Ellington's Ladies

Clockwise: Ivie Anderson; Phyllis Hyman; Etta James; Blossom Dearie; and Dinah Washington.

Tonight, to continue the celebration of ny nephew's wedding, I decided I would love to showcase some brilliant songs by Duke Ellington, sung by some amazingly talented and beautiful ladies. Truly, this post was inspired by the beautiful Jazz music by Aaron Bridgers, the longtime lover of Billy Strayhorn, who worked with Ellington, as an arranger, musician, and writer. You can check him out on Queer Music Heritage. Now, that just put me in mind of Duke Ellington, who certainly deserves attention for his lush music, as well as his support for early LGBT artists. I will start with a true Jazz standard, "Mood Indigo". It was written in 1930 as a instrumental, but was instantly so popular, lyrics were written for it. Many years later, it was sung by Dinah Washington, one of a long list of singers who got their start in church choirs. Unfortunately, she is also on a long list of singers who left us much too early, with drugs involved. Her voice was special, as you can hear on "Mood Indigo".



Next up, we have Ivie Anderson, who sang for Ellington's orchestra from 1931 to 1942, when she had to step off the road due to a chronic asthma. But her clear and sweet tone was popular, and she also made some appearances in movies, like with the Marx Brothers in 'A Day At The Races'. I found this video of her performing the great song, "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)". The song has music by Ellington and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, and was published in 1941.



The next song is another one starting out as an instrumental. "Sophisticated Lady" was written by Ellington and Irving Mills in 1932, only to have Mitchell Parish write lyrics later. It went on to become a jazz classic. Vocalist Blossom Dearie really came into her own in the 1950s, playing clubs and really a darling of the Beat Generation. Not only were people were flocking to see her in New York City dinner clubs, she was also a sensation in Europe. Her unique styling made her an original. Here is Blossom Dearie singing "Sophisticated Ladies".



I don't know if there is much I can say about the late Etta James that hasn't been said  time and time again since her passing. Indeed, she was a brilliant vocalist, combining a voice of gold with superb musicality and phrasing. Here she sings the great Ellington classic, "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", with music by Duke, and lyrics by Bob Russel.



And, finally, we have to know there are just times when the meeting of artist and song is just perfect. However, with a talent like the late, great Phyllis Hyman, it was hard to imagine her handling a song well, for she would never settle for that. Her vocals were spectacular, whether in the R&B genre, Pop, or Jazz. She just did it all. So when I found a clip of her singing "In A Sentimental Mood", I was near-giddy, and so happy to share it. Enjoy.



Have a sophisticated Saturday night!

Love Songs For Valentine's Day

Clockwise: Anita O'Day, Sarah Vaughan, Julie London, and Blossom Dearie.

As we are less than 24 hours removed from Valentine's Day, the aroma of roses, chocolate, and wine is still on the air. Yes, that means love is still in the air, and so I thought I would continue that mood. After all, I often think this world could use more love and less hate. And I will do it using some of my favorite ladies to deliver them. I will begin with a song recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra. "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" was composed in 1932 by George Bassman, with lyrics by Ned Washington. It was a popular hit for Dorsey, and was sung by the great Frank Sinatra when he was with the orchestra. But I do love the recording made by Anita O'Day. There is such a depth to her vocals, and I can't get enough. You can find her recording on the album 'Skylark', which has some other great songs. But the one that matters most right now is Anita O'Day singing "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You".

The next song up was written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie in 1938, and recorded by some of the great names in the business, including Billie Holiday and Judy Garland. Tonight, I'd liek to share with you the recording by Sarah Vaughan, having recorded it with Count Basie and his Orchestra. I have long been a fan of Sarah's style, a true Jazz singer who takes each song on a journey that is clearly her own. This is Sarah Vaughan with Count Basie performing "You Go To My Head".

I have long enjoyed the song "Que Reste-t-il de Nos Amours?", which translates to "What Remains of Our Love?". It was composed by Léo Chauliac and Charles Trenet, with lyrics by Charles Trenet. It was recorded in 1942 by Trenet, a popular hit in France. In 1957, the song was given new lyrics by Albert A. Beach for the first solo album by Keely Smith. She introduced the American audiences to the song, now known as "I Wish You Love". The song became an instant favorite of many, all offering their own take on it. I do love many of them, but thought I would share the one by Blossom Dearie, the woman who ruled dinner clubs and Jazz rooms in New York City. Her style is special, and so very sweet. She included the song on her 1964 album, 'May I Come In'. This is Blossom Dearie with "I Wish You Love".

