Jazz Singer

Read About This Recording

One of the most beloved singers to emerge in the 1950s, Rosemary Clooney sang a wide variety of material during her career. She first came to fame as one of the Clooney Sisters with Tony Pastor's Orchestra, singing swing standards and novelties. After her sister retired and she went out on her own, Clooney had a #1 hit with Come On-A My House and had 13 other hits during the first half of the 1950s. An intelligent interpreter of lyrics with a friendly warm voice, she was not a jazz improviser but she sounded quite comfortable performing in jazz settings.

Jazz Singer features Rosemary Clooney at her most jazz-oriented in the 1950s. Four songs are from Blue Rose, her collaboration with the Duke Ellington Orchestra (including I'm Checkin' Out, Goombye and It Don't Mean a Thing), three are with a small group headed by Benny Goodman, and the other material collects numbers from a combo session and a few superior tunes on which she is accompanied by orchestras.

Other highlights of this rewarding collection include How About You, Hey Baby, Learnin' the Blues and Sophisticated Lady. Until she began to record standards regularly with jazz groups for the Concord label in the late 1970s, these were the best examples of Rosemary Clooney interacting with jazz musicians, and the overall results are quite pleasing and swinging.

-Scott Yanow

Quotes

Rosemary Clooney is one of the most important interpreters of American popular song, and one of my most prominent influences as a singer and piano player. -Diana Krall

Extended Article

Rosemary Clooney is revered and beloved as one of the preeminent interpreters of American popular song. Elegant phrasing, impeccable timing and a beautifully straightforward delivery are her timeless artistic signatures. Inside this historic collection, performer-producer Michael Feinstein writes, the selections...show off Rosie's ease with many different types of instrumental and vocal backing in a jazz context. They share the common bond of showing how she could swing with rhythmic surety and subtle nuance, and convey deep emotion while paradoxically staying absolutely true to the notes as written, later noting, honesty and simplicity were the hallmark of her ability. Her legacy is formidable and will only grow with time.

Contents

It Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got That Swing); I'll Be Around; How About You; Blues in the Night; Memories of You; I'm Checkin' Out, Goombye; What is There to Say; The Lady is a Tramp; Bad News; Hey Baby; It's Bad for Me; A Touch of the Blues; Together; Learnin' the Blues; Doncha Go 'Way Mad; Sophisticated Lady; Come Rain or Come Shine; Goodbye.

Rosemary Clooney, Vocals; Cat Anderson, Frank Beach, Buck Clayton, Willie Cook, Don Fagerquist, Robert Fowler, Conrad Gozzo, Charles Griffard, Ray Nance, Clark Terry, Jimmy Maxwell, Vito Mangano, Uan Rasey, James Milozzo, Melvin Solomon, Trumpets; John d'Agostino, Andrew Godlis, Urbie Green, Francis Howard, Quentin L. Jackson, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, Lou McGarrity, George Roberts, Paul Tanner, William Schaefer, Dick Nash, Allan W. Thompson, Trombones; J.H. Washburne, Tuba; Russell Banzer, Henry Beau, Marty Berman, Eddie Brown, Gene Cipriano, Mahlon Clark, John Fulton, Bernard Kaufman, Jules Kinsler, Ted Nash, Mattie Matlock, Fred Stulce, Hymie Shertzer, Julius Jacob, Don Lodge, Saxes; Harry Carney, Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Paul Gonsalves, Reeds; Benny Goodman, Clarinet; Duke Ellington, Stan Freeman, Dick Hyman, Billy Strayhorn, Paul Smith, Pianos; George van Epps, Mundell Lowe, Tony Rizzi, Benjamin Mortell, Vincent Terri, Guitars; Aaron Bell, Roland Bundock, Frank Carroll, Ray Leatherwood, James Woode, Phil Stephens, Basses; Bobby Donaldson, Nick Fatool, Milt Holland, Sam Woodyard, Jack Sperling, Alvin Stoller, Drums; Sidney Brecher, Samuel Carmell, Richard Dickler, Violas; Raoul Sims, Cello; Gene Orloff, Milton Lomax, Milton Weiser, Julius Schachter, Harry Katzman, Violins.

CD Special Features

Elegant phrasing...

Flawless timing...

A legendary interpreter of American popular song