Softly, Baby - Paul Smith

Long Live Phineas

Softly, Baby
Paul Smith Quartet
Barney Kessel appears by arrangement with Contemporary Records
Cover Photo by Lee Friedlander
Capitol Records T829
1957

From the back cover: Paul Smith is many things: arranger, composer, pianist – but mostly pianist. His inventive piano artistry and arrangements were much in evidence in Cascades and Cool and Sparkling, albums that featured Paul and his sextet. Now, his versatile piano style is given still wider range in Softly, Baby. For here, Paul is backed by a smaller group – three outstanding jazzmen who are stars in their own right: guitarist Barney Kessel, drummer Stan Levey and bassist Joe Mondragon.

Softly
Taking A Chance On Love
Easy To Love
Long Live Phineas
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
I'll Remember April
Invitation
I Got Rhythm
The Man I Love
Blues a la P.T.

Do Re Mi In Dance Time - Jule Styne and Eddie Heywood

Cry Like The Wind

Do Re Mi In Dance Time
Music Composed and Conducted by Jule Styne
Featuring the Piano Artistry of Eddie Heywood
Arranged by Henri Rene
Produced by George Avakian and Joe Linhart
Eddie Heywood appears courtesy of Mercury Record Corp.
Recorded in RCA Victor's Studio A, New York City
Recording Engineer: Ernest Oelrich
RCA Victor LPM-2375
1961

From the back cover: The many and distinguished talents of Jule Styne have created a pattern unique in the annuals of modern American music. As a child prodigy, his pianistic prowess was acclaimed by audiences who heard him perform with the country's leading symphony orchestras. While still in his early teens and seeking new worlds to conquer he deserted the classical field to play in orchestras beside such greats as Big Beiderbecke, Benny Goodman, Ben Pollack, Glenn Miller and countless others. This valuable apprenticeship inspired him to form his own band in which he played, arranged, conducted, and first tried his hand at writing songs. (Sunday, written thirty-four years ago remains an all-time standard.)

Mr. Styne's quicksilver curiosity drew him to Hollywood where, as vocal coach and arranger, he helped launch the careers of Alice Faye, Tony Martin, Doris Day and many others. Dissatisfied with the songs used during this period, he began dabbling in composition once more and with skyrocket brilliance catapulted him himself overnight into the top echelon of ASCAP. You could always hear the latest Jule Styne song by tuning in on the "Hit Parade." Triump followed triumph until he regarded his success as excess. The creative instinct in the man was restless, unfulfilled.

So to Broadway – and almost overnight the die was cast; he became not only the composer of long-run smash musicals, but also a remarkably successful producer. As a composer, some of his hits were "High Button Shoes," "Gentleman Prefer Blondes," "Bells Are Ringing" and "Gypsy"; and as a producer, a brilliant revival of "Pal Joey" (conceded to be far better than the original production), "Mr. Wonderful," "Say Darling" and "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?".

And still Jule Styne remains dissatisfied; therefore this album.

Also from the back cover: For the arrangements, he (Styne) has chosen Henri Rene who for several years was A&R man for RCA Victor records on the west coast. Mr. Rene was selected not only for his obvious talents as the guiding force behind so many memorable records of the past, but also for his personal understanding of Mr. Styne's creativity, musical temperament and purposes. For piano soloist, Mr. Styne has chosen Eddie Heywood, surely on of the most articulate and inventive artists of modern jazz.

Make Someone Happy
Ambition
Cry Like The Wind
Adventure
All Of My Life
Fireworks
Asking For You
Take A Job
What's New At The Zoo
I Know About Love
It's Legitimate

Music/Sound Spectacular

Cat Anderson And His Orchestra/ June Bug

Music/Sound Spectacular
Produced by Kaiser Aluminum
Mercury Records SRD-2

David Carroll/Chinatown, My Chinatown
The Platters/Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
John Cali/Waiting For The Robert E. Lee
The Clebanoff Strings/Wild Is The Wind
Griff Williams/ Just One Of Those Things
David Romaine/Hot Canary
Max Roach/Max's Variations
Sarah Vaughan/ Gone With The Wind
The River Boat Five/Colonel Bogey
Cat Anderson And His Orchestra/ June Bug
Patti Page/I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine
Pete Rugolo/My Mother's Eyes

You Can't Have Too Much Of A Good Thing - The Strawberry Street Singers

Too Much Of A Good Thing

You Can't Have Too Much Of A Good Thing
The Strawberry Street Singers
Arranged and Conducted by Marty Manning
Produced by Jim Foglesong and Ernie Altschuler
Recorded in RCA Victor's Studio A, New York City
Recording Engineer: Ed Begley
RCA Victor LSP-3912
1968

From the back cover: The Strawberry Street Singers' initial album is the result of detailed planning on the part of some of the music and recording world's outstanding writing, arranging and production talents. All have united to blend twenty-five happy voices in a choral group to accomplish the impossible – combine the nostalgia of the past with enthusiasm, verve, and the sound of the present. The end result is an album certain to appeal to all age levels. – Sidney H. Ascher

Too Much Of A Good Thing
When I'm Sixty-Four
Strangers (from the TV production "Androcles and the Lion")
Lizette
On The South Side Of Chicago
Step To The Rear (from the musical "How Now, Dow Jones")
The Music Of The World A Turnin'
Our Song
The Happy Time (from the musical production "The Happy Time")
The Windows Of The World
What's More American

