Ray Conniff & His Orchestra

Some early Conniff now complete with that lovely shuffle beat !!

The third entry in Ray Conniff's series of neo-swing easy listening albums, 'S Awful Nice followed 'S Wonderful! and 'S Marvelous into hit status, reaching the Top Ten and spending a year in the charts. As ever, Conniff's writing was danceable, with his wordless choir carrying the melodies, doubled by the horn and reed sections. The song selection remained blue chip, especially in the Jerome Kern standards "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "All The Things You Are" (dominated by Bernie Glow's trumpet) and "Lovely to Look At.".........('S Awful Nice Review by William Ruhlmann of ALLMUSIC)

1. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

2. Lullaby Of Birdland

3. June In January

4. I Cover The Waterfront

5. The Very Thought Of You

6. It Had To Be You

1. Paradise

2. April In Paris

3. That Old Feeling

4. Say It Isn't So

5. All The Things You Are

6. Lovely To Look At

          1. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

           

Teri Thornton

 So now another double bill ! with a "Forgotten" voice and there do seem to be a lot of them !...that is voices that do not seem to have reached the public and should have been !!...and this one should be on front row !!

Teri Thornton, born Shirley Enid Avery (September 1, 1934 in Detroit, Michigan – May 2, 2000 in Englewood, New Jersey) is an American jazz singer.

Thornton first performed in local Detroit clubs in the 1950s. She moved to New York City in the 1960s, where she found work singing for television advertisements, and recorded for several different labels. Late in the 1960s Thornton faded from public view, and only decades later was discovered to have been singing on various song poem records in Los Angeles on the Preview label as "Teri Summers." She played clubs in New York after moving back there from Los Angeles in 1983, and in the 1990s she fully revived her career. She was a resident of the Actors' Fund Home in Englewood, New Jersey. In 1998, she won the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Vocal Competition in Washington, DC. (Singers Jane Monheit, Tierney Sutton and Roberta Gambarini were runners-up in the same competition.) Thornton signed with Verve, which released I'll Be Easy to Find.

           5. My Old Flame

Teri Thornton

 1999 is the release of this record...as the review says nearly 40 years on from the release of  Lullaby of the Leaves !!

(Edited From) I'll Be Easy to Find... Review by Michael G. Nastos Of ALLMUSIC  

After a nearly 40-year hiatus, Teri Thornton is back to swing and sing her way into your heart. In comparison to her old Riverside recordings, it seems she's lost nothing vocally, her angelic clarity and soulful vibrato are intact, and her enthusiasm is still spiking depth charts. She's backed by her own piano on four cuts, and the able Ray Chew on the others.

1. Somewhere In The Night

2. I Believe In You

3. It Ain't Necessarily So

4. The Lords Prayer

5. Knee Deep In The Blues

6. I'll Be Easy To Find

1. Nature Boy

2. Wishing Well

3. Where Are You Running

4. Feels Good

5. I'll Be Seeing You

6. Salty Mama

                                                                    Teri Thornton

            2. I Believe In You

Teresa Brewer

 A double dose of Teresa next !!.....these are re-recordings of her single hits as it says on the cover in Stereo !!

Teresa Brewer (born Theresa Veronica Breuer; May 7, 1931 – October 17, 2007) was an American singer whose style incorporated pop, country, jazz, R&B, musicals, and novelty songs. She was one of the most prolific and popular female singers of the 1950s, recording nearly 600 songs.

Brewer re-emerged as a jazz vocalist on Bob Thiele's Amsterdam label in the 1980s and 1990s, recording a number of albums including tribute albums to Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller and Irving Berlin. She also recorded with such jazz greats as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Hines, Svend Asmussen and Bobby Hackett. A landmark recording in her career was Softly I Swing (Red Baron Records, 1992) which was produced by Thiele and featured David Murray, Ron Carter, Kenny Barron and Grady Tate. Memories of Louis, also recorded for Thiele's Red Baron Records, paired her with a different well-known trumpeter on each track, including Clark Terry, Nicholas Payton, Ruby Braff, Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Sweets Edison, Lew Soloff, Terence Blanchard, Yank Lawson, Red Rodney and Dizzy Gillespie.

          6. Pledging My Love

Teresa Brewer

 Teresa in full 50's voice....in the later years her voice calms down into a great Jazz sound                    so indulge in some great 50's vocal sounds !!

