GEORGE GERSHWIN : The Complete George Gershwin Porgy And Bess (1956-1996) RM | 2CD MONO | Serie Mastersonic, ベツレヘム名盤マスター・トランスファー・コレクション – 11 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The Bethlehem label didn't make it out of the '50s before folding, and one of the reasons why is the ambitious yet misguided George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, a three-LP box set that represents a complete recording of the Gershwin classic (with narration and sound effects). Bethlehem certainly had the talent to pull it off -- appearing on the label, and this production, are Mel Tormé, Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, Johnny Hartman, Bob Dorough, Betty Roche, Frances Faye, and minor period stars including vocalist Frank Rosolino, bandleader Stan Levey, and arranger Russ Garcia. And long-playing versions of theatrical productions were huge in the mid-'50s (a few sold millions of copies). The most popular of these, however, were simply easy-to-digest highlights LPs that never attempted to present the complete production. This version is a gargantuan two hours long, difficult to sit through even if every performance was stellar (and, unfortunately, that's far from the case). The recording makes a virtue of being hip, primarily through the narration of Al "Jazzbo" Collins, a radio DJ who may have been hip for the times but whose counterfeit excitement and perfect diction make the proceedings sound like a period newsreel. ("Watch out, Porgy, here comes that mean Sportin' Life!") Tormé, as the most popular vocalist on the label, was a shoe-in for the role of Porgy, despite Johnny Hartman's clear superiority, and Frances Faye received the role of Bess despite Betty Roche's ability to handle the role much better. Those mistakes are compounded by Russ Garcia's period arrangements (the Ellington group makes only one appearance) and some decidedly subpar performances from Frank Rosolino early in the program. Still, it has to be admitted that a highlights compilation of this record would sparkle very brightly, driven by Mel Tormé's swinging "I've Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" with a super-enthused backing chorus, George Kirby's "It Ain't Necessarily So," and Betty Roche's reprise of "Summertime" during the second half. John Bush  
Tracklist 1
Porgy and Bess, opera
1 Part 1. Introduction / Summertime 01:25
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
feat: Duke Ellington / Duke Ellington & His Orchestra / The Russell Garcia Orchestra
2 Part 1. Narration 1:24
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
3 Part 1. Summertime 3:48
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Betty Roché
4 Part 1. Narration 0:12
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
5 Part 1. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing 2:39
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Frank Rosolino
6 Part 1. Narration / Here come de honey man... 1:20
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins / Joe Derise
7 Part 1. Narration 0:24
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
8 Part 1. Evenin' ladies, hello boys... 0:43
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
9 Part 1. Narration 0:15
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
10 Part 1. No, no, brother, Porgy ain't soft on no woman... 1:33
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
11 Part 1. Narration (Scene: crap game and murder) 4:31
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: The Russell Garcia Orchestra
12 Part 1. Narration 0:51
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
13 Part 1. Gone, Gone, Gone 2:20
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
14 Part 1. Overflow, overflow 2:08
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
15 Part 1. Narration 0:28
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
16 Part 1. I can't puzzle this thing out... 1:18
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
17 Part 1. Narration 0:11
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
18 Part 1. My Man's Gone Now 3:49
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Sallie Blair
19 Part 1. Narration 0:35
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
20 Part 1. Oh the train is at the station... 2:43
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
21 Part 1. Narration 0:37
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
22 Part 1. Oh I'm agoin' out to the Blackfish banks... 2:17
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Frank Rosolino
23 Part 1. Narration 0:34
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
24 Part 1. I Got Plenty o' Nuttin' 3:13
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: The Pat Moran Quartet
25 Part 1. Mornin', Lawyer. Looking for somebody?... 4:23
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: George Kirby / The Pat Moran Quartet
26 Part 1. Buzzard Song 2:43
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
27 Part 1. Narration 0:28
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
28 Part 1. Bess, You Is My Woman Now 4:57
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin 
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
29 Part 1. Oh, I can't sit down (picnic music) 1:55
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Don Fagerquist / Don Fagerquist Group / Betty Roché
30 Part 1. Porgy, I hates to go... 1:00
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
31 Part 1. I Got Plenty o Nuttin' (reprise) 0:37
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
32 Part 1. It Ain't Necessarily So (instrumental) 1:52
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Russell Garcia / Betty Roché
33 Part 1. Narration 0:34
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
34 Part 1. It Ain't Necessarily So 4:28
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: George Kirby
35 Part 1. Narration 0:53
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
36 Part 1. What you want wid Bess?... 2:12
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Johnny Hartman
37 Part 1. Narration 00:33
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
38 Part 1. Oh I'm agoin' out to the Blackfish banks... (reprise) 1:27
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Frank Rosolino
39 Part 1. Narration 0:30
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
40 Part 1. Oh, doctor Jesus...
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Sallie Blair
41 Part 1. Here come de honey man... / Oh dey's so fresh and fine... / I'm talkin' about devil crabs.. 3:31
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Joe Derise / Bob Dorough / Loulie Jean Norman
Tracklist 2
Porgy and Bess, opera
1 Part 2. Narration 0:38
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
2 Part 2. I Loves You, Porgy 3:17
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
3 Part 2. Narration (Scene: storm) 3:04
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus / The Russell Garcia Orchestra
4 Part 2. Summertime (reprise) 1:22
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Betty Roché
5 Part 2. Narration 0:11
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
6 Part 2. Oh, dere's somebody knockin' at de do'... 1:03
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
7 Part 2. Narration 1:20
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
8 Part 2. If God want to kill me... 2:05
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Johnny Hartman
9 Part 2. Narration  0:06
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
10 Part 2. A red-headed woman... 1:48
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus / Johnny Hartman
11 Part 2. Narration 0:59
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
12 Part 2. Oh, doctor Jesus (reprise) 0:38
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
13 Part 2. Narration 00:55
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
14 Part 2. Clara, Clara, don't you be downhearted... 1:36
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: The Pat Moran Quartet
15 Part 2. Narration 0:10
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
16 Part 2. Summertime (reprise) 1:12
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Betty Roché
17 Part 2. Narration 1:50
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
18 Part 2. Oh, Lawd, what I goin' do?... 1:21
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
19 Part 2. Narration 0:09
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
20 Part 2. There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York 1:28
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: George Kirby
21 Part 2. Narration 1:18
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins / The Russell Garcia Orchestra
22 Part 2. Narration 0:24
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
23 Part 2. How are you dis mornin'?... 1:41
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
24 Part 2. Narration 0:39
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
25 Part 2. Oh, Bess, Oh, Where's My Bess 2:19
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Sallie Blair
26 Part 2. Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way 1:57
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
27 Suite (editied instrumental suite from Russ Garcia's orchestration) 29:12
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: The Russell Garcia Orchestra

