Puppini Sisters Carry The Torch

When thinking about what I was going to do for my Saturday night post, I did what I often do, and opened up my iTunes and decided to look through it, and to get some inspiration. I am checking out the favorites, and just would like to go in a different direction, so I move on. I start looking at song titles, and find several in an album, and the light goes off. The album is 'Hollywood', the 2011 release from The Puppini Sisters, and I realize I should go with it.

For those who might not know them, The Puppini Sisters are not real sisters, but were students who met in music school in England. They took on the personae of sisters as a tribute to the Andrews Sisters, a group all three loved and admired. The music on the 'Hollywood' album was a combination of old favorites from some great movies, and a couple of new songs. Marcella Puppini, Kate Mullins and Stephanie O'Brien recorded the vocals for the album, although O'Brien has since left he band, to be replaced by Emma Smith. The first song on the list tonight would be a song with a strong identity of it's own. "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" was first introduced to the world by Carol Channing in the 1949 musical, 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', based on a novel by Anita Loos. The show had lyrics by Leo Robin and music by the great Jule Styne. But it is perhaps best known from the performance by Marilyn Monroe in 1953 film version of the musical. Somehow, the Pippini Sisters manage to make me forget about those other versions, and simply enjoy theirs. This is the Puppini Sisters singing the classic "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend".

"I Got Rhythm" was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1928 musical, 'Treasure Girl'. For that show, it was intended as a ballad. The song was revived and made uptempo for the 1930 musical, 'Girl Crazy', when it was performed by Ethel Merman. When the Puppini Sisters take it on, the give you something very much their own. They give you some ballad, some syncopation, and everything you want it to be. This is The Puppini Sisters singing "I Got Rhythm".

When it comes to an iconic MGM musical moments, it is hard to beat the next song. Have Judy Garland in a men's jacket and shirt, a fedora, stockings, and heels and singing a great song, it is tough to top. Somehow, though, Judy managed to do it on her own television show, when performed it as a mash-up with "Happy Days Are Here Again", sung by Barbra Streisand. "Get Happy" was introduced by Ruth Etting in 'The Nine-Fifteen Revue' in 1930. It was the first song composer Harold Arlen and lyricist Ted Koehler wrote together. But the song is really best known as a song sung by Garland in the 1950 film 'Summer Stock'. But this is how The Puppini Sisters sing "Get Happy".

The next song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in the 1961 movie 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. It was first performed by Audrey Hepburn in the film. "Moon River" had music by the great Henry Mancini and lyrics by the amazing Johnny Mercer. Many other have sung the song, but I can't really think of one that compares with the iconic performance of Hepburn. Still not everything in life is a competition, and once the ladies take it on, they show you they will be able to do their thing, and not worry about the rest. This is the Puppini Sisters singing "Moon River".

The album is a delicious collection, a flirty journey from start to finish. They manage to combine fun with a feeling of authenticity that keeps me pressing play! For more about the Puppini Sisters, visit their official website. You can purchase 'Hollywood' from iTunes and Amazon.

Eva Cassidy • Autumn Leaves

Well, it is late Friday night, coming on to Saturday morning, and I am still looking for inspiration for this post. Then, like a lightening bolt, it hits me. "Les feuilles mortes", with music by Hungarian-French composer Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert, was written in 1945 for the film 'Les Portes de la Nuit', and sung by French star Yves Montand. Perhaps the most popular version was recorded by Edith Piaf in 1950, both in French, and an English version with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. In 1955, Roger Williams had a #1 hit, the only piano instrumental to top the Billboard charts. It is a wonderful song that marks the change in season, and as I look out the window, I see the shift in the color palette, straying from the vivid greens of summer to the oranges and browns of Autumn. More than forty years after the song was written, the brilliant Eva Cassidy played an acoustic version of the song in what was her final public performance, for the album 'Live at Blues Alley'. On this, and every one of her albums, Cassidy proved to be an exceptional interpreter of classic music. This is Eva singing "Les feuilles mortes", also known as "Autumn Leaves".