I do remember listening to Julie London when I was young, as my mother loved her music. She would play her on the Hi-Fi, and I remember thinking the lady on the cover was just beautiful. Her style was so smokey and sexy, it is easy to understand why she was so popular. I found her recording of "I Left My Heart in San Fransisco", a song written in 1953 by George Cory and Douglass Cross. While the song is very much identified with Tony Bennett, he was not the first to do so. It was sung by Claramae Turner, who often sang it as an encore for her live shows. In 1957, the song appeared on 'Make Love to Me', an album of love songs performed by London. I truly enjoyed her take on it. This is Julie London singing "I Left My Heart in San Fransisco".

Interestingly enough, Tony Bennett didn't sing the song until 1961, but the song considered 'his'. Have a great weekend!

Spring Inspires

Clockwise: Blossom Dearie; Anita O'Day; Sarah Vaughan; and Billie Holiday.

This week, we ushered in Spring, even if much of the United States is still wrapped in colder temperatures, and even some snow. But I thought I would welcome the season, and maybe inspire a bit of warm weather with some songs about Spring, sung by some of the finest vocalists I can find. And I will start with the adorable and charming Blossom Dearie as she sings "Spring In Manhattan", a song written by Anthony Scibetta. It was off the 1976 album 'My New Celebrity Is You'. I love the way Blossom takes on the song, with a light and airy approach.

I am such a huge fan of Anita O'Day, and still listen to her often. She has her own style, and a voice that not only sounds great, but also has a beautiful edge to it. Anita's battles with drugs and alcohol were noted, but I think that also colored her voice in some wonderful ways. For this post, I picked out her singing a duet with Cal Tajder, a great pianist of the day, from the 1962 album they released, 'Time For Two'. They did an amazing job with Frank Loesser's "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year". The song first appeared as part of the soundtrack of the 1944 film, 'Christmas Holiday'.

If you are putting together a list of great singers, you can certainly never leave off the great Lady Day, Miss Billie Holiday. She recorded "Some Other Spring" for her 1956 album, 'Lady Sings The Blues'. The song was written by Arthur Herzog, Jr. and Irene Kitchings. Herzog collaberated several times with Billie, including writing her iconic song, "God Bless The Child", with her. But this is Billie singing "Some Other Spring".

I think Sarah Vaughan is an amazing talent, and vastly underrated. The things she could make her voice do is amazing. It often feels like her voice is truly another instrument, adding musical depth to whatever she sings. I picked her singing "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most", a song written in 1955, with lyrics by Fran Landesman and music by Tommy Wolf. It was included on the 1963 album 'Snowbound', surrounded by some truly amazing Jazz songs.

Happy Spring, everyone!

Valentine Torch

Clockwise: Anita O'Day; Big Maybelle; Eartha Kitt; and Blossom Dearie.

As it is Valentine's Day weekend, I thought I had to go with the love theme for the 'torch' post this week. Well, coming up with torch songs about love seems like shooting fish in a barrel, so I just decide to pick some of my favorite singers and go for it. I start with one of my favorites, the brilliant Anita O'Day, who manages to display both strength and vulnerability in her voice, often in the same line. She toys with rhythm with her syncopation, and her voice is another instrument. I just love to hear her sing, a master at work. "What Is This Thing Called Love" was written by Cole Porter in 1929, and been covered by some of the greatest voices of the last century, but Anita's cover remains a favorite of mine.

There is nothing about Big Maybelle I don't like. She can be soft and sweet in songs like "Candy", and she can be rough and tumble on others like "Ninety-Six Tears". But no matter what she was singing, she always sounded like Big Maybelle, totally original. For her this evening, I chose "Just Want your Love", written by Maybelle herself in the early 1950s. There is a bold strain of Blues at the base of this song, with an undercurrent of hurt. Hope you enjoy "Just Want Your Love".

Not only was Blossom Dearie an amazing talent in the sea of gifted artists in mid-century Manhattan, she maintained that place for several decades. There is an innocence in her voice, so soft, yet enduring. She is another total original, always making music that is true to herself, not trying to copy anyone else. I picked her singing "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be)", a sweet song written by Jimmy Davis, Roger Ramirez, and James Sherman in 1941.