1. Don't Mess With Tess

2. You Came A Long Way From St Louis

3. Take Love Easy

4. Kiddio (Daddio)

5. An Occasional Man

6. Down With Love

1. Some Of These Days

2. I Cried For You

3. When You Walked Out Someone Else Walked In

4. Frankie And Johnnie Twist

5. Ooh Papa Do

6. Alright Okay you Win

           2. I Cried For You

Jim Reeves.

We now have the deep brown voice of "Jim" as it says on the cover "Doing It His Way" !!

1. Make The World Go Away
2. In The Misty Moonlight
3. You'll Never Know
4. There's That Smile Again 
5. Bolandse Nooientjie
6. It Hurts So Much

1. I Can't Stop Loving You
2. A Nickel Piece Of Candy
3. Where Do I Go To Throw A Picture Away
4. Maureen
5. Ek Verlang Na Jou
6. Somewhere Along The Line

           2. A Nickel Piece Of Candy

Charlie Williams.

Here we have a comedian from the 70's with a pleasant enough voice first track "Walking My Baby" suits his voice 100% the rest of the tracks are a bit shaky....But I did like the track "Little Things Mean a Lot" the song needs a bit of tremble in the voice !!.....On the back sleeve we have information all about "Charlie"....In the 70's a lot of the comedians and actors were giving their vocal chords a brush up by releasing L/P's...and as you can see by the back cover he's signed it !!!

1. Walking My Baby Back Home
2. Flowers For Your Pillow
3. Happy Birthday my Darlin'
4. Little Things Mean A Lot
5. They All Laughed
6. I'll Make It Up To You

1. Smile
2. That's What I Shoulda Said 
3. I Can't Stop Loving You
4. Sunshine
5. An American Trilogy

           4. Little Things Mean a Lot

Pia Beck

Here we go again with some great tracks from my favourite pianist of the moment !!!..Folks if you havn't heard this great lady then give her a listen if you like piano playing and something different !!

Vince Hill

The Underrated Vince Hill with his hit Single "Edelweiss" Plus !!

1. The Sound Of Music

2. One Hand One Heart

3.  I Love You Samantha

4. Till The End Of Time

5. I Have Dreamed

6. Janie

1. Stranger In Paradise 

2. Maria

3. Smile

4. Forgotten Dreams

5. Take Me back Again

6. Edelweiss

          6. Edelweiss

Rita Reys

Its great to hear some great voices that maybe you would not get to hear without this great cosmos ! space ! air waves ! that enables us to use the "Internet !!....and this voice that goes by the name of "Rita" is definatley one to listen to !!

 Rita Reys was long ago billed as "Europe's First Lady of Jazz." A legend overseas, Reys was one of the top jazz singers in Europe from the mid-'50s to the turn of the millennium.
 Rita Reys (born Maria Everdina Reijs; 21 December 1924 – 28 July 2013) was a jazz singer from the Netherlands. At the 1960 French jazz festival of Juan-les-Pins, she received the title, "Europe's first lady of jazz".^[

            5. I should Care

AFTER YOU'VE GONE- Rita Reys & Dutch Swing College Band

Vikki Carr

 Here's a Re-post from Right Angle.... link had expired so I guess I shall be re-posting them on here.....

If you hadn't guessed yet we have been wandering around John's Record Store in "Jolly Old New York" and a great lot of L/P's I have found.....Vikki Carr at her best giving us a very varied set of songs with some Spanish ones as well !!!...In fact nearly all of them are the English versions of Spanish songs....Still if you were born "Florencia Bisenta De Castillas-Martinez Cardona "..Then why Not  !!!....This is one of Vikki's Best !!

Sooooooo with this final one I'll get my coat on and make the long trek home !!!..Carpet's still dusty and wants a beating and an airing on the line !!!....and Ruby Trainers need cleaning !!...So look forward to some Re-Posts above !!

1. Laia Ladaia

2. Goin' Out Of My Head

3. Toys

4. Meditation

5. Pretty Butterfly

6. Carnival

1. Mas Que Nada

2. Call Me

3. Once

4. The Constant Rain

5. Fly Away

6. Forgetting You

            6. Carnival

Vic Damone

 Some dreamy Italian songs sung dreamily 

1. Angela Mia

2. Tell Me Your Mine

3. Arrivederci Roma

4. Just Say You Love Her

5. Non Dimenticar

6. O Sole Mio

1. You're Breaking My Heart

2. Serenade In The Night

3. Luna Rossa

4. I Have But One Heart

5. Anema e Core

6. Tell Me That You Love Me

          1. You're Breaking My Heart

Gerard Kenny

 This one is one of the better Singer Songwriters from the late 70's and it's a bit "Poppy" but its good....It's one of these L/P's the more you play and listen to it the better it becomes....so give it a go you will be pleasantly surprised...all the songs are written by Gerard and there is a couple of "goodies" in it

1. Fit To Be Tied / Music And Words

2. Son Of A Song And Dance Man 

3. D-D-D-Dancin'

4. Love

1. New York New York / Pavement Princess

2. Drinking

3. Nickels And Dimes

4. Made It Thru The Rain 

          1. New York New York / Pavement Princess

Van Morrison

We are once again browsing around in the record store....I only know Van Morrison for his track "Moondance" so I'll leave the comments to those who know more !!

