Ethel Ennis

 

Blue Willow

Ethel Ennis

Pickwick/33 PC-3021

From the back cover: Ethel Ennis only has a few things in her favor – youth, beauty and an enormous amount of talent. One of the sparkling song stylists to emerge in recent years, Ethel is now rapidly ascending to stardom to join a select company of artists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.

Traces of Billie, Ella and Sarah may be found in Ethel but, like all genuine artists, she ultimately goes her own way. Ethel's individuality lies in her light-textured voice, her airy beat, her lyrical sensitivity and her relaxed embrace of each song.

Ethel is a Baltimore girl. She studied piano and voice there but made her professional debut in Philadelphia in 1950 on the Paul Whiteman Amateur Show. Success did not come immediately or easily. It was not until 1958, when Benny Goodman selected her as the vocalist to tour Europe with his all-star band, that she found a firm footing. Back in the U. S., Ethel spread her wings as a solo thrush in some of the country's top night clubs.

The album reveals Ethel's distinctive way with a ballad on a group of interesting songs that have no t generally been overworked on records. Ethel gives a secret caress in her renditions of "Dreamer, Dreamer," "Lullaby For Losers" and "You Better Go Now," and then is ready to break your heart in "Say It Ain't So, Joe" and "Blue Prelude." When Ethel is up at bat, everything is a hit. – Herman Schoenfeld - Music Editor of Variety

Blue Prelude

Dreamer, Dreamer

Off Shore

Casually

Hey Jacques

You'd Better Go Now

Lullaby Of Leaves

Say It Ain't So Joe

Blue Willow

Bon Voyage