Everything I Have Is Yours: The Best of the M-G-M Years

Read About This Recording

Billy Eckstine was one of the most influential baritone singers of the 1940s and '50s, having the ability to sing both jazz and middle-of-the-road pop music. In a later era, he might have become a romantic Hollywood film star, but such roles were not open to black performers at the time, so instead he became a major vocalist.

Eckstine began singing when he was seven. When he was 25 in 1939, he became a member of Earl Hines' big band in Chicago, singing blues, medium-tempo jazz tunes and ballads. In 1943, he persuaded Hines to hire altoist Charlie Parker, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and singer Sarah Vaughan for the orchestra and the result was the first bebop big band. The following year, Eckstine started a big band of his own (the second bop orchestra), hiring those three performers plus many of the top early modernists. Although the Eckstine Orchestra struggled and he clearly could have made a better living as a single, Eckstine believed in the music and kept the big band together as long as possible.

In 1947 he gave up the orchestra and started his solo career, soon signing with the MGM label. Eckstine became extremely popular as a ballad singer, having big hits in Everything I Have Is Yours, My Foolish Heart and I Apologize and usually being backed by large string sections. His warm voice resulted in many other black male singers of the time adopting his sound.

This 2-CD set has 42 of the best recordings that Eckstine recorded for MGM including the hits and a few jazz selections. The latter includes Mr. B's Blues (on which Eckstine is heard soloing on valve trombone), eight numbers on which he is accompanied by the Bobby Tucker Quartet, collaborations with Woody Herman and George Shearing, and five duets with Sarah Vaughan. In addition, there are versions of How High The Moon? and St. Louis Blues from 1953 that team Eckstine with the Metronome All-Stars (which includes trumpeter Roy Eldridge and tenors Lester Young and Warne Marsh), affording him the opportunity to scat-sing a bit.

A well-rounded two-fer, Everything I Have Is Yours gives listeners many prime examples of Billy Eckstine in both sweet and swing settings, and shows why he was one of the most popular and important singers of the early 1950s.

-Scott Yanow

Extended Article

This deluxe two-CD set contains 42 terrific songs, including his five million-selling singles and all of the standards that made Billy Eckstine-Mr. B.-the most popular vocalist of his day. With guest appearances by Woody Herman, George Shearing, Sarah Vaughan and many others. This deluxe set includes a 24-page booklet with rare photos, original album artwork and extensive liner notes that update the earlier 30-track LP version of this anthology.

Contents

Everything I Have Is Yours; Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread); Blue Moon; Mr. B's Blues; Temptation; Somehow; Caravan; Bewildered; Body and Soul; My Foolish Heart; Ev'ryday (I Fall In Love); I Love You; Dedicated to You; You're All I Need; I Wanna Be Loved; You've Got Me Crying Again; I've Never Been In Love Before; I Apologize; As Long As I Live; I Left My Hat In Haiti; Here Comes The Blues; Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries; Wonder Why; I'm A Fool To Want You; Taking A Chance On Love; You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?); Early Autumn; Tenderly; One For My Baby (And One More For The Road); If You Could See Me Now; Smoke Gets In Your Eyes; Laura; Mister You've Gone And Got The Blues; Ill Wind (You're Blowin' Me No Good); April In Paris; Coquette; Send My Baby Back To Me; How High The Moon? (Parts 1 & 2); St. Louis Blues (Parts 1 & 2); Don't Get Around Much Any More; Lost In Loveliness; Passing Strangers.

Billy Eckstine, Vocals; Sonny Burke's Orchestra; Hugo Winterhalter's Orchestra; The Quartones; Buddy Baker's Orchestra: William Hinshaw, French Horn; James Jamison, Edward Kuczborski, Si Zentner, Trombones; Edward Bergman, Samuel Cytron, Walter Edelstein, David Frisina, George Kast, Nicholas Piszani, Misha Russell, Olcott Vail, Violins; Paul Robyn, David Sterkin, Violas; Cyrus Witjas, Eleanor Slatkin, Cellos; Katherine Thompson, Harp; Milt Raskin, Piano; Al Hendrickson, Guitar; Artie Bernstein, Bass; Sam Weiss, Drums; Buddy Baker, Conductor; Baker or Lewis Raymond; Arrangements; Russ Case's Orchestra; Joe Lipman's Orchestra: Sarah Vaughan, Vocals; Bernie Kaufman, Toots Mondello, Flutes, Clarinets; Art Drellinger, Hank Ross, Clarinets, Bass Clarinets, Tenor Saxes; Jimmy Jones, Piano; Sid Weiss, Bass; Bunny Shawker, Drums; Joe Lipman, Conductor; Pete Rugolo's Orchestra; Woody Herman's Orchestra: Woody Herman, Alto Sax, Clarinet, Conductor; John Graas, French Horn; Pete Candoli, Buddy Childers, Conrad Gozzo, Shorty Rogers, Trumpets; Harry Betts, Dick Kenny, Si Zentner, Trombones; Gene Englund, Tuba; Wilbur Schwartz, Alto Sax; Jimmy Giuffre, Ted Nash, Babe Russin, Tenor Saxes; Chuck Gentry, Baritone Sax; Hal Schaeffer, Piano; Al Hendrickson, Guitar; Joe Mondragon, Bass; Ivan Lopez, Bongos; Louie Bellson, Drums; Pete Rugolo, Arranger; George Shearing's Quintet: George Shearing, Piano; Joe Roland, Vibes; Dick Evans, Guitar; Al McKibbon, Bass; Denzil Best, Drums; Nelson Riddle Orchestra; Bobby Tucker Quartet: Bobby Tucker, Piano; Barney Kessel, Guitar; Red Callender, Bass; Lee Young, Drums; Lee Gordon Singers; The Metronome All-Stars: Roy Eldridge, Trumpet; Kai Winding, Trombone; John LaPorta, Clarinet; Warne Marsh, Lester Young, Tenor Saxes; Terry Gibbs, Vibes; Teddy Wilson, Piano; Billy Bauer, Guitar; Ed Safranski, Bass; Max Roach, Drums; Lou Bring's Orchestra including the Pied Pipers: John Cave, French Horn; Frank Beach, Harry Sweets Edison, Vito Mangano, Rubin Zarchy, Manny Klein, Ray Linn, Trumpets; Milt Bernhart, James Priddy, Paul Tanner, Milt Bernhart, Trombones; Willie Smith, Alto Sax; Wardell Gray, Tenor Sax; Jules Kinsler, Harry Klee, Joe Koch, Warren Webb, Woodwinds; Victor Bay, Harry Blostein, Henry Hill, Nathan Ross, Misha Russell, Marshall Sosson, Erno Neufeld, Lou Raderman, Felix Slatkin, Violins; Paul Robyn, David Sterkin, Violas; Elizabeth Greenschpoon, Cello; Katharine Julyie, Harp; Melvin Weschler, Piano; Robert Bain, Guitar; Joe Comfort, Bass; Frank Carlson, Drums; Lou Bring, Arranger, Conductor; Sarah Vaughan with Hal Mooney's Orchestra; Bobby Tucker, Conductor.