Finally, there is the incredibly unique Eartha Kitt. I don't know what more can be said about the woman, who had success on records, on the stage, and in the movies. She even had success on the small screen, playing Catwoman on the Batman series. From the 1950s until her death in 2008, she was a star who glowed brightly in the sky. In 1962, she recorded "Love For Sale", written by Cole Porter in 1930, for her album 'Bad But Beautiful'. She gives it her own special twist, starting sweet before she moved on to the saucy side of the song.

Hope your weekend is filled with love!

Rain Can't Extinguish The Heart

Clockwise: Anita O'Day; Blossom Dearie; Diana Drall; and Billie Holiday.

No matter how much Sandy has blown, or how much rain she dropped on us all, she might be able to dampen our spirits, but she cannot douse the fire in our hearts. How do I know that? Well, there are some incredible ladies that tell me things, like the brilliant Anita O'Day when she sings "Soon It's Gonna Rain" from the 1960 musical comedy 'The Fantasticks,' with lyrics written by Tom Jones, and music composed by Harvey Schmidt.

Next up, there is a song from the 1970 album from Blossom Dearie, called 'That's Just The Way I Want To Be.' The last cut on the album is "I Like London In The Rain," written by Blossom and Jim Council. While Dearie started recording music in the 1950s, this was the first album that truly featured her talents as a songwriter, instead of a great interpreter of songs.

In 1997, Diana Krall put out a wonderful album, 'Love Scenes.' One of the songs was "Gentle Rain," written by Luiz Bonfá and Matt Dubey. It is a gorgeous and sultry song, perfect to just wrap yourself in.

Now, I do love to listen to the great Billie Holiday, and while it might have been easy to choose her "Come Rain Or Come Shine" recording, I couldn't resist picking a popular song written in 1936 by Arthur Johnston and Johnny Burke. Would it be great it when the skies open up, it rained "Pennies From Heaven"? Certainly if Billie was a part of it.

Have a great weekend!

Saturday Night with Blossom Dearie

For those of you who might not know who the amazing Blossom Dearie is, I will start off my saying she is not related to Mayim Bialik or her sitcom character 'Blossom'. Margrete Blossom Dearie was born in 1924, in the town of East Durham, New York. As a child, she studied Classical piano, and later took on Jazz as well. After graduating high school, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. She played in several groups, but in 1952, she relocated to Paris. By the end of the decade, she moved back to New York City, recording albums and playing in supper clubs. As she built a reputation in the clubs, she also occasionally appeared on a new television program, The Today Show. Then host Dave Garroway was a fan, and it really helped her career. During the later half of the 1960s, she was playing in clubs in the US and in the UK, gaining both popular and critical praise wherever she went. She continued to play for several decades, in clubs, theaters and Jazz festivals.



Now let's get to the real point, her music. I will start with a favorite of mine, and countless others as well. This first song is "Peel Me A Grape", written by Jazz pianist Dave Frishberg, and performed to perfection by Dearie. The song offers a sexy humor that is too much fun. Check out this performance by Dearie from 1999, when she was 74 years old.



Next we will get the chance to hear Blossom sing a great song written in 1932 by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills, with lyrics added later by Mitchell Parish. "Sophisticated Lady" is a jazz standard, but no one performs it quite like Dearie.



"I Wish You Love" is a French popular song, with music by Léo Chauliac & Charles Trenet and lyrics by Trenet. Trenet first recorded it in 1942. In the 1950s, Albert A. Beach wrote an English translation, and quickly became an American standard. Enjoy as Blossom gives her own special reading of the song.



In 1927, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart wrote the musical, A Connecticut Yankee. It was the musical take on Mark Twain's popular novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Several of the songs were sung by the likes of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan, and became Jazz standards. "Thou Swell" was perhaps the most popular of them, and was given this delightful reading by Dearie.



Finally, I wanted to add in one more very special song, by the amazing Cole Porter. "Give Him the Ooh-la-la" was written for the 1939 musical DuBarry Was A Lady. The original Broadway cast included Bert (Cowardly Lion) Lahr, Ethel Merman, Betty Grable, and Gypsy Rose Lee. It was Merman who introduced the song. I have to believe Blossom's take on the song was very different than that.