DIZZY GILLESPIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1102 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Classics #1102 focuses on the explosive years of 1947-1949 when Dizzy Gillespie created some of the most innovative big band recordings, combining bebop and Afro-Cuban rhythms (courtesy of percussionist Chano Pozo). These sessions, recorded for Victor in December 1947, 1948, and early 1949, include future Dizzy standards "Manteca," "Cubana Be," and "Cubana Bop." The roster of musicians Gillespie employed played an important part in the shaping of modern jazz: Yusef Lateef, John Lewis (in one of his earliest sessions), Kenny Clarke, and Cecil Payne. With arrangements by Tadd Dameron, George Russell, Gil Fuller, Gerald Wilson, and the vocals of Johnny Hartman, Kenny "Pancho" Haygood, and Joe Carroll, volume four of Dizzy's chronological recording career is highly recommended. Al Campbell     Tracklist :

EARL HINES AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1041 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is a very interesting CD full of rarities. Part of Classics' "complete" series, the disc features the Earl Hines big band after Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie had come and gone. Tenor-saxophonist Wardell Gray was still part of the band and has quite a few solos on their selections from 1945-46. The arrangements are sometimes uncomfortably boppish (they do not really mesh with the leader's piano and the repertoire) and in other spots swinging. Lord Essex has a few high-toned vocals that sound ten years out of date but singers Dorothy Parker and Hines himself (who is heard on "Ain't Gonna Give None Of This Jelly Roll" and the novelty "Oh My Aching Back") are much better. Fortunately there are quite a few instrumentals. While the first 14 numbers are from 1945-46, there is also a small group romp on "Sweet Honey Babe" from 1947 (featuring clarinetist Scoops Cary) and six big band selections from late in the year with four vocals from Johnny Hartman who is heard at the beginning of his career. Other than a few more numbers recorded in Dec. 1947, these were the last recordings of the Earl Hines Orchestra. The music (originally released by the ARA, French Jazz Selection, MGM, Sunrise and Bravo labels) had formerly been mostly quite scarce. Worth exploring. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist + Credits :

