JERI SOUTHERN - The Very Thought of You : The DECCA Years 1951-1957 (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Whether Jeri Southern was a jazz singer or simply a jazz-influenced pop singer has been debated. To be sure, many of her '50s recordings were heavily arranged and devoid of improvisation -- and if you believe that improvisation is a key element of jazz, you have to believe that much of her output was essentially pop. But however you categorize her, Southern was among the finest female singers of her era. This 21-song collection, which came out in 1999, underscores the excellence of her '50s output for Decca. Southern's accompaniment ranges from lush string orchestras to the trio of guitarist Dave Barbour (who was best known for his work with Peggy Lee), and on some selections, she is heard on piano. You could argue that Southern's piano solo on "I Hadn't Anyone Till You" is a jazz solo, but on most of these recordings, pop considerations prevail over jazz considerations. Blessed with a smoky, warm voice, she brings a great deal of charm and vulnerability to "The Very Thought of You," "My Ship," "I Remember You" and other standards. It's such a shame that Southern chose to retire from recording and performing in the early '60s, when she was only 36 -- quite possibly, she could have continued to record first-class pop for another 20 or 25 years. But thankfully, listeners still have fine collections like The Very Thought of You to savor. by Alex Henderson  
Tracklist :
1 You Better Go Now 3:00
Irvin Graham / Bix Reichner
2 The Very Thought Of You 3:04
Ray Noble
3 It's Delovely 2:06
Cole Porter
4 Dancing On The Ceiling 3:08
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
5 All In Fun 2:34
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
6 When I Fall In Love 3:04
Edward Heyman / Victor Young
7 I Hadn't Anyone Till You 2:50
Ray Noble
8 Remind Me 3:11
Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern
9 I Don't Know Where To Turn 3:09
Ray Hutchinson / Jeri Southern
10  He Was Too Good To Me 3:42
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
11 If I Had You 2:29
Jimmy Campbell / Reginald Connelly / Ted Shapiro
12 I Remember You 3:26
Johnny Mercer / Victor Schertzinger
13 Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye 3:16
Cole Porter
14 My Ship 3:55
Ira Gershwin / Kurt Weill
15 An Occasional Man 2:32
Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin
16 Someone To Watch Over Me 3:49
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
17 Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 2:37
Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern
18 Close As Pages In A Book 3:03
Dorothy Fields / Sigmund Romberg
19 No Moon At All 2:32
Redd Evans / Dave Mann
20 You're Nearer 4:06
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
21 Nobody's Heart 3:25
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers