If you want a treat, treat yourself to both collections.
Retrospective RTS 4403
June Christy (vocals on all tracks) with Stan Kenton & His Orchestra, Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra; also featuring Charlie Shavers (tp) Lawrence Brown (tb) Johnny Hodges (as) Coleman Hawkins (ts) Harry Carney (bar) Nat King Cole (p) Bob Ahern (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Buddy Rich (d) ; ao. (full personnel and track listings at the end of the review)
Pardon my enthusiasm but this is another glorious goodie from the super series of Retrospective Centenary Tribute 2-CD Best Of compilations that clasical record company Nimbus puts out. I love these releases because they gather best-of tracks from a wide range of original album releases. So, every Retro release will usually contain some surprises for everyone other than a total fan who has everything ever recorded by the object of their affection.
This time the featured artist is June Christy a.k.a. The Misty Miss Christy or Epitome of Cool. There is pure gold here, not just in June Christy’s voice, but in the choice of song and the stellar range of backing bands and groups over a wide period of time.
Thanks be for the meticulously researched and catalogued track details, which are reproduced here in full because they nicely remind how the cream names of West Coast jazz were once regularly employed by the studios around Hollywood to back the best ‘popular’ singers. Those big names in her backing bands often get a chance to throw in short solos. The sleeve notes are good and useful too and make a fine guide down that musical memory lane.
Sound quality is excellent throughout. I am assuming that most of the later recordings were made in the Capitol Tower studios, in Los Angeles, as routinely used by Nat Cole, Frank Sinatra and all the EMI/Capitol stars that shone in that golden era of big band song. Those studios have an indefinable sound to them, largely thanks to the huge underground concrete echo chambers excavated deep below the building. The object was not to add obvious echo but an intangible glow of ambient warmth. I‘m hearing it here and I love it.
The essential bio basics are that June Christy was born Shirley Luster in Springfield, Illinois in 1925 and had little or no formal music training. She never learned to read music properly. With her voice and looks she never needed to.
Her big break was being hired by Stan Kenton, who gave her her stage name. She took over from Anita O’Day and sang the nicely humourous “Tampico” in O’Dayish style before swimming deeper into cool. After winning Down Beat’s ‘best female vocalist with a big band’ for the years 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1950, June Christy started making solo recordings for the legendary Capitol label, often with the equally legendary arranger Pete Rugolo.It was a long and wonderfully productive musical union. Try “I’ll Remember April” and “Get Happy” from 1949, “ Dearly Beloved” from 1955 and the breakneck “My Shining Hour” from 1958.
Along the way she married tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper and they stayed together for 44 years, making excellent recordings. “My One and Only Love” and “They can’t Take that Away from Me” are glorious examples of their musical union. Oh to have been a guest of the Cooper/Christy’s at Christmas time.
Christy’s Big One, the 1953/4 classic LP collection “Something Cool” with Great American Songbook songs including the title track, “Midnight Sun” and “I Should Care”, really made being and sounding cool, cool.
Then came the 1956 follow-up album “The Misty Miss Christy” including a suitably cool take on Monk’s “’Round Midnight” and a jolly “I Want To Be Happy”.
After that there was a kind of full-circle re-union album, “Duet” with Stan Kenton, for which Stan played solo piano. This project included the Gershwin weepy masterpiece “How Long Has This Been Going On?”. These tracks were a revelation to me. Kenton may have liked to make a lot of big band noise but, as evidenced here, he played fine piano. His accompaniment may sometimes sound a bit florid for some tastes but for me it stays tasteful and works wonders with the solo voice.
June Christy was blessed with a voice like a bell but with its own instantly recognisable timbre. It’s hard to imagine her singing out of tune, even deliberately. As this collection reminds she could weave equal magic with beautiful songs like Rodgers & Hart’s “Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered” and solid swingers, like “Get Happy”
These CDs are a joy to listen to, and I shall keep on coming back to them. And, dare I say, they leave me with the driving desire to take some of the singers now making self-indulgent CDs, drag them into listening to some Christy tracks and hope they wake up and say “so that’s how it’s done”.
The Misty Miss Christy’s last album was Impromptu, in 1977, and her last tour, with Shorty Rogers, was in 1988. She died two years after that in 1990, aged only 64, and before any music biz execs had the chance to lure her out of retirement and into performing with anything less than perfection.
I hear Anita O’Day as the ‘hotter’ version of ‘cool’ Christy. Their careers ran along parallel tracks, through the forties and fifties, backed by a similarly wide range of top notch jazz and studio bands and musicians; and both singers did swinging stints with Stan Kenton. So now seems a good time to mention and heartily recommend a previously released Wyastone/Nimbus Retrospective release that neatly partners with the June Christy collection.
