BARBARA MORRISON — Live At The Dakota (2004) Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Barbara Morrison has long been a familiar figure in the Los Angeles area, singing blues, standards, and R&B-ish/jazz material with spirit and feeling. Live at the Dakota teams her at a Minnesota concert with a perfect backup group from the East Coast consisting of tenor saxophonist Houston Person, pianist Junior Mance, bassist Earl May, and drummer Jackie Williams. Most of the selections, such as "Please Send Me Someone to Love," "At Last," and "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water," are quite familiar, as are the swing standards, but these renditions sound fresh and contain their own surprises. Every song is full of soul, including a slower than usual "Mean to Me," "Don't Go to Strangers," the passionate blues "They Call Me Sundown," and the hardest swinging version of "I'll Be Seeing You" that one will ever hear. Also interesting are the singer's close imitations of both Big Joe Turner and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson on the blues "Chains of Love." Both Barbara Morrison and the all-star cast clearly inspire each other during the singer's definitive recording. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Things Ain't What They Used to Be 3:42
Ted Persons
2    Please Send Me Someone to Love 5:45
Percy Mayfield
3    Take the "A" Train 4:05
Billy Strayhorn
4    At Last 6:37
Mack Gordon / Harry Warren
5    I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water 4:00
Barbara Morrison
6    Don't Go to Strangers 6:27      
Redd Evans / Arthur Kent / Dave Mann
7    Chains of Love 8:32
Ahmet Ertegun / Harry Van Walls
8    All of Me 3:34
Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons
9    Mean to Me 6:42
Roy Turk
10    I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart 2:30
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Henry Nemo
11    They Call Me Sundown 7:02
D. Amy / Cornelius Green
12    I'll Be Seeing You 4:20
Sammy Fain / Irving Kahal
Credits :
Barbara Morrison - Vocals
Jackie Williams - Drums
Earl May - Bass
Junior Mance - Piano
Houston Person - Tenor Sax

ZOOT SIMS - For Lady Day (1978-1991) WV (image+.cue), lossless

It is strange that this album was not released until the CD came out in 1990, for tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims and pianist Jimmy Rowles' tribute to Billie Holiday is melodic, tasteful, and largely memorable. Together with bassist George Mraz and drummer Jackie Williams back in 1978, they perform 11 songs associated with Holiday, including quite a few that would have been lost in obscurity if Lady Day had not uplifted them with her recordings. Highlights include "Easy Living," "Some Other Spring," "I Cried for You," "Body and Soul," and "You're My Thrill." A lyrical and heartfelt tribute. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Easy Living 3:42
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin    
2     That Old Devil Called Love 5:01
Doris Fisher / Allan Roberts    
3     Some Other Spring 4:57
Arthur Herzog, Jr.    
4     I Cover the Waterfront 4:26
Johnny Green / Edward Heyman    
5     You Go to My Head 5:49
J. Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie    
6     I Cried for You 4:31
Gus Arnheim / Arthur Freed / Abe Lyman    
7     Body and Soul 3:21
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
8     Trav'lin' Light 4:48
Johnny Mercer / Jimmy Mundy / Trummy Young
9     You're My Thrill 3:45
Sidney Clare / Jay Gorney    
10     No More 3:04
Tutti Camarata / Bob Russell    
11     My Man 5:19
Jacques Charles / Channing Pollack / Albert Willemetz / Maurice Yvain
Credits :
Bass – George Mraz
Drums – Jackie Williams
Piano – Jimmy Rowles
Producer – Norman Granz
Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims