Various Artists - The Definitive American Songbook Vol. 2 J-K

Artist:

Various Artists

UPC:

724359282022

Description:

Liner Note Author: Alan Warner.
Photographer: Ted Williams .
Arrangers: Don Costa; Gerald Wiggins; Glenn Osser; Gordon Jenkins; Nelson Riddle.
The Best of the Definitive American Songbook, Vol. 2: I-Z sets out to compile great performances of songs written in the 1920s through the 1950s by American songwriters both legendary (like Johnny Mercer, Hoagy Carmichael, George and Ira Gershwin, Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, and Harold Arlen) and obscure (like Jack Lawrence, Walter Gross, Harry Link, Jack Strachey, and Holt Marvell). The "I-Z" refers to the titles of the songs; the disc travels from "It Had to Be You" (written by Gus Kahn and Isham Jones and sung by Kay Starr) to "Where or When" (written by Rodgers & Hart and sung by Dick Haymes). In between are performances by such titans as Dean Martin (Lerner & Loewe`s "On the Street Where You Live"), Peggy Lee (Cole Porter`s "Just One of Those Things"), and Ella Fitzgerald (Billy Rose, E.Y. Harburg, and Harold Arlen`s "It`s Only a Paper Moon"). There are also some definitive performances, like Chet Baker`s breathtaking take on Rodgers & Hart`s "My Funny Valentine," Louis Prima and Keely Smith`s knockout version of Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen`s "That Old Black Magic," and Lena Horne`s version of Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler`s "Stormy Weather." The collection is a top-notch blend of wonderful songs and sterling vocal talent; the only missteps are the inclusion of two songs recorded in the 1980s: Rosemary Clooney`s bland-sounding take on Jack Lawrence and Walter Gross` "Tenderly" from 1980 and Linda Ronstadt`s pallid version of the Gershwins` "Someone to Watch Over Me." There are eight more volumes of the series set to be released; if they are all as good as the first two you should start clearing shelf space now. ~ Tim Sendra

Track Listing:

DISC 1

1. Night and Day - Frank Sinatra
2. Stardust - Nat King Cole
3. Satin Doll - Nancy Wilson
4. Misty - Johnny Mathis
5. It Had to Be You - Kay Starr
6. Over the Rainbow - Judy Garland
7. Tenderly - Rosemary Clooney
8. On the Street Where You Live - Dean Martin
9. Someone to Watch over Me - Linda Ronstadt
10. They Can`t Take That Away from Me - Billie Holiday
11. My Funny Valentine - Chet Baker
12. These Foolish Things - Dinah Washington
13. Stormy Weather - Lena Horne
14. One for My Baby (And One More for the Road) - Lou Rawls
15. Where or When - Dick Haymes
16. That Old Black Magic - Keely Smith/Louis Prima/Sam Butera (live)
17. It`s Only a Paper Moon - The Delta Rhythm Boys/Ella Fitzgerald
18. Just One of Those Things - Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra/Peggy Lee/Gordon Jenkins

Album Information

Release Date:

09/02/2003

Type:

Collection

Genre:

Easy Listening

Subgenre:

Orchestral

Label:

Capitol

Producer:

Tom Morgan, Jr.; David Axelrod; Carl Jefferson; Richard Block; Henry Glover; Lee Gillette; Milt Gabler; Mitch Miller; Norman Newell; Peter Asher; Voyle Gilmore

Catalog Number:

92820

Original Release Year:

2003

# of Discs:

1

Studio/Live:

Studio

Mono/Stereo:

Stereo

Portions copyright 2005 Muze Inc. All rights reserved.