Blossom Dearie passed away in 2009 in New York City, at the age of 84. But she left a wonderful legacy of music that will be enjoyed forever. You can purchase Verve Jazz Masters 51: Blossom Dearie at iTunes and Amazon.

Wedding Blues

Clockwise: Adele; Blossom Dearie, Judy Garland; and Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong.

Well, since I will most likely still be at my nephew's wedding by the time this posts, I thought I would have a fun time with songs about weddings and the like. Well, that was not as easy as I thought it would be. In fact, I will start with one of the songs I found. Now, I just love the song "Never Will I Marry". It was written by Frank Loesser for a 1960 musical, Greenwillow. And while the show might have been a disappointment, running less than 100 performances on Broadway, it did give us this incredible song. Here is "Never Will I Marry" sung by the luminous Judy Garland.



Now, I didn't think that was a rousing endorsement for marriage, so I looked further. I found an interesting song by Etta James called "Stop The Wedding" and, well, decided against that one. It was a great song, but didn't celebrate the wedding process. So I looked just for love songs, and came across a few sung by Miss Etta. I decided on "Fool That I Am" and then it hit me. I needed to use the version done by Adele, who is herself inspired by Etta. So here is the classic song, "Fool That I Am".



"The Nearness of You" was written in 1938 by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Ned Washington. It is a gorgeous song, just so lush and beautiful, I knew I needed to find it recorded by very special voices. So when I discovered this version by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, I couldn't resist.



Now, I just find Blossom Dearie to be far too charming to believe, and thought it might e nice to find a little something to add to this post. And it didn't take me all that long to decide it must be "Lies of Handsome Men" written by Francesca Blumenthal. It is a wonderful song, and sung to perfection by Blossom Dearie.



Enjoy the night, and hope I was able to deliver a little bit of love...

Some Sophisticated Ladies

Clockwise: Ivie Anderson; Phyllis Hyman; Etta James; Blossom Dearie; and Dinah Washington.

This week, I decided I would love to showcase some brilliant songs by Duke Ellington, sung by some amazingly talented and beautiful ladies. I thought of this post after reading a post on Queer Music Heritage, featuring some beautiful Jazz music by Aaron Bridgers, the longtime lover of Billy Strayhorn, who worked with Ellington, as an arranger, musician, and writer. You can check it out here. Now, that just put me in mind of Duke Ellington, who certainly deserves attention for his lush music, as well as his support for early LGBT artists. I will start with a true Jazz standard, Mood Indigo. It was written in 1930 as a instrumental, but was instantly so popular, lyrics were written for it. Many years later, it was sung by Dinah Washington, one of a long list of singers who got their start in church choirs. Unfortunately, she is also on a long list of singers who left us much too early, with drugs involved. Her voice was special, as you can hear on Mood Indigo.



Next up, we have Ivie Anderson, who sang for Ellington's orchestra from 1931 to 1942, when she had to step off the road due to a chronic asthma. But her clear and sweet tone was popular, and she also made some appearances in movies, like with the Marx Brothers in A Day At The Races. I found this video of her performing the great song, I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good). The song has music by Ellington and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, and was published in 1941.



The next song is another one starting out as an instrumental. Sophisticated Lady was written by Ellington and Irving Mills in 1932, only to have Mitchell Parish write lyrics later. It went on to become a jazz classic. Vocalist Blossom Dearie really came into her own in the 1950s, playing clubs and really a darling of the Beat Generation. Not only were people were flocking to see her in New York City dinner clubs, she was also a sensation in Europe. Her unique styling made her an original. Here is Blossom Dearie singing Sophisticated Ladies.



I don't know if there is much I can say about the late Etta James that hasn't been said time and time again since her passing. Indeed, she was a brilliant vocalist, combining a voice of gold with superb musicality and phrasing. Here she sings the great Ellington classic, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, with music by Duke, and lyrics by Bob Russel.



And, finally, we have to know there are just times when the meeting of artist and song is just perfect. However, with a talent like the late, great Phyllis Hyman, it was hard to imagine her handling a song well, for she would never settle for that. Her vocals were spectacular, whether in the R&B genre, Pop, or Jazz. She just did it all. So when I found a clip of her singing In A Sentimental Mood, I was near-giddy, and so happy to share it. Enjoy.



Have a swinging Saturday night!