Anita O’Day, Tea for Two – A Centenary Tribute, Her 53 Finest 1941-1962, RTS 4360, of course includes the now legenday Tea for Two from Jazz On A Summer’s Day, and the string of killler dillers with Gene Krupa’s tight ship big band, along with a wide variety of tracks backed by the likes of Oscar Peterson Quartet, Buddy Bregman, Billy May, Jimmy Giuffre, Gary McFarland and Cal Tjader.
If you want a treat, treat yourself to both collections. And maybe also look for a copy of O’Day’s wonderfully frank auto-biography High Times, Hard Times. It’s one of the best books on the big band and vocal swing era.
June Christy (1925-1990) sings throughout
Recorded in Los Angeles (except where stated)
DISC ONE (1945-1953)
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: Maynard Ferguson, Conrad Gozzo, Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Zito (tp) Milt Bernhart, Herbie Harper, Tommy Pederson, George Roberts (tb); Gus Bivona (as,fl) Bud Shank (as) Bob Cooper, Ted Nash (ts,fl) Chuck Gentry (bar) Jeff Clarkson (p) Barney Kessel (g) Joe Mondragon (b) Frank Carlson (d)
1 SOMETHING COOL (Billy Barnes, 1953)
Matrix no.: 11706 (original record no.: Capitol F 6054), recording date: 14th August 1953
Stan Kenton (p) & his Orchestra: Buddy Childers, John Anderson, John Carroll – 2,Mel Green – 2, Gene Roland – 2, Ray Wetzel – 3-4, Russ Burgher – 3-4, Bob Lymperis – 3-4 (tp) Fred Zito, Milt Kabak, Marshall Ocker – 2, Jimmy Simms – 3-4 (tb) Bart Varsalona (b-tb) Boots Mussulli (cl,as) Al Anthony (as) Dave Madden – 2, Joe Megro – 2, Bob Cooper – 3-4, Bill McDougald – 3, Vido Musso – 4 (ts) Bob Gioga (bar) Bob Ahern (g) Max Wayne – 2, Eddie Safranski – 3-4 (b) Bob Varney – 2-3, Ralph Collier – 4 (d)
2 TAMPICO (Doris Fisher – m; Allan Roberts – w; 1945; arr. Gene Roland) – Million selling US No.3 hit 341-4 (Capitol 202), location: Chicago, 4th May 1945
3 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME (Jule Styne – m; Sammy Cahn – w; 1945; arr. Stan Kenton) – US No.6 hit 691-9 (Capitol 219), New York, 30th July 1945
4 JUST A-SITTIN’ AND A-ROCKIN’ (Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn – m; Lee Gaines – w; arr. Gene Roland) – US No.16 hit 777-2 (Capitol 229), 30th October 1945
The Kentones: Ray Wetzel (tp) Gene Roland (v-tb) Boots Mussulli (as) Fred Zito (p) Dave Barbour (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Eddie Spanier (d)
5 MAKE LOVE TO ME (Paul Mann & Stephan Weiss – m; Kim Gannon – w; 1941) Capitol transcription ET 485-2, 13th December 1945
[from June Christy Living Era CD AJA 5570 track 5]
6 WRAP YOUR TROUBLES IN DREAMS (Harry Barris – m; Ted Koehler & Billy Moll – w; 1931)
Capitol transcription ET 487-1, 13th December 1945
7 DON’T WORRY ’BOUT ME (Rube Bloom – m; Ted Koehler – w Cotton Club Parade, 1939 revue) (N.B. no tp,tb,as)
Capitol transcription ET 489-3, 13th December 1945
8 I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH ME (Jimmy McHugh – m; Clarence Gaskill – w; Gay Paree, 1926 revue)
Capitol transcription ET 490-2, 13th December 1945
Stan Kenton (p) & his Orchestra: Buddy Childers, John Anderson, Russ Burgher, Bob Lymperis, Ray Wetzel (tp) Fred Zito, Jimmy Simms, Milt Kabak, Ray Klein (tb) Bart Varsalona (b-tb) Boots Mussulli, Al Anthony (as) Vido Musso, Bob Cooper (ts) Bob Gioga (bar) Bob Ahern (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Ralph Collier (d)
9 SHOO FLY PIE AND APPLE PAN DOWDY (Guy Wood – m; Sammy Gallop – w; 1945; arr. Gene Roland) – Million selling US No.6 hit 884-4 (Capitol 235), 26th December 1945 The Kentones: Ray Wetzel (tp) Gene Roland (v-tb) Boots Mussulli (as) Fred Zito (p) Dave Barbour (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Eddie Spanier (d)
10 SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN (Harry Warren – m; Al Dubin – w; Melody For Two,1937 film) Capitol transcription ET 540-1, 27th December 1945
11 STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY (Edgar Sampson – m; Andy Razaf – w; 1933)
Capitol transcription ET 542-1, 27th December 1945
12 THE ONE I LOVE BELONGS TO SOMEBODY ELSE (Isham Jones – m; Gus Kahn – w; 1924)
Capitol transcription ET 543-1, 27th December 1945
13 MOONGLOW (Will Hudson – m; Eddie De Lange & Irving Mills – w; Blackbirds Of 1934, musical)
Capitol transcription ET 544-2, 27th December 1945 2:54
Stan Kenton (p) & his Orchestra: Ray Wetzel, Buddy Childers, John Anderson, Chico Alvarez, Ken Hanna (tp) Kai Winding, Miff Sines, Milt Kabak – 14, Harry Forbes – 15 (tb) Bart Varsalona (b-tb) Boots Mussulli, Al Anthony (as) Vido Musso, Bob Cooper (ts) Bob Gioga (bar) Bob Ahern (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Shelly Manne (d)
14 AIN’T NO MISERY IN ME (Gene Roland, 1946) 1194-1 (Capitol 20089), 12th July 1946
15 WILLOW, WEEP FOR ME (Ann Ronell; 1932; arr. Pete Rugolo)1217-4 (Capitol 20087), 25th July 1946
The Kentones: John Anderson (tp) Kai Winding (tb) Bob Cooper (ts) Arnold Ross (p) Dave Barbour (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Shelly Manne (d)
16 LULLABY IN RHYTHM (Benny Goodman, Edgar Sampson, Clarence Profit & Walter Hirsch; 1938; arr. Tommy Todd)
Capitol transcription ET 1733-1, 31st July 1946
17 I’M THRILLED (Sidney Lippman – m; Sylvia Dee – w; arr. Tommy Todd) Capitol transcription ET 1736-1, 31st July 1946
The Metronome All Stars: Charlie Shavers (tp) Lawrence Brown (tb) Johnny Hodges (as) Coleman Hawkins (ts) Harry Carney (bar) Nat King Cole (p) Bob Ahern (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Buddy Rich (d)
18 NAT MEETS JUNE (Murgentroid; 1946) Duet with Nat King Cole C 037178-1 (Columbia 37293), New York, 17th December 1946
Stan Kenton (p) & his Orchestra: Ray Wetzel, Ken Hanna, Buddy Childers, Chico Alvarez, John Anderson – 19, Al Porcino – 20 (tp) Milt Bernhart, Harry Forbes, Kai Winding – 19, Skip Layton – 19, Eddie Bert – 20, Harry Betts – 20 (tb) Bart Varsalona (b-tb) Boots Mussulli – 19, Eddie Meyers – 19, George Weidler – 20, Art Pepper – 20 (as) Bob Cooper, Vido Musso – 19, Warner Weidler – 20 (ts) Bob Gioga (bar) Bob Ahern – 19, Laurindo Almeida – 20 (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Shelly Manne (d) Jack Costanzo – 20 (bgo)
19 ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM THE ALAMO (Joe Greene; 1947; arr. Pete Rugolo) – US No.11 hit 1672-3 (Capitol 387), 28th February 1947
20 HOW HIGH THE MOON? (Morgan Lewis – m; Nancy Hamilton – w; Two For The Show, 1940 show; arr. Neal Hefti & 0Pete Rugolo) 2937-2 (Capitol 911), New York, 21st December 1947
Pete Rugolo (p) & orchestra: Alex Gershunoff (fl) Laurindo Almeida (g) Don Whitaker (b) Jackie Mills (d) + strings
21 I’LL REMEMBER APRIL (Don Raye, Gene De Paul, Patricia Johnston: Ride ‘Em, Cowboy, 1942 film) 4932-3D (Capitol 57-774), 29th September 1949
22 GET HAPPY (Harold Arlen – m; Ted Koehler – w; Nine-Fifteen Revue, 1930 musical) 4933-2D (Capitol 57-774), 29th September 1949
Stan Kenton (p) & his Orchestra: John Howell, Maynard Ferguson, Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson, John Coppola (tp) Bob Fitzpatrick, Harry Betts, Dick Kenney, Bill Russo (tb) George Roberts (b-tb) Bud Shank, Art Pepper (as) Bob Cooper, Bart Calderall (ts) Bob Gioga (bar) Ralph Blaze (g) Don Bagley (b) Stan Fletcher (tu) Shelly Manne (d)
23 EASY STREET (Alan Rankin Jones; 1941; arr. Gene Roland) 9053-5 (Creative World ST 1028), 20th September 1951
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: Shorty Rogers – 24-25,27, Uan Rasey – 24,26, Ray Triscari – 24,26, Frank Beach – 25-26, Ray Linn – 25-26, Joe Triscari – 25, Conrad Gozzo – 26-27, Maynard Ferguson – 27 (tp) Harry Betts – 24-25,27, Si Zentner – 2425, Milt Bernhart – 24,27, Tommy Pederson – 25-27, Herbie Harper – 25, Nick DiMaio 26, Dick Noel – 26, Dick Reynolds – 26 (tb) Gus Bivona – 24-25, Jules Kinsler – 24, Al Gershoff – 25, Skeets Herfurt – 26, Wilbur Schwartz – 26, Harry Klee – 27, Bud Shank – 27 (as) Bob Cooper – 24-25,27, Ted Nash – 25-27, Fred Fallensby – 26 (ts) Chuck Gentry – 24,26-27, Bob 0Gioga – 25 (bar) Buddy Cole – 24-25, Paul Smith – 26, Russ Freeman – 27 (p) Vincent Terri – 24-25, Tony Rizzi – 26, Howard Roberts – 27 (g) Phil Stephens – 24-25, Joe Mondragon – 26-27 (b) Shelly Manne – 24,27, Alvin Stoller – 25-26 (d)
24 BEI MIR BIST DU SCHÖN (Sholom Secunda – m; Jacob Jacobs – Yiddish w; Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin – Eng w; Love, Honor And Behave, 1938 film) 10166 (Capitol 2199), 20th June 1952
25 MY HEART BELONGS TO ONLY YOU (Frank Daniels, Dorothy Daniels; arr. Pete Rugolo) – US No.22 hit 10808 (Capitol 2308), 17th November 1952
26 MIDNIGHT SUN (Sonny Burke & Lionel Hampton – m; Johnny Mercer – w; 1947; arr. Pete Rugolo) 12181 (Capitol F 6054), 27th December 1953
27 I SHOULD CARE (Axel Stordahl & Paul Weston – m; Sammy Cahn – w; Thrill Of A Romance, 1945 film; arr. Pete Rugolo) 12260 (Capitol EBF 516), 18th January 1954
DISC TWO (1954-1960)
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: Conrad Gozzo, Shorty Rogers, Maynard Ferguson – 1-2, Conte Candoli – 3 (tp) Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts – 1-2, Tommy Pederson – 1-2, Bob Fitzpatrick – 3, Herbie Harper – 3 (tb) Bud Shank, Harry Klee – 1-2 (as) Bob Cooper, Ted Nash – 1-2, Jimmy Giuffre – 3 (ts) Chuck Gentry – 1-2, Bob Gordon – 3 (bar) Russ Freeman – 1-2, Claude Williamson – 3 (p) Howard Roberts (g) Joe Mondragon (b) Shelly Manne (d)
1 IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU (Jimmy Van Heusen – m; Johnny Burke – w; And The Angels Sing, 1944 film) 12261 (Capitol EBF 516), 18th January 1954
2 I’LL TAKE ROMANCE (Ben Oakland – m; Oscar Hammerstein II – w; I’ll Take Romance, 1937 film) 12264 (Capitol EBF 516), 18th January 1954
3 SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE (Sigmund Romberg – m; Oscar Hammerstein II – w; The New Moon, 1928 operetta) 13390 (Capitol T 516), 29th December 1954
Stan Kenton (p)
4 WE KISS IN A SHADOW (Richard Rodgers – m; Oscar Hammerstein II – w; The King And I, 1951 musical) 13824 (Capitol T 656), 7th May 1955
5 HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? (George Gershwin (1898-1937) – m; Ira Gershwin – w; Rosalie, 1928 musical [written for 1927 musical Funny Face but not used]) 13881 (Capitol T 656), 19th May 1955
6 EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE (Cole Porter; Seven Lively Arts, 1944 revue) 13882 (Capitol T 656), 19th May 1955
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: Pete Candoli (tp) Harry Betts, Herbie Harper, Dick Noel, George Roberts (tb) Harry Klee (fl) Bob Gordon (bar) Claude Williamson (p) Laurindo Almeida (g) Harry Babasin (b) Larry Bunker (d)
7 DEARLY BELOVED (Jerome Kern – m; Johnny Mercer – w; You Were Never Lovelier, 1942 film) 14128 (Capitol T 725, 26th July 1955
8 A LOVELY WAY TO SPEND AN EVENING (Jimmy McHugh – m; Harold Adamson – w; Higher And Higher, 1943 film) 14129 (Capitol T 725, 26th July 1955
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: Milt Bernhart – 10-11, Frank