Her vocals are just beyond reproach, and it is hard to believe that 11 months later, cancer had taken her life. In fact, she died 17 years ago today, November 2nd. To learn more about Eva Cassidy, visit the official website, put together and maintained by her family. You can also purchase 'Live at Blues Alley' on iTunes and Amazon. While there, check out her other albums, for they are all exceptional, and worth a listen.

Lawd, Have Mercer... Love Songs of Johnny Mercer

Clockwise: Emmy Rossum; Maxine Sullivan; Billie Holiday; and Barbra Streisand.

Since it has been rather hot and humid in the Mid-Atlantic region, I was in the mood for some song of summer when I was putting this post together. While going through my iTunes - yes, I have a stupid amount of music on my external drive - I came across the song "Summer Wind". I had two versions, one by Lyle Lovett, and the other my Westlife. As I thought about the song, I remembered it had lyrics by the great Johnny Mercer, and there you have it, the birth of a post. So that left with the duty to find the songs and artists I wanted to include. First up, I wanted to see how many people have recorded "Summer Wind", and I was intrigued with the notion that Emmy Rossum had. Now, I knew Emmy could sing, but have been enjoying her on the Showtime series 'Shameless' so much, I'd forgotten about it. I hadn't realized she released 'Sentimental Journey', a collection of classic songs from the 1920s to the 1960s. Honestly, I really enjoy her version of the first song, written in 1965 by Mercer with Heinz Meier. So here is Emmy Rossum singing "Summer Wind".

Since I was picking songs by Johnny Mercer, there is no way I could ignore a beautiful song like "Skylark", with lyrics by Mercer, and music by the great Hoagy Carmichael. It was long rumored Merer wrote the lyrics while trying to get over an affair he had with Judy Garland, who at the time was engaged to another man. While I have no idea if that is true or not, it would certainly explain the very real melancholy in the song. The song was written in 1941, with wonderful eraly recordings by Anita O'Day and Helen Forrest. However, I decided to go with the lovely recording by Maxine Sullivan. In 1947, Sullivan recorded teh song with the Ellis Larkins Trio. Please enjoy Maxine Sullivan singing "Skylark".

There are just a few songs it seems so very wrong to not include in any discussion of the man. For my money, the top of the list would be the song with music by Henry Mancini, written for the iconic 1961 film, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. It was sung in the movie by the wonderful Audry Hepburn, and a recording by Mancini and his chorus became a hit. Almost immediately, it became a classic, and sung by many. Singer Andy Williams became closely identified with his recording. But I opted to go with a truly beautiful recording by one of my favorite singers of all time. Yes, I am speaking of the great Barbra Streisand, who recorded "Moon River" for her 2003 release 'The Movie Album'. I love it.

And, for the last song of the evening, I have to chuckle, for it is the second of the four that has also been affiliated with the Divine Miss M, Bette Midler. On the final night Johnny Carson hosted the tonight show, he invited Middle to be his final guest, and that she sing a particular song, one of his favorites. That song was "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)", written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1943 movie musical 'The Sky's the Limit'. While the movie might not be remembered as one of the greats from the period, this song definitely is. It has been sung by the best the music business has to offer, but there is one that stands out to me. I just love the recording by Billie Holiday, off her 1957 album 'Songs for Distingué Lovers'. So here is 'Lady Day' singing "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)".

I hope you enjoyed this visit to Mercer-land. I know I did.

Torch, Arlen Style

Clockwise: Helen O'Connell; Eva Cassidy; Aretha Franklin; and Dinah Washington.

Tonight I am inspired by the music of the great Harold Arlen. Truthfully, it started this morning when a song come to mind, and I just kept humming it. But first, more about the man. In 1905, Arlen was born Hyman Arluck, in Buffalo, New York, United States, the child of a Jewish cantor. He took piano lessons as a child, became a popular act in the Buffalo area. In his twenties, he made his way to New York City, and soon changed his name to Harold Arlen. In the 1930s, he and lyricist Ted Koehler worked together often, and had a regular gig writing songs to be performed at the popular Harlem nightclub, The Cotton Club. Arlen also began writing music for both Broadway and Hollywood musicals, as well as for popular singers of the day. This brings me back to my inspiration for this post, that song that kept playing in my head. While I will admit it was the Barbra Streisand version, it was "When The Sun Comes Out" that was playing loud and clear. The song was written by Arlen in 1941 with Ted Koehler, and originally sung by Helen O'Connell with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. And so I picked that version to play here, for it is really wonderful.

