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Monday, October 3, 2011

The Sound Of Midnight Naked City - Paul Phillips And His Band

Fever

The Sound Of Midnight Naked City
Paul Phillips And His Band
Arranged and Conducted by Joe Harnell
Kapp Medallion ML-7517
1961

From the back cover: An outstanding pianist, arranger, composer and conductor, Joe Harnell has excelled in every branch of music. As a jazz artist, he has appeared with his own groups at several well known Manhattan clubs, delighting audiences with his original and inventive piano styles, while his work in popular music has included musical backing for singing stars Jane Morgan, Jane From an and Bing Crosby, conducting and arranging for Peggy Lee (for whom he wrote the original arrangement at the best-selling "Fever"), and numerous recording and television assignments. Joe's training in classical music encompassed a scholarship to the Trinity College of Music in London, four years with composer Aaron Copland at Tanglewood, and studies with Darius Milhaud, Ernst Toch and Leonard Bernstein. His serious compositions have been performed both here and overseas by major orchestras. This album co-ordinates Joe Harnell's many talents, and is underlined throughout by his genial personality – his fascination for the city, his sparkling sense of humor, and his imaginative ability to create a moody, musical portrait.

From Billboard - February 27, 1961: This is a noteworthy new album in the label's "sound" series and one that will interest stereo and hi-fi fans. The music is arranged brightly for stereo and the orchestra shows off the rhythmic Joe Harnell arrangements via strong performances of the tunes. The songs include "Tenderly," "Harlem Nocturne," and "Fever," and "Route 66," all arranged to show off sounds of the instruments and to test the stereo fan's equipment. Another set made to appeal to the many "sound" record buyers.

Tenderly
Harlem Nocturne
Stardust
I Only Have Eyes For You
Naked City Theme
Fever
Theme From "Route 66"
In The Still Of The Night
I Cover The Waterfront
All Through The Night
There's a Small Hotel
Dancing In The Dark

2 comments:

  1. When I was so much younger I recall the late night DJ playing this entire LP and introduced each cut with the liner notes. The next day I scrapped enough cash together and bought the LP at a small appliance store in Niagara Falls Ontario. Great memories.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Could this record and the film be the inspiration for John Zorn's Naked City project?

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