FRED ASTAIRE - The Astaire Story (1953-1988) 2xCD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Because he was world renowned as a dancer and quite popular as a movie actor, Fred Astaire has tended to be underrated (if not completely overlooked) as a jazz singer. Although not really an improviser, Astaire's phrasing always swung and his occasional vocals on record were usually a joy. This two-CD set is something special for it features Astaire with six members of Jazz at the Philharmonic: tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips, trumpeter Charlie Shavers, pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Barney Kessel, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Alvin Stoller. Astaire sings 34 swing standards (many of which he had originally introduced in movies), dances on three ad-lib numbers, and sits out on the instrumental "Jam Session"; the musicians have plenty of opportunities to stretch out. The biggest surprise to this classic deluxe box (which was originally four-LPs) is that Fred Astaire did not do similar projects more often throughout his career. Highly recommended. by Scott Yanow

Tracklist 1:

1 Isn't This a Lovely Day? 4:26

Irving Berlin

2 Puttin' on the Ritz 2:51

Irving Berlin

3 I Used to Be Color Blind 4:14

Irving Berlin

4 The Continental 3:28

Con Conrad / Herbert Magidson

5 Let's Call the Whole Thing Off 4:36

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin

6 Change Partners 3:13

Irving Berlin

7 'S Wonderful 2:56

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin

8 Lovely to Look At 3:26

Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern / Jimmy McHugh

9 They All Laughed 2:55

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin

10 Cheek to Cheek 5:39

Irving Berlin 

11 Steppin' Out with My Baby 2:22

Irving Berlin

12 The Way You Look Tonight 2:57

Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern

13 I've Got My Eyes on You 2:57

Cole Porter

14 Dancing in the Dark 4:45

Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz

15 The Carioca 4:48

Edward Eliscu / Gus Kahn / Vincent Youmans

16 Nice Work If You Can Get It 2:07

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin

17 New Sun in the Sky 2:27

Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz

18 I Won't Dance 3:01

Dorothy Fields / Otto Harbach / Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern / Jimmy McHugh

19 Fast Dances 2:24

Tracklist 2:

1 Top Hat, White Tie and Tails 4:00

Irving Berlin

2 No Strings (I'm Fancy Free) 2:54
Irving Berlin / Richard Rodgers
3 I Concentrate on You 2:43

Cole Porter

4 I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket 2:54

Irving Berlin

5 A Fine Romance 3:43

Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern

6 Night and Day 5:22

Cole Porter

7 Fascinating Rhythm 2:41

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin

8 I Love Louisa 2:40

Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz

9 Slow Dances 2:55
10 Medium Dances 2:01
11 They Can't Take That Away from Me 4:22

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin

12 You're Easy to Dance With 3:22

Irving Berlin

13 A Needle in a Haystack 2:22

Con Conrad / Herbert Magidson

14 So Near and Yet So Far 3:18

Cole Porter

15 A Foggy Day 4:00

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin

16 Oh, Lady Be Good 5:01

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin

17 I'm Building Up to an Awful Letdown 3:59

Fred Astaire / Johnny Mercer

18 Not My Girl 3:37

Fred Astaire / Desmond Carter / V. Phillips

19 Jam Session 6:34

BENNY CARTER - Jazz Giant (1958-2004) SACD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Benny Carter had already been a major jazz musician for nearly 30 years when he recorded this particularly strong septet session for Contemporary. With notable contributions from tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, trombonist Frank Rosolino and guitarist Barney Kessel, Carter (who plays a bit of trumpet on "How Can You Lose") is in superb form on a set of five standards and two of his originals. This timeless music is beyond the simple categories of "swing" or "bop" and should just be called "classic". by Scott Yanow
 Tracklist 
1 Old Fashioned Love 7:46
Written-By – Cecil Mack, James P. Johnson
2 I'm Coming Virginia 5:45
Written-By – Donald Heywood, Will Marion Cook
3 A Walkin' Thing 5:55
Written-By – Benny Carter
4 Blue Lou 5:02
Written-By – Edgar M. Sampson, Irving Mills
5 Ain't She Sweet 3:32
Written-By – Jack Yellen, Milton Ager
6 How Can You Lose 6:12
Written-By – Benny Carter
7 Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me 4:32
Written-By – Arthur N. Swanstone, Carey Morgan, Charles R. McCarron
Credits
Alto Saxophone – Benny Carter (tracks: 1, 3 to 7)
Bass – Leroy Vinnegar
Drums – Shelly Manne
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Piano – André Previn (tracks: 1, 4 to 7), Jimmy Rowles (tracks: 2, 3)
Producer – Lester Koenig
Tenor Saxophone – Ben Webster (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)
Trombone – Frank Rosolino (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)
Trumpet – Benny Carter (tracks: 2, 6)

