Easy Living With Mary Ann McCall

'Deed I Do

Easy Living
With Mary Ann McCall
Ernie Wilkins and His Orchestra
Supervision" Ozzie Cadena
Engineer: R. Van Gelder
Engravings: Fidelity Engraves, Inc.
Regent Records Co.
REGENT MG-6040
1957

From the back cover: Mary Ann is a jazz singer. She has been associated with the finest in jazz domain and acknowledged as one of the expressive voices in the medium. She was a mainstay in the great Woody Herman band that "Played the Blues". And when Woody broke up she appeared with the fine group Charlie Ventura fronted. Since that time she has appeared in the best clubs throughout the Nation, ever maintaining her ability to sing a song in her own way and squeeze every drop of emotion from its core.

The folks at Regent have been long impressed by Mary Ann's vocalizing, and were pleased when she agreed to do this album. They believed she should be afforded the best musical background and consequently contacted Ernie Wilkins to do the arrangements and conduct the orchestra. That Ernie's task was successfully completed is evidenced on every track throughout this disc as he provides Miss McCall with a musical base which offers sympathetic as well as stimulating assistance. The group Ernie assembled for the session is as similarly distinguished as its leader, for here he has gathered some of the leading men in East Coast Jazz. They include the more-than-fabulous Joe Wilder on trumpet, a new setting of "Brothers" in the sax section, including Zoot Sims, who was a member of the original cast, Seldon Powell, George Barrow on tenors and Pee Wee Moore on baritone. The men of rhythm are Nat Pierce, piano; Wendall Marshall, bass; and Kenny Clarke, drums. Under Ernie's baton the orchestra ever provides a stimulus for Mary Ann, though never interfering with her singing. – Jack McKinney

From Billboard - January 26, 1957: At the $2.98 retail tag, this is a pretty fair name item. The thrush, to not one of the prime jazz stylists, should have maintained some sizable following since her Woody Herman and Charlie Ventura days. She achieves some neat jazz touches in a good program which includes the title tune, and a good "Deed I Do." Some of the writer credits on the liner ought to be checked. Fine work backing from Erinie Wilkins, and some beautiful trumpet bits by Joe Wilder.

Shake Down The Stars
You Can Depend On Me
Easy Living
Mean To Me
In My Solitude
I Thought About You

Deep Purple
"Deed I Do
It's You Or No One
It's Been So Long