Hot Hits 2

Paranoid

Hot Hits 2
Music For Pleasure Ltd, Astronaut House, Feltham, Middlesex
MFP STEREO 1426

Montego Bay
It's So Easy
Paranoid
Band Of Gold
Gasolene Alley Bred
Which Way You Goin' Billy?
Wild World
Sweetheart
Long As I Can See The Light
Love Is Life
Don't Play That Song
You Can Get It If You Really Want It

Mambo Jambo / Prado Mania - Bobby Gil

Mambo Jambo

Mambo Jambo & Prado Mania
Members Of The Perez Prado Orchestra
Bobby Gil Conducting
Recorded at Sound Enterprises, Hollywood, California
Photography: Ron Vogel
Cover: Charles Meggs
Crown Records CLP 5106 & CST 137
1959

Personel:

Tony Facciuto, Mike Akopoff, John Anderson, Marvin Brown and Don Cinquemani - Trumpet
Carlos Falco - Trombone
Bill Carson and Ralph Cacho - Alto
Modesto Briseno - Baritone
Frank Leal - Tenor
Bobby Gil - Organ
Tony Reyes - Bass
Carlos Vidal and Sam Sloneker - Congos
Carlos Amejio - Bongos
Richard Wilson - Drums
Gerald Rivera - Timbals

Mambo Jambo
Mambo #5
La Paloma
Estrellita
La Cucaracha
Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White
Patricia
Historian de un Amour
La Golondrina

Chapanecas

Hollywood Favorites - Ethel Smith

Love Is A Many-Spendored Thing

Hollywood Favorites
Ethel Smith
Orchestra Conducted by Horace Diaz
Decca Records DL 74618
1965

From the back cover: What Ethel Smith can do with the Hammond organ continues to be nothing short of magical. And whatever the type of music, whatever the mood, whatever the tempo, it always comes forth with a special, personal sparkle and vitality. Her impeccable taste and inimitable style are as distinguished as they are unforgettable.

Charade
Dear Heart
Days Of Wine And Roses
Love Is A Many-Spendored Thing
Theme From "Black Orpheus" (Manha De Carnaval)
Laura
Never On A Sunday
More (Theme From "Mondo Cane")
Theme From "Exodous"
Theme From "A Summer Place"
Moonglow And Theme From "Picnic"
Hi-Lili Hi-Lo

Jazz Spectacular - Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton

Jazz Spectacular
Frankie Laine and Buck Clayton and His Orchestra
Featuring J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding
Columbia CL 808
1956

Available from online vendors so I will not be posting a sample presented here to share the cover art and notes excerpt.

From the back cover: The combination of Frankie Laine and Buck Clayton's swinging band and arrangements on records has turned out to be a natural. But there was ample evidence that it would turn out this way from the beginning of the date. Frank and Buck are old friends who have worked together, admired each other for many years, and, most important, share the same enthusiasm for the same brand of swinging jazz. Moreover, Buck's band includes many of Frank's favorite jazz stars: Sir Charles Thompson (courtesy of Vanguard Records), piano, Hilton Jefferson, alto sax, Jo Jones, drums, and Budd Johnson, tenor sax. The session on which these sides were made took place at Columbia's 30th Street Studios between Frank's shows at New York's famed Latin Quarter. The Clayton band includes, in addition to the above personnel, Milt Hinton, bass, Clifton Bests, guitar, Nick Nicholas, tenor sax, Dave McRae, baritone sax, Ray Copeland, trumpet, and Urbie Green, trombone.

From Billboard - February 16, 1956: A sampling of this set, issued on an EP last November, reportedly sold well to both pop and standard jazz customers. Now, severn tasty morsels have been added to the original three – "Baby, Baby All The Time," "Rose Of Picardy" and "Taking A Chance On Love." It's swing-style jazz, comfortable as old shoes, warm and expressive. Laine is in good voice and mood, and he wails thru-out. Clayton's best track is his lyrical "My Old Flame." The Kai and Jay trombone team is a big musical and sales plus on several tracks. Should sell strongly over a broad area.

S'posin'
Stars Fell On Alabama
Until The Real Thing Comes Along
My Old Flame
You Can Depend On Me
That Old Feeling
Taking A Chance On Love
If You Were Mine
Baby, Baby All The Time
Roses Of Picardy

The Shadow Of Your Smile

The Shadow Of Your Smile

The Shadow Of Your Smile
Design Records SLP-251

The Shadow Of Your Smile

Gigi

More

I Could Have Danced All Night

Moon River

Call Me Irresponsible

None But The Lonely Heart

I Will Wait For You

Fascination

Forget Domani

Current Hits Vol. No. 4

Our Day Will Come

Current Hits
Vol. No. 4
Producer: Bill Beasley
Recorder: Sam Phillips Recording Studio, Nashville, Tennessee
Engineers: Billy Sherrill & Cecil Scaife
Compatible Mastering: Beltone Recording Studio, New York
Cover Layout: A. R. Mac Pherson Company, Nashville, Tennessee
Hit Records HLP 1004

Let's Limbo Some More
Blame It On The Bossa Nova
Let's Turkey Trot
One Broken Heart For Sale
Ruby Baby
You're The Reason I'm Living
End Of The World
What Will My Mary Say
Our Day Will Come
South Street
Walk Like A Man
Send Me Some Lovin'