EARL HINES – 1953-1954 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1440 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 11th installment in the Classics Earl Hines chronology charts the pianist and bandleader's professional progress during a time period running between May 1953 and August 1954. This entertaining segment of the Hines story includes eight excellent sides cut for the King label in New York, 14 selections recorded in Los Angeles for the Nocturne label, and lastly a five-and-a-half minute interview with Hines himself. The four King instrumentals ("Hot Soup," "Sleep Walking," "In the Attic," and "Space Ship") demonstrate how adaptable Hines was during these transitional years. This compilation opens with two surprisingly fine and funny vocals by world-famous pugilist Sugar Ray Robinson, while "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" and "When I Dream of You" are sung by 30-year-old crooner Johnny Hartman. "Crazy Rhythm" was done up by four members of the band (including trombonist Dicky Wells!) who transformed themselves into a vocal group billed as the Hines Varieties, while "Almost Like Being in Love" and "I Don't Hear Sweet Music Any More" were sung by sax and flute man Jerome Richardson. Hines himself was the featured vocalist on "New Orleans," "Pennies from Heaven," "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me," and "I'm a Little Blackbird Looking for a Bluebird." (This last number dates back to the mid-'20s when it was first recorded by Eva Taylor and the Clarence Williams Blue Five with Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet.) All of these diverse treats, along with cameo appearances by reedmen Budd Johnson, Morris Lane, Aaron Sachs, and Haywood Henry, make this one of the great "variety packs" in the Earl Hines discography. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

ERROLL GARNER – 1949-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1205 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The four tracks that open this tenth volume in the Classics Erroll Garner chronology represent a sort of distilled essence of Garner. They are a marvelous byproduct of a special sort of artistic chemistry that existed between the diminutive Pittsburgh pianist, bassist John Simmons, and drummer Alvin Stoller. 

Soon after these two rosy bounces, each backed with a pair of lush ballads, were brought out on the modest Portrait record label, the masters were snapped up, reissued, and widely disseminated by Savoy. On August 23, 1949, Erroll Garner's trio provided musical accompaniment for mellifluous crooner Johnny Hartman. These four Mercury recordings, rare examples of Garner the accompanist, form a languid bridge between Hartman's formative years with Earl Hines and Dizzy Gillespie and his magnificent later work with Howard McGhee and John Coltrane. Using the same players, bassist Leonard Gaskin and drummer Charlie Smith, Garner polished off eight delightful sides for the 3 Deuces label on September 8, 1949. "Scatter Brain," made famous by saxophonist and bandleader Freddy Martin, here seems as rambunctious as the personality of the pianist who has gotten a hold of it. His "What Is This Thing Called Love?" is almost as magical as James P. Johnson's groundbreaking version of 1930. Garner's wonderfully slow treatment of "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" carries with it a cloud of blues and soul that might not have materialized at a quicker tempo. This artist's full majesty is in evidence during ruminative readings of Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye" and Thomas Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz." A rare 1950 piano solo, originally issued on the Futurama label, is followed with eight equally uncommon sides from the Royal Roost catalog featuring once again bassist John Simmons and now drummer Harold "Doc" West. "Bonny Boy" is of course Garner's private approach to "Danny Boy," the Irish air from County Derry. In addition to initiating a smart stroll up Hoagy Carmichael's "Lazy River," this excellent session enabled the pianist to stretch out and explore several bop-informed improvisation vehicles of his own devising: "Minor with the Trio," "Tippin' Out with Erroll," and "Relaxin' at Sugar Ray's." This volume of vintage mid-20th century piano jazz belongs among the best Erroll Garner compilations in the Classics catalog, or anywhere else for that matter. As an extra treat the CD packaging provides a friendly snapshot of Erroll Garner relaxing in the company of Sarah Vaughan and Mitch Miller. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