JUNE CHRISTY - Something Cool (The Complete Mono & Stereo Versions) (2001) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

June Christy's Something Cool, originally released as a 10" LP in 1954, single-handedly inaugurated the cool jazz vocal movement. Christy had been a star vocalist with the Stan Kenton Orchestra in the late '40s, enjoying major hits with "Tampico" and "Shoo Fly Pie & Apple Pan Dowdy." Soon after she left the band, she began working with key Kenton arranger Pete Rugolo and a slew of top West Coast studio musicians (including her husband, tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper) on her first solo album for Capitol Records. The result was Something Cool, which is both a winning showcase for Christy's wistful style and a landmark of cool jazz modernism. From the start, Christy established herself as an artist who strove for the very best in song selection, arrangements, and notably intelligent interpretation. There were perhaps other vocalists with greater vocal equipment, but few could match June Christy's artistic integrity. The celebrated title track is the soliloquy of a female barfly of a certain age, reminiscing (and fantasizing) about better days to a fellow male patron who just might buy her another drink. It immediately became Christy's signature performance, and remained so throughout her career. Other highlights include a swinging "It Could Happen to You," "Midnight Sun," and an ambitious arrangement of Kurt Weill's "Lonely House." by Richard Mortifoglio  
Tracklist:
1 Something Cool 4:17
Bass – Joe Confort 
Drums – Frank Carlson
Flute, Alto Saxophone – Gus Bivona
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Piano – Geoff Clarkson 
Trumpet – Jimmy Zito 
Written-By – Bill Barnes 
2 It Could Happen To You 1:55
Written-By – J. Van Heusen, J. Burke 
3 Lonely House 3:56
Written-By – K. Weill, L. Hughes
4 This Time The Dream's On Me 1:29
Written-By – H. Arlen-J. Mercer 
5 The Night We Called It A Day 4:48
Written-By – M. Dennis*, T. Adair 
6 Midnight Sun 3:13
Alto Saxophone – Skeets Herfurt, Willie Schwartz 
Bass Trombone – Dick Noel  
Drums – Alvin Stoller
Guitar – Tony Rizzi
Piano – Paul Smith  
Tenor Saxophone – Fred Fallensby
Trombone – Dick Reynolds, Nick DiMaio
Trumpet – Ray Linn, Ray Triscari, Uan Rasey
Written-By – Mercer, Hampton, Burke 
7 I'll Take Romance 2:19
Written-By – B. Oakland, O. Hammerstein 
8 A Stranger Called The Blues 3:56
Written-By – M. Torme, R. Wells 
9 I Should Care 2:08
Written-By – Stordahl, Weston, Cahn
10 Softly As In A Morning Sunrise 2:13
Piano – Claude Williamson
Trombone – Bob Fitzpatrick
Written-By – O. Hammerstein, S. Romberg
11 I'm Thrilled 2:39
Written-By – S. Lippman, S. Dee
12 Something Cool 4:57
Written-By – Bill Barnes
13 It Could Happen To You 2:00
Written-By – J. Van Heusen, J. Burke
14 Lonely House 4:03
Written-By – K. Weill, L. Hughes
15 This Time The Dream's On Me 1:36
Written-By – H. Arlen-J. Mercer
16 The Night We Called It A Day 4:53
Written-By – M. Dennis T. Adair
17 Midnight Sun 3:31
Written-By – Mercer, Hampton, Burke
18 I'll Take Romance 2:20
Written-By – B. Oakland, O. Hammerstein
19 A Stranger Called The Blues 4:19
Written-By – M. Torme, R. Wells
20 I Should Care 2:11
Written-By – Stordahl, Weston, Cahn
21 Softly As In A Morning Sunrise 2:14
Written-By – O. Hammerstein, S. Romberg
22 I'm Thrilled 2:47
Written-By – S. Lippman, S. Dee
Credits:
Alto Flute – Bud Shank (tracks: 4, 5, 11), Harry Klee (tracks: 4, 5, 11)
Alto Saxophone [Soloist] – Bud Shank
Alto Saxophone, Flute – Bud Shank (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 22), Harry Klee (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 9, 11, 12, 14 to 17, 20, 21)
Arranged By, Conductor – Pete Rugolo
Baritone Saxophone – Bob Gordon (tracks: 4, 5, 10, 11), Chuck Gentry (tracks: 1, 6 to 8), Johnny Rotella (tracks: 2, 3, 9)
Bass – Harry Babasin (tracks: 4, 5, 11), Joe Mondragon (tracks: 2, 3, 6 to 10, 12 to 22)
Bass Trombone – George Roberts (tracks: 1, 12 to 22)
Drums – Larry Bunker (tracks: 12 to 22), Shelly Manne (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 11)
Flute – Ted Nash (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 9)
French Horn – John Graas (tracks: 2, 3, 7 to 9), Vincent DeRosa (tracks: 4, 5, 11, 13 to 16, 18 to 20, 22)
Guitar – Howard Roberts (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 11), Jack Marshall (tracks: 12 to 22)
Piano – Claude Williamson (tracks: 4, 5, 11), Joe Castro (tracks: 12 to 22), Russ Freeman (tracks: 2, 3, 7 to 9)
Reeds – Buddy Collette (tracks: 13, 18, 19, 22), Chuck Gentry (tracks: 12 to 22)
Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Giuffre (tracks: 4, 5, 10, 11), Ted Nash (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 9)
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Bob Cooper (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 10, 12 to 22), Paul Horn (tracks: 12 to 22)
Trombone – Frank Rosolino (tracks: 4, 5, 11 to 22), Harry Betts (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 9, 11, 12, 17, 21), Herbie Harper (tracks: 1, 10), Milt Bernhart (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 22), Tommy Pederson (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 9)
Trumpet – Conrad Gozzo, Conte Candoli (tracks: 10, 12 to 22), Frank Beach (tracks: 6, 12 to 22), Maynard Ferguson (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 9, 11), Ollie Mitchell (tracks: 12, 17, 21), Shorty Rogers (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 11)
Tuba – Paul Sarmento (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 9, 11), Phil Stephens (tracks: 13 to 16, 18 to 20, 22)
Vocals – June Christy