1. And It Stoned Me

2. Moondance

3. Crazy Love

4. Caravan

5. Into The Mystic

1. Come Running

2. These Dreams Of You

3. Brand New Day

4. Everyone

5. Glad Tidings

          3. Crazy Love          

Whizz Jones

Another new voice to me !!....amazing all these different artists that I have not heard of and am now enjoying hearing them !!!.....This is what this BLOG ! is all about !!..introducing artists past and present to the whole world for the appreciation that they deserve !!....The Internet social media can be very negative at times but I believe that Music Blogs very rarely get the negative Vibe !!!....am I tempting fate !!!!!!!.:) :)
 Love the crazy back cover !!!!....and its great to hear songs that you can understand that have a beginning ! middle ! and end !!!

 Raymond Ronald Jones (born 25 April 1939, Thornton Heath, Croydon, Surrey), better-known as Wizz Jones, is an English acoustic guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has been performing since the late 1950s and recording from 1965 to the present. He has worked with many of the notable guitarists of the English folk music revival, such as John Renbourn and Bert Jansch.

1. See How Time Is Flying
2. Willie Moore
3. The Legendary Me 
4. When I Cease To Care
5. Nobody Told You So

1. Beggar Man
2. Keep You Lamp Trimmed And Burning
3. Dazzling Stranger
4. If Only I Had Known
5. Slow Down To My Speed
6. Stick A Little Label On It

          4. When I Cease To Care

Paul McCartney

This next one is brought to you by "Jim from the "Gym"!!!...Hummmm that don't sound right !!...so its got to be "Jimbo" of course !!...so thanks Jimbo for this one !!!cheers  !

1. Too Many People

2. 3 Legs

3. Ram On

4. Dear Boy

5. Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey

6. Smile Away

1. Heart Of The Country

2. Monkberry Moon Delight

3. Eat At Home

4. Long Haired Lady

5. Ram On

6. The Back Seat of my Car

          1. Heart Of The Country

Willie Nelson

 Even with the De Dum ! De Dum ! beat still in audio ear range this collection of songs hits the mark and leave you wanting more... from the needle going down on the first track !!

This one is a good L/P even if you are not into Country and well worth a listen !!

1. One Day At A Time

2. My Own Peculiar Way

3. Night Life

4. Funny How Time Slips Away

5. Healing hands of Time

6. Darkness In The Face Of The Earth

1. Hello Walls

2. Are You Sure

3. Mr Record  Man

4. It Should Be Easier Now

5. So Much To Do

6. Within Your Crowd

          1. Hello Walls

Wild Bill Davis

Here's a Swingin' organ to put us in a Swingin' mood !

I wonder if there is a Fair Lady on board !!!

Wild Bill Davis (November 24, 1918 – August 17, 1995) was the stage name of American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger William Strethen Davis.

1. Organ Grinders Swing

2. Flying Home

3. Blue Skies

4. It's Alright With Me

5. Wouldn't it Be Luverly

1. Intermission Riff

2. In A Mellow Tone

3. On The Street Where You Live

4. Just You Wait

5. Show Me

         2. Flying Home

Yma Sumac

 These Yma Sumac recordings were made about 1943..... recorded in Argentina

1. Negrito Filomino

2. The Sun Maidens (Virgenes Del Sol)

3. Beautiful Eyes (Que Lindos Ojos)

4. Cholitas Punenas

5. The Hummingbird (Picaflor)

1. One Love (Un Amor)

2. Indian Love (AmorVIndio)

3. La Benita

4. I Love Only You (A Ti Solita Te Quiero)

5. Cholo Traicionero

6. Waraka Tusuy

           2. The Sun Maidens      

James Taylor

 Here we have a comparison of a singer 48 years apart !!.....firstly we have a recording from 1972 then by the magic of recording we jump to 2020 and hear some great songs sung very well......I wonder if James ever though that in the distant future he would be singing standards   

 I think that this L/P was about the first one from James Taylor in the early 70's....he certainly looks different these days still I reckon we all must do after 40 odd years !!....he has quite a few well known  backing singers on this one....Now who's heard of "Carol King" and "Carly Simon" not forgetting "Linda Ronstadt " !!! Don't all shout at once my speakers wont take it !!!.....Back to the record...most of the tracks James wrote himself and the last 4 tracks are all joined together...no gaps in the tracks !!!..soooooooo listen to a good chunk of 70's nostalgia music !!...Tracks 7/8/9/10 on side two are recorded as one track !!