JOHN COLTRANE - Standards (2001) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Every five years since 1986, the corporate custodians of Impulse! have served up batches of Coltrane reissues and unreleased tapes to commemorate a birthday ending in "0" or "5." In the year 2001, which would have been Coltrane's 75th birthday, current label owner Vivendi Universal delivered four single CDs, three of which serve tourists who want to get on the 'Trane for the first time. Standards is probably the least eventful of the lot, offering no unreleased material or particularly enticing packaging. But you won't get shortchanged by the music, which takes us from the first galvanic Impulse! album Africa/Brass ("Greensleeves") through the run of projects by Coltrane's classic quartet of the first half of the '60s (McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones). The tour makes stops at the Village Vanguard for a driving "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," at Birdland for "I Want to Talk About You," a studio date with the dark-honeyed baritone of Johnny Hartman caressing "Lush Life" and "Autumn Serenade." You won't find any examples of the wilder, atonal Coltrane beyond 1965 -- which is just as well since there aren't too many standards to choose from. As a program of Coltrane music, this one plays pretty well, mixing up the tempos and meters astutely. Yet you wonder how representative an album labeled "standards" can be that doesn't include the most famous Coltrane-covered standard of all, "My Favorite Things," among other things. by Richard S. Ginell  
Tracklist:
1 All or Nothing at All 3:33
Arthur Altman / Jack Lawrence
2 Greensleeves 9:59
Traditional
3 Lush Life 5:28
Billy Strayhorn
4 Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise 6:31
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
5 I Want to Talk About You 8:10
Billy Eckstine
6 The Inch Worm 6:17
Frank Loesser
7 Autumn Serenade 4:19
Peter DeRose / Sammy Gallop
8 Feeling Good 6:23
Leslie Bricusse / Anthony Newley
9 What's New? 3:45
Johnny Burke / Bob Haggart
10 Out of This World 14:02
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
Credits:
Bass – Jimmy Garrison
Drums – Elvin Jones
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Saxophone [Tenor, Soprano] – John Coltrane
Vocals – Johnny Hartman

JOHN COLTRANE AND JOHNNY HARTMAN - John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1963-2008) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

John Coltrane's matchup with singer Johnny Hartman, although quite unexpected, works extremely well. Hartman was in prime form on the six ballads, and his versions of "Lush Life" and "My One and Only Love" have never been topped. Coltrane's playing throughout the session is beautiful, sympathetic, and still exploratory; he sticks exclusively to tenor on the date. At only half an hour, one wishes there were twice as much music, but what is here is classic, essential for all jazz collections. by Scott Yanow

Tracklist:

1 They Say It's Wonderful 5:20
Irving Berlin
2 Dedicated to You 5:32
Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin / Hy Zaret
3 My One and Only Love 4:55
Robert Mellin / Guy Wood
4 Lush Life 5:29
Billy Strayhorn
5 You Are Too Beautiful 5:36
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
6 Autumn Serenade 4:19
Peter DeRose / Sammy Gallop
Credits:
Bass – Jimmy Garrison
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane
Vocals – Johnny Hartman

JOHNNY HARTMAN - The Voice That Is (1965-1994) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Ballad singer Johnny Hartman's third and final Impulse session is not quite on the same level as the first two. Although the earlier of the two sessions has several near-classic performances (including "My Ship," "Waltz for Debby," and "It Never Entered My Mind"), the second date has weaker material, primarily several songs from movies or shows, including "Sunrise, Sunset." Hartman is in fine form whether backed by the Hank Jones quartet or accompanied by an octet arranged by pianist Bob Hammer, but this set is not as essential as his earlier meetings with John Coltrane and Illinois Jacquet. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 My Ship 3:08
2 The More I See You 2:26
3 These Foolish Things 4:17
4 Waltz For Debbie 3:44
5 It Never Entered My Mind 3:35
6 The Day The World Stopped Turning 2:29
7 A Slow Hot Wind 3:20
8 Funny World 4:08
9 Joey, Joey, Joey 4:24
10 Let Me Love You 1:45
11 Sunrise, Sunset 2:48
Credits:
Arranged By – Bob Hammer
Bass – Richard Davis
Drums – Osie Johnson
English Horn, Flute – Dick Hafer (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 9)
Guitar – Barry Galbraith, Howard Collins (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 9)
Marimba – Phil Kraus (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 9)
Percussion [Latin] – Willie Rodriguez (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 9)
Piano – Hank Jones (tracks: 1, 5, 6, 10, 11)
Vocals – Johnny Hartman