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Sunday, May 15, 2016

Manhattan Serenade - Joe Lipman

Manhattan Serenade
M-G-M Records E3353

Available for download from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample.

Graphically bold early 50s cover art sets the tone for this mood concept package that still sounds fresh today.

Here's a Billboard review for the M-G-M 1954 10" release (E 238): Ace-arranger Joe Lipman's first album for M-G-M is nice light summer fare and could make good late-night, romantic programming for deejays. His instrumental arrangements here are on the conservative side but eminently listenable. The Manhattan albums theme is an old one, but nonetheless commercial.

This is the 1956 Billboard review for this 12" release: Manhattan in its many moods has fascinated composers. The Subject is obviously a good one for a package of theme music, and here it is. Selections depict the various sections of the city at different times. The performance is lush.

From the back cover: Although youthful in appearance, Boston born Joe Lipman is a veteran of over 15 years in the music business. He has achieved a notable reputation both as an arranger and orchestra conductor.

Joe started his musical studies at the ripe age of seven, which he continued studiously through high school. After two weeks in college he decided to concentrate on music and accepted a job as arranger and pianist with Benny Goodman's orchestra. It was his excellent work with Goodman that attracted the attention of Bunny Kerrigan who hired him as conductor and arranger of his newly organized band. While traveling with Kerrigan, Joe was inspired to arrange one of the great jazz classics, "I Can't Get Started With You."

Joe Lipman's career included collaboration with Jimmy Dorsey and Artie Shaw. He was also staff arranger for Perry Como and has conducted and arranged for such luminaries and Nat "King" Cole and Sarrah Vanghan.

Joe likes to maintain a normal home life in a suburb of New York City with his wife and three children.


Manhattan Masquerade
New York Nocturne
Manhattan Moonlight
Penthouse Serenade
Harlem Nocturne
Park Avenue Fantasy
Manhattan Serenade
Midnight In Manhattan
Street Scene
Central Park Romance
Autumn In New York
Manhattan

4 comments:

  1. Highly unlikely. Bunny Berigan died in 1942.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is Bunny Berigan. It's well documented that Lipman arranged for Berigan and played piano in his band. Lipman was born in 1915. See "Bunny Berigan: Elusive Legend of Jazz"
    by Robert Dupuis.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is Bunny Berigan (typo "Kerrigan" above). It's well documented that Lipman arranged for Berigan and played piano in his band. Lipman was born in 1915. See "Bunny Berigan: Elusive Legend of Jazz" by Robert Dupuis.

    ReplyDelete

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