Porgy And Bess - George Rhodes

 

Summertime

Porgy And Bess

Arranged and Conducted by George Rhodes

Recorded December 1958

AAMCO Records

A Division of Alison Enterprises, Inc.

1959

From the back cover: George Rhodes too, wanted to have his interpretation be, "all of one piece," and so he carefully selected exactly the musicians and singers he wanted. In the band, the trumpets are Reunald Jones, Sr. (lead); Ray Copeland (open solos); and Taft Jordan (the muted and growl work). Trombones include Elmer Crumbley and Richard Harris, who took most of the solos. In the reed section were: George Dorsey, alto and flute; Reuben Phillips, alto; Seldon Powell, tenor; and Heywood Henry, baritone. All doubled on clarinet. In the rhythm section were George Rhodes, piano; Herbie Lovelle, drums; and alternating on bass were Joe Benjamin and Bill Pemberton. Arranger-pianist George Rhodes has played with Arnett Cobb, Joyce Bryant, Jonah Jones, Sammy Davis, Jr., and was freelancing before he joined the staff of Aamco Records.

Outstanding in this album are Rebecca Hall, (heard recently in the successful Aamco album, A Tribute To Bessie Smith), and Carnegie Burruss. Rebecca, or Becky to her friends, displays a warmth and feeling for lyric in this album rarely found in vocalists today. Carnegie possesses the ability to run the tremendous emotional scope needed in this demanding work of Gershwin.

From Billboard - May 8, 1959: Still another bid for the sales on "Porky and Bess." This disk, arranged and conducted  by George Rhodes features vocals by Rebecca Hall and Carnegie Burruss. The off-beat musical interpretation may help capture the sales for this version.

Summertime 

A Sometime Thing
My Man’s Gone
I Got Plenty Of Nothing
Bess You Is My Woman Now
Boat Leaving
My Bess
It Ain’t Necessarily So