Arlen also worked with other lyricists, some of the best around. In 1941, he was writing with Johnny Mercer on a film with the working title 'Hot Nocturne'. They wrote a great song, introduced in the movie by William Gillespie. That song was "Blues In The Night", and soon the movie title was changed to match the song. And the song quickly became a standard, a part of the Great American Songbook, and recorded by some of the biggest names in the music business. I picked a version that was recorded in 1997, by the late Eva Cassidy. Cassidy, who passed away the year before, was working on the album at the time of her death. Eva had a magical way to blend her acoustic Pop and Blues roots to make amazing music, and loved taking on some of the iconic music. Here is her recording of "Blues In The Night".

In 1954, Arlen released another project written for the great Judy Garland. He had, of course, worked with her earlier, when he worked on a little film named 'The Wizard of Oz'. So when he began working on the film 'A Star Is Born' with lyricist Ira Gershwin, everyone had to know magic was bound to happen. And it most certainly did. I still remember quite vividly the scene in 'A Star Is Born' when Esther Blodgett, played by Judy, is jamming with some studio musicians and she sings "The Man That Got Away". It was magnificent. But I've had Judy singing the song on the blog before, and decided to try something a little different, so here is a lovely version by Dinah Washington, recorded for her 1962 album 'Drinking Again'.

And, if I was covering the music of Harold Arlen, I couldn't ignore the great song written, according to lore, in front of a drug store in Hollywood in 1938, could I? Legend has it while driving up Sunset Boulevard after a rain, Arlen noticed a rainbow over the iconic Schwab's Drug Store, and it inspired a song for the project he was working on. He was writing the music for the musical 'The Wizard of Oz' with E. Y. Harburg, which became a huge hit in 1939. That would include the song sung by Judy Garland, "Over The Rainbow". And once again, I have posted Judy singing it before, so I tried to find something new, and was thrilled when I found this version by Aretha Franklin, which is truly wonderful. Enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

A Night with Dinah Washington

Miss Dinah Washington was one of the top vocalist of the 1950s, and the was the greatest selling black female recording artist of that period. Her big hit was not just big, but megahuge. "What A Difference A Day Makes" had such a strength and depth to it, it is damn close to irresistible. And like many singers, she first found music in her church, singing in the choir. By the time she was 15 years old, Dinah was playing in clubs around Chicago, making a name for herself. By the time she was 19, she had attracted the attention of many people, including Lionel Hampton, who signed her up to sing with his band. After two years with Hampton, Dinah went solo, and started with singing the music of the great Fats Waller. She also recorded this great song co-written by Louis Jordan and Billy Austin in 1944. Here is Dinah Washington singing "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby".

Next up, Dinah sings "I Don't Hurt Anymore", written by Don Robertson and Jack Rollins. As a single, Dinah had a big hit in 1954, and it is easy to hear why. This Bluesy song is just wonderful, and she sings it perfectly. This is a clip of her singing it live in 1956. You can just eat this up with a spoon, it is so yummy.

In 1955, Washinngton recorded a great song written by Cole Porter, originally featured in the 1934 Broadway musical 'Anything Goes'. Dinah Washington recorded "I Get A Kick Out Of You" for the album 'For Those In Love', and it is easy to see she loves the song. You can hear it in the recording. Another thing you hear on the record is the early work of a young Quincy Jones, who did most of the arrangements for the album.

Dinah sings "Drinking Again", a 1962 torch song, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer and music by Doris Tauber. Dinah recorded the song that same year, on an album of the same name. This time out, the songs were arranged by the great Don Costa, best known for his work with Frank Sinatra, both as a producer and arranger.

