More Of The Great Lorez Alexandria

 

Angel Eyes

More Of The Great Lorez Alexandria

Produced by Tutti Camarata

Cover Design: Robert Flynn/Viceroy

Cover and Liner Photos: Roger Marshut

Liner Design: Joe Lebow

Impulse STEREO A-76

Impulse Records, a product of ABC-Paramount Records, Inc.

From the inside cover: The transformation of Dolorez Alexandria Turner, a 15-year-old religious singer of spirituals in a choir, to Lorez Alexandria the Great (see Impulse A-62), a mature song stylist, has ben taking place for almost ten years. Like her male counterpart, Johnny Hartman (another recent acquisition of Impulse's), Miss Alexandria has worked hard and learned well in the school of experience. Her work today is excitingly individualistic.

Lorez Alexandria has a rare ability of taking a wide range of material – here we have song from France and Brazil, a tune written expressly for the late Billie Holiday, a number composed by an artist identified with rock 'n roll, two Broadway show melodies, a couple of lead songs from motion pictures scores, and a hit tune by television's Steve Allen – and lending her own interpretation to the songs without disturbing the originally intended moods. She makes no attempt to imitate any singer who might have become identified with a particular number. Yet, when she sings No More, the listener is reminded of Miss Holiday without really hearing her. Lady Day's feeling is present, but the reaction to that feeling is Miss Alexandria's. 

Two over-all factors contribute considerably to the pleasing results of this vocalist's latest recordings: One is the careful selection of songs with interesting words and music. The other is the high caliber of her accompanists. This writer is sure Miss Alexandria will understand if I say the album is worth getting for Wynton Kelly's piano alone. Kelly, who once spent around three years as accompanist for the late Dinah Washington, beautifully paraphrases Miss Alexandria's ideas – ideas that sometimes make her sound as though she were using her voice as a horn.

More important than the above-mentioned factors is that Lorez Alexandria possesses a well-rounded talent. Besides the firm foundation built from her early training in choral work, she has been endowed with a good contralto vice, tonal control, perfect dictation, and a musicianly approach to the interpretations of lyrics.

Miss Alexandria is married to her manager, Dave Nelson, a native of Georgetown, British Guiana, and is a full-time resident of Los Angeles, California. These tracks, as were the previous album's (Impulse A-62), were recorded during 1964 on the West Coast. They were produced by longtime conductor-arranger Tutti Camarata and were intended for a projected new label that failed to materialize. Tutti contacted his old friend, Bob Thiele at Impulse and, after hearing the unissued tapes, he decided that they were an ideal introductory release for the label's "new find." – George Hoefer, Contributor, Down Beat, Associate Editor, Jazz Magazine

From Billboard - May 27, 1965: A bright new find! A sophisticated singer supported by superior musicians. Miss Alexandria's lucid style is shown to great advantage, thank to the production of the venerable Tutti Camarata. As an added attraction, Wynton Kelly (with Dinah Washington for about three years) plays the sort of piano all vocalists hope for but seldom get.

But Beautiful

Little Boat

Dancing On The Ceiling

It Might As Well Be Spring

Once

The Wildest Gal In Town

Angel Eyes

This Could Be The Start Of Something Big

No More

That Far Away Look