THELMA GRACEN - Night And Day (1955-1990) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Thelma Gracen's lone EmArcy date boasts a warm, nocturnal atmosphere that belies the precision and complexity of its performances. Guitarist Barney Kessel, tenorist Georgie Auld, and pianist Lou Levy are all in top form, delivering graceful, almost effortless support that encircles Gracen's vocals like a kind of halo effect. Her cool, sophisticated interpretations of chestnuts like "I'll Remember April" and "Night and Day" immediately bring to mind the likes of Anita O'Day and Chris Connor, but Gracen possesses a style and intelligence all her own -- it's a shame her discography is so slim. web
Tracklist
1 I'll Remember April 2:50
Patricia Johnston / Gene Paul / Don Raye
2 Night and Day 3:01
Cole Porter
3 I'll Never Be the Same 4:18
Gus Kahn / Matty Malneck / Frank Signorelli
4 Tea for Two 2:36
Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans
5 I'll Get By 3:41
Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk
6 Out of Nowhere 2:36
John W. Green / Edward Heyman
7 Solitude 3:56
Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington
8 Just You Just Me 1:48
Jesse Greer / Raymond Klages
9 I'm Yours 4:14
John W. Green / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
10 People Will Say We're in Love 2:46
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
11 More Than You Know 3:49
Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose / Vincent Youmans
12 Let There Be Love 2:01
Ian Murray Seafield Grant / Lionel Rand
Credits:
Quen Anderson (tb),
Georgie Auld (ts),
Lou Levy (p),
Barney Kessel (g),
Joe Comfort (b),
Sid Bulkin (ds),
Thelma Gracen (vo).
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on November 10, 1955.

