Starring Al Hibbler

 

I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance

Starring Al Hibbler

Vocal with Orchestra Directed by Jack Pleis

Decca Records DL 8328

1956

From the back cover: There is something magical and thoroughly original in the singing style of Al Hibbler. To put it into words what happens exactly when he opens his wonderful pipes is difficult at best.

His unique phrasing, his octave slides, his foggy, deep-throated quality, taken separately, might spell a limited performer. But add them up, together with Hibbler's highly personalized interpretation of a song – and what is says – and you have what is without question one of the most convincingly soulful, compelling voices in today's musical world.

Duke Ellington, an intellectual man with a gift for an occasional phrase, was so sold on what he called Hibbler's "tonal pantomime" that he featured him as his band singer for eight years.

Sytlewise, the Hibbler voice can never be narrowly categorized as pop, blues, or jazz. His is an "across the board" appeal which might better be simply labelled entertainment – as shown on the one hand by his smash successes in New York's Birdland, jazz headquarters for the throngs, and in other palaces of the night – but more impressively in his repeated returns to network TV via the Ed Sullivan show and his wide "all-market" appeal on single records as well as albums.

Other Al Hibbler albums have been made, it's true. But make no mistake, none can take the spotlight from the great new selection in this current Hibbler package. Here is the fascinating subject of love – love in various reflective moods. Here's the place perhaps where Hibbler shines, as jazzophiles would say, "the most!" – Red Grevatt

After The Light Go Low

I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance

You'll Never Know

Night And Day

Pennies From Heaven

Shanghai Lil

Stella By Starlight

September In The Rain

Where Are You

Count Every Star

There Are Such Things

Where Or When