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

PEGGY LEE - MIRRORS (1975-2001) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 
Intelligent, evocative, understated, and mature are words that come to mind when describing this 1975 recording. The album is the reflection of a middle-aged woman pondering her present life while romanticizing the past, knowing full well that, in the words of the last song, "We're longing for a simpler time that never was." Written and produced by Leiber & Stoller, and sung in the soft, breathy style of Peggy Lee, the listener is taken through a journey of songs that often evoke a sense of melancholy, even when the lyrical content seems upbeat, such as on "I've Got Them Feelin' Too Good Today Blues." Thoughtful and understated arrangements by Johnny Mandel do a superb job of supporting but never overpowering the lyrics or the vocal style of Lee. Several songs musically evoke what is implied in the title. "Professor Hauptmann's Performing Dogs," for instance, brings to mind sounds reminiscent of the circus. In less skilled hands, musically representing what is lyrically conveyed might not work, but in the talented hands of Leiber, Stoller, and Mandel, it works wonderfully. This is an album where it is apparent the singer, songwriters, and arranger all worked together to make an album worthy of the talents of everyone involved -- they certainly succeeded in that goal. by Michael Ofjord 
Tracklist:
1     Is That All There Is? 4:21
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
2     Ready to Begin Again (Manya's Song) 3:26
Arranged By, Conductor – Perry Botkin, Jr.
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
3     Some Cats Know 4:18
Arranged By, Conductor – Meco Monardo
Engineer [Recording] – Carmine Rubino, Pete Romano
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
4     I've Got Them Feelin' Too Good Today Blues 2:20
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
5     A Little White Ship 3:10
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
6     Tango 5:21
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
7     Professor Hauptmann's Performing Dogs 5:40
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
8     The Case of M.J.2:54
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
9     I Remember 2:51
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
10     Say It 3:58
Jerry Leiber / Frank Loesser / Jimmy McHugh / Mike Stoller
11     Longings for a Simpler Time 3:54
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
Credits:
Accordion – Stephen Paietta
Arranged By, Conductor – Johnny Mandel
Bass – Joe Mondragon, Ray Brown
Cello – Anne Goodman, Dennis Karmazyn, Edgar Lustgarten, Jackie Lustgarten, Jesse Levy
Cello, Bass – Fred Seykora
Drums, Percussion – Alvin Stoller, Emil Radocchia, Gene Estes, Jack Ranelli, Joseph Porcaro, John Guerin, Ken Park, Kenneth Watson, Larry Bunker, Mark Stevens, Victor Feldman
Guitar [Banjo] – Dennis Budimir, John Pisano, Tommy Tedesco
Harp – Corky Hale
Horns – Alan Robinson, Marilyn Robinson, Vincent DeRosa
Keyboards – Artie Kane, Clare Fischer, Don Grusin, Michael Lang, Mike Melvoin, Varda Ullman
Trombone – Charles Loper, Chauncy Welsch, Richard Nash, Kenneth Shroyer, Mike Vlatkovich, Phillip Tule
Trumpet – Buddy Childers, Charles Findley, Joe Burnett, Malcolm McNab, Paul Hubinon, Anthony Terran
Tuba – John Johnson, Bill Masonheimer
Viola – Allan Harshman, Barbara Thomason, David Schwartz, Julien Barber, Virginia Majewski
Violin – Arnold Belnick, Assa Drori, Betty Lamagna, Blanche Belnick, Carl Lamagna, Elliot Rosoff, Erno Neufeld, Gerald Vinci, Guy Lumia, Harry Bluestone, Irving Geller, John Pintavalle, Marcy Dicterow, Mari Tsumura, Norman Carr, Paul Shure, Richard Sortomme, Shari Zippert, Sheldon Sanov, Tony Posk, Wilbert Nuttycombe, William Kurasch
Woodwind – Abe Most, Bill Perkins, Bud Shank, Gene Cipriano, George Young, Georgia Alwan, Harry Klee, Jack Nimitz, Jerome Richardson, John Neufeld, Norman Benno, Ronald Langinger, Tom Scott