BILLIE HOLIDAY - 1952 {CC, 1285} (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Billie Holiday's recording career can be viewed in three distinct phases. The singer's evolution begins with the Vocalion/OKeh/Columbia years, steadily maturing throughout the Commodore, Decca, and latter-day Columbia sessions, then ripening into music of incredible poignancy as she recorded almost exclusively with Norman Granz for his Clef and Verve labels during the 1950s. The material reissued on this disc, recorded during the spring and summer of 1952, presents Lady Day in full bloom. There is within each of these songs a powerful elegance that is both meditative and intoxicating. Here are the slow love songs, more relaxed than ever before, with magical turns of phrasing that rise above the band like smoke in the air. When the tempo picks up, as in the old Busby Berkeley number "I Only Have Eyes for You," Billie's trustworthy trumpeting pal Charlie Shavers injects a bit of mustard into the mix. But most of the material here is languid and the overall effect is that of a jazz lieder recital where songs are savored rather than being spooled out in haste. While most of the recordings conform to the three or three-and-a-half-minute range that had been dictated for years by the 10" 78-rpm record, "Everything I Have Is Yours" and "Autumn in New York" approach the four-minute mark, anticipating the emergence of the LP, a development that would allow jazz musicians to stretch out like never before. And "stretching out" is exactly what these people are doing as they carefully render these 21 songs of love and heartbreak. by arwulf arwulf
Tracklist:
1 East of the Sun (And West of the Moon) 2:57
Brooks Bowman
2 Blue Moon 3:32
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
3 You Go to My Head 2:58
J. Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie
4 You Turned the Tables On Me 3:29
Louis Alter / Sidney Mitchell
5 Easy to Love 3:02
Cole Porter
6 These Foolish Things 3:35
Harry Link / Holt Marvell / Jack Strachey
7 I Only Have Eyes for You 2:54
Al Dubin / Harry Warren 
8 Solitude 3:32
Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
9 Everything I Have Is Yours 3:46
Harold Adamson / Burton Lane
10 Love for Sale 2:58
Cole Porter
11 Moonglow 3:01
Eddie DeLange / Will Hudson / Irving Mills
12 Tenderly 3:25
Walter Gross / Jack Lawrence
13 If the Moon Turns Green 2:47
Paul Coates / Bernie Hanighen
14 Remember 2:37
Irving Berlin
15 Autumn in New York 3:53
Vernon Duke
16 My Man 2:39
Jacques Charles / Channing Pollack / Albert Willemetz / Maurice Yvain
17 Lover, Come Back to Me 3:37
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
18 Stormy Weather 3:43
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
19 Yesterdays 2:50
Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern
20 He's Funny That Way 3:13 
Neil Moret (Chas. N. Daniels) / Richard A. Whiting
21 I Can't Face the Music 3:13
Rube Bloom / Ted Koehler

CLAIRE AUSTIN - Claire Austin Sings "When Your Lover Has Gone" (1954-1991) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The history of jazz and blues is full of talented artists who were obscure but didn't deserve to be. One example is Claire Austin, an expressive jazz/blues vocalist who was as proficient with intimate, introspective torch singing as she was with more extroverted classic blues. Claire Austin Sings When Your Lover Has Gone was recorded for Contemporary in 1955 and 1956, and finds Austin favoring vulnerable, relaxed, subtle torch singing (her phrasing could be described as an appealing combination of Mildred Bailey, Peggy Lee, and Billie Holiday). As a torch singer, she embraces the songbooks of great pop composers like Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, and the Gershwin Brothers. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist:
1    When Your Lover Has Gone 4:29      
Einar A. Swan
2    Can't We Talk It Over 3:40   
Ned Washington / Victor Young
3    My Melancholy Baby 3:52 
Ernie Burnett / George Norton
4    I'll Never Be the Same 4:38
Gus Kahn / Matty Malneck / Frank Signorelli5    Lover, Come Back to Me 4:06   
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
6    The House Is Haunted (By the Echo of Your Last Goodbye) 3:59     
Basil Adlam / Billy Rose
7    I'm Thru With Love 4:11 
Gus Kahn / Fud Livingston / Matty Malneck
8    Someone to Watch over Me 4:23
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
9    Come Rain or Come Shine 4:10 
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
10    What Is This Thing Called Love? 4:09
Cole Porter
- Bonus Tracks -
11    The World's Jazz Crazy    2:46
12    Down Hearted Blues    3:05
13    See See Rider    3:52
14    Good Time Flat Blues    2:55
15    Careless Love    3:13
16    Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out    3:10
17    Mecca Flat Blues    3:12
18    'Fore Day Creep    3:34
Credits:
Bass – Ed Garland (tracks: 11-18), Morty Corb (tracks: 1-10)
Drums – Minor Hall (tracks: 11-18), Shelly Manne (tracks: 1-10)
Guitar – Barney Kessel (tracks: 1-10)
Piano – Don Ewell (tracks: 11-18), Stan Wrightsman (tracks: 1-10)
Trombone – Kid Ory (tracks: 11-18)
Trumpet – Bob Scobey (tracks: 1-10)
Vocals – Claire Austin

#1-4, 6-10: Recorded in Los Angeles, CA; April 13, 1955.
#5: Recorded in Los Angeles, CA; February 16, 1956.
Originally released on Contemporary (C 5002).
#11-18: Recorded in Losa Angeles, CA; April 2, 1954.
Originally released as the 10-inch LP "Claire Austin Sings The Blues With Kid Ory" (Good Time Jazz L-24).