Julie... At Home - Julie London

 

The Thrill Is Gone

Julie ...at home

Julie London

Producer: Si Waronker

Engineer: John Kraus

Cover Design: Pate/Francis & Associates

Cover Photograph: Garrett-Howard, Inc.

Liberty Records LST 7152

1960

From the back cover: Everyone feels relaxed and at ease in a warm home atmosphere. That's why Julie London and Liberty Records decided to record this album in Julie's own living room away from the cold formality of a recording studio. Because of these relaxed surroundings and the fact that Julie's talent as a hostess is only exceeded by her talent as a musician, I have never been associated with a more pleasant recording session.

Everything about this album was enjoyable and satisfying from a musical standpoint. To begin with, Joule is wonderful to work with. Everyone around her responds to that intimate, relaxed feeling. And she uses her voice like an instrument – warm and easy without self-consciousness.

The wonderful choice of musicians also had a great deal to do with making this a rewarding experience. Standout musicians like Al Viola, Earl Palmer, Don Bailey, Emil Richards and Bob Flanagan can be counted on to make a real contribution to the musical mood or feeling of a record. They inspire the confidence of the singer and each other.

Each of the two session began in the afternoon and continued until everyone was happy with the results. I might add that being greeted at the door by lovely Julie London and ushered into a warm and beautiful living room is my idea of the right way to start every record session. We all talked over what we were going to do while we were warming up. We would play for a while and then talk about it. Everybody contributed to the discussions an we'd try out their ideas. Every once in a while we'd stop for refreshments, shoot the breeze a little and then go back to work... (this is work?)

It's a small wonder, then, that this album contains some pretty inspired music, always relaxed so as to point up Julie's great vocal work. If we'd been any more relaxed we couldn't have moved.

On the first date, after most of the men had gone home, Al Viola stuck around for a while. Julie and Al got to trying out a couple of ideas by themselves on Everything Happens To Me and You've Changed. They turned out so great that those two tunes were included in the album just as they were... just Julie and guitar. The second evening Bob Flanagan dropped by to pay a social call. We talked him into getting his horn out of the car and he "sat in" with some nice trombone work.

It has become a cliché in show business to say, "I hope you enjoy this as much as we enjoyed doing it." In the case of this album I can wholeheartedly say it and mean it." In fact, I enjoyed myself so much that I almost felt guilty about accepting the check. – Jimmy Rowles

You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

Lonesome Road

They Didn't Believe Me

By Myself

The Thrill Is Gone

You've Changed

Goodbye

Sentimental Journey

Give Me The Simple Life

You Stepped Out Of A Dream

Let There Be Love

Everything Happens To Me