 1. One Man Parade

2. Nobody But You

3. Chilli Dog

4. Fool For You

5. Instrumental 1

6. New Tune

7. Back On The Street Again

8. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight

1. Woh Don't You Know

2. One Morning In May

3. Instrumental 2

4. Someone

5. Hymn

6. Fanfare

7. Little David

8. Mescalito

9. Dance

10. Jig

One Man Dog is the fourth studio album by singer-songwriter James Taylor. Released on November 1, 1972, it features the hit "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", which peaked at number 14 on the Billboard charts on January 13, 1973. The follow-up single, "One Man Parade", also charted but less successfully, peaking at number 67 in the US and reaching number 55 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart. The basic tracks were primarily recorded in Taylor's home studio.

The album is made up of 18 short pieces strung together. It climbed to number 4 on the US Billboard Pop Albums chart. 

         2. One Morning In May

James Taylor

American Standard is the twentieth studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor released on February 28, 2020. It consists of his interpretations of standard songs from the American canon. It won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

American Standard Review by Timothy Monger  (AllMusic)

For pop artists of a certain generation, taking on the Great American Songbook has become somewhat of a rite of passage, occasionally bordering on cliché. Some, like Linda Ronstadt and Carly Simon, got to it early in their careers. James Taylor is no stranger to cover songs; everything from early rock to Motown and cowboy songs have popped up in his catalogue, not to mention a pair Christmas albums and an entire 2008 set called Covers. As one of the most revered American singer/songwriters of the mid- to late 20th century, it seems almost inevitable that he would eventually take his turn to honour the generation of pop tunesmiths that preceded him.

On American Standard, Taylor applies his gentle magic to classics like "My Blue Heaven" and "The Nearness of You," refashioning their well-worn melodies into the friendly and inviting mode that is his signature. Wisely eschewing the orchestral big-band approach, he stays on familiar ground, recording on a smaller scale at his barn studio in Western Massachusetts and working with his regular stable of players. He also downplays the role of the piano, opting instead to base the material around the nimble intertwining of his own acoustic guitar and that of jazz guitar wiz John Pizzarelli. The result is a relaxed musical conversation that perfectly underscores Taylor's tender vocals, especially on his sweet rendition of "Moon River," a song so well-suited to him it seems like it should have already existed before now. This sense of pleasant familiarity more or less guides the entire album as he turns "Teach Me Tonight" and "It's Only a Paper Moon" into James Taylor songs written by other artists. Horns and lush backing vocals do appear here and there, as does a slightly misguided dip into a borderline cartoonish vocal baritone on the otherwise strong "Ol' Man River," but the best parts of American Standard occur in the intimate moments that constitute Taylor's wheelhouse and of which there are more than enough to satisfy.

           11. My Heart Stood Still

Happy Days...The Oldies Gold Colection...1

 Here we have some great songs by great singers from the 50's...so get your nostalgic cap on and take it nice and easy with some great artists of the bygone age.....and Yep!! the 50's was "Happy Day's"....unfortunately there's not many of these singers still with us.....But time goes on !!......wish I'd got that DeLorean !!

1. Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes......Perry Como

2. Blue Velvet......Tony Bennett

3. My Flaming Heart......Nat King Cole

4. I Let Her Go......Frankie Laine

5. The Blacksmith Blues......Ella Mae Morse

6. There's My Lover......Dean Martin

7. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise......Les Paul And Mary Ford

8. Castle Rock......Harry James & His Orchestra & Frank Sinatra

9. Wheel Of Fortune.......Kay Starr

10. Why Don't You Believe Me......Joni James

11. It's No Sin......The Four Aces

12. Three Bells (Les Trois Cloches).......Les Compagnons De La Chanson

13. Hambone.......Frankie Laine & Jo Stafford

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

15. Pretend......Nat King Cole

16. Golden Tango......Winifred Atwell

17. Keep It A Secret.....Jo Stafford

18. Longing For You.....Vic Damone

19. Solitaire......Tony Bennett

20. And So To Sleep Again......Patti Page

         10. Why Don't You Believe Me