Unfortunately, Washington was not to be with us that much longer. While she was around, she certainly lived life to the fullest. She was married seven times, and had two children. She made music in four decades, from her choir music in the 1030s, to the high-quality recordings of the 1960s. Early on the morning of December 14, 1963, Washington's seventh husband Dick "Night Train" Lane went to sleep with his wife, and awoke later to find her slumped over and not responsive. A doctor pronounced her dead on the scene. An autopsy later showed a lethal combination of secobarbital and amobarbital, which contributed to her death at the age of 39.

Dark Monday • St. Louis Woman

For today's tribute to Broadway musicals, I thought to feature 'St. Louis Woman', a musical with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was based upon the novel 'God Sends Sunday' by African-American writer Arna Bontemps. The musical opened at the Martin Beck Theatre in New York on March 30, 1946 and ran for 113 performances. The original cast included Robert Pope, Harold & Fayard Nicholas, June Hawkins, Pearl Bailey, Ruby Hill, Rex Ingram, and Milton J. Williams. While many may not react when hearing the title, I know there are at least three songs that are great American Songbook standards. I will start with the wonderful Pop/Jazz classic, "Come Rain Or Come Shine". It is a wonderful song, and today I will bring you a performance by the glorious Mary J. Blige.

The next song you should know is the delicious "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home". The song was written for a character playing a women of, shall we say, questionable virtue. After all, "free and easy, that's my style" says a lot about a character in the 1940s. It was sung by many different singers, from Judy Garland to Sammy Davis, Jr. It was also featured on 'The Second Barbra Streisand Album', and also on her television special, 'Color Me Barbra'. Sit back and enjoy a 24-year-old Barbra singing "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home".

Now, I loves me some Audra McDonald, especially when she raises that amazing voice to a classic by Arlen and Mercer. So when I found the clip of Audra singing "I Had Myself A True Love", I was delighted. This song, a beautiful look at lost love and heartache, is perfect for Audra, and perfect for me to hear.

Hope your Monday was great!

Maxine Sullivan Brings The Swing

Maxine Sullivan came into the public eye in the 1930s, singing some of the great music that was being written. She was born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, in 1911. She was raised in a musical family, and soon she was singing in her uncle's band, The Red Hot Peppers. With them, she toured around Pennsylvania, singing and occasionally playing both the flugelhorn and the valve trombone. But in the mid-1930s, she was discovered, and was soon in a recording studio.

From the 1930s to the 1970s, Maxine continued to work steadily as a singer, including taking an occasional turn on the Broadway stage. In fact, in 1979, at the age of 68, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her work in 'My Old Friends'. She played and recorded with the top talents of her time, from Louis Armstrong to Fats Waller. Maxine was perhaps best known for her recording of "Loch Lomond", the traditional Scottish Folk song from the 17th or 18th century. Her recording injected new life into the song with the great Swing arrangement. Here is Maxine Sullivan singing "Loch Lomond".

The next song is a standard from 1946. This was written by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Arthur Freed. "This Heart of Mine" was written for the 1946 film 'Ziegfield Follies', with Fred Astaire singing and dancing as only he could. The song was recorded and sung beautifully by Sullivan in 1948.

"Skylark" was written in 1941, by Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael. It is said that Mercer's lyrics were written to express his longing for Judy Garland, after the two had an affair. It quickly became a Popular standard, and sung by some of the greatest voices around. In 1947, Sullivan recorded her version, which certainly offered up a sweet yet aching feeling, perfectly capturing the emotion for the song.

The next song was written in 1928 by the great Fats Waller, with lyrics by Andy Razaf. Waller's recording in 1934 was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. In 1956, Maxine recorded an album to celebrate the lyrics of Razaf, 'A Tribute to Andy Razaf'. The album also featured the wonderful music of Waller. Here is one of the songs from that collection, "Honeysuckle Rose".

You can find 'The Very Best of Maxine Sullivan' on iTunes and Amazon.