugar)

13. Close Your Eyes

14. It's Too Soon To Know

15. What Will I Tell My Heart

16. Don't Tell Me Why (Pitie Senorita)

17. How Can I Replace You

 

        15. What Shall I Tell My Heart

        12. Shoo-Gah (My Pretty Sugar)

The Steampacket & First R&B Festival 1964

1964 February 2nd Birmingham Town Hall.....A little known group with some well known faces !!

Then as it says on the cover "First R&B Festival

          13. Mary Ann

The Lucky Dip Selection..VA

I've called this compilation Lucky Dip selection because that's just what it is....cleaning up my music folders and these tracks are some that I have at some point recorded or downloaded them from the net  and have brought them all together.....hope you enjoy the selection 

1. Sunny.......Ella Fitzgerald

2. Around The World.......Daft Punk

3. Darktown Strutters Ball......Dean Martin 

4. Thank You For The Music......ABBA

5. I Cried Myself To Sleep......Al Martino

6. Saturday Night Fever......Bee Gees

7. Achy Breaky Heart......Billy Ray Cyrus

8. Boy From Ipanema......Petula Clark

9. Goody Goody......Caterina Valente

10. One O'Clock Jump......Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey

11. Make Believe......Jane Powell

12. The Blacksmith Blues.......Lita Roza

13. Virgins Of The Sun.......Yma Sumac

14. You Can Depend On Me.......Ella Fitzgerald

15. Be My Love......Kathryn Grayson

16. Lo Credo.......Caterina Valente

17. Song Of The Trees.......Anne Shelton

18. A Sky Blue Shirt And A Rainbow Tie......Norman Brooks

19. Make Believe......MGM Studio Orchestra

20. Day By Day......Caterina Valente

21. Be My Love......Kathryn Grayson & Mario Lanza

22. Piel Canela......Los Panchos

23. Mambo Italiano (Techno Remix)......Rosemary Clooney

24. Jealousy.......Kathryn Grayson

          23. Mambo Italiano

Buddy Holly.

These compilations at the moment are the "Bees Knees" (An old term that means cool, the phrase "bee's knees" means sweet and good, because the knees of the bee ) !!
Because they are at last living up to the Title....And this one has all the Hits !

1. That'll Be The Day
2. Peggy Sue
3. Words Of love
4. Every Day
5. Not Fade Away
6. Oh Boy
7. Maybe Baby
8. Listen To Me
9. Heart Beat
10 Think It Over

1. It Does'nt Matter Anymore
2. It's So Easy
3. Well Alright
4. Rave On
5. Raining In My Heart
6. True Love Ways
7. Peggy Sue Got Married
8. Bo Diddley
9. Brown Eyed Handsome Man
10. Wishing

          5. Not Fade Away

Female Legends Of The 50's And More 3...VA

Here is the 3rd one of the Legend Gals !

Another leap in time now to the 50's when the pace of life was more slower ! and not so frantic !!

1. Daddy- O......The Fontane Sisters

2. Memories Are Made Of This......Gale Storm

3. Sugartime......The McGuire Sisters

4. Kiss Me Another.....Georgia Gibbs

5. Too Old To Cut The Mustard......Rosemary Clooney & Marlene Dietrich

6. A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl......Teresa Brewer

7. Ivory Tower......Cathy Carr

8. Too Young......Toni Arden

9. Suddenly There's A Valley......Jo Stafford

10. He......The McGuire Sisters

11. Say Your Mine Again......June Hutton

12. Tell Me Your Mine......Mindy Carson

13. You Are My Love......Joni James

14. Hold On......Gale Storm

15. A Moth And A Flame......Georgia Gibbs

16. If I Give My Heart To You......Doris Day

17. Happy Days And Lonely Nights......The Fontane Sisters

18. Love You Till I Die......Brenda Lee

19. Close Your Eyes......Rosemary Clooney

20. A Tear Fell......Teresa Brewer

21. I'll Hold You In My Heart.....Gale Storm

22. Changing Partners......Patti Page

23. Till I Waltz Again With You......Teresa Brewer

24. Hearts of Stone......The Fontane Sisters

25. The Heel......Eatha Kitt

         6. A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl

         25. The Heel

French Songs That were Hits In English..VA

This compilation has the title which is self explanatory....I downloaded from the Net some time ago and I can't remember where.... so whoever made it up thanks for that !!

          29. If You Go Away......Terry Jacks

          30. Ne Me Quitte Pas......Jacques Brel

The Shadows

After the sophisicated piano sound of a "Musical Great" we now have the "Twangy"sound of the Guitars with the the "Shads" via "MFP"...two or three of their "Hits" and the rest is okay....One surprise for me is the track "Nivram"which could be classed as a "Guitar Jazz Jam Session" !!...."Kudos"to "Welch Marvin & Harris" for that one !!!

1. Apache
2. Kinda Cool
3. Shazam
4. Quatermasters Store
5. The Savage
6. 36-24-36
7. Sleep Walk
8. Man Of Mystery

1. F.B.I.
2.Nivram ****
3. Shadoogie
4. Stand Up And Say That
5. The Runble
6. Bo Didley
7. Midnight
8. Frightened City

          2. Nivram
 

Oscar Peterson

We usually only hear "Oscar" sometimes "Humming" when he is playing for "Ella" or "Sarah" But now here he is playing piano and singing which is great... singing some well know standard songs well worth a listen too !!.....even tho' he does sound like the "King C " it does not deter from his great piano playing and his voice !!

         4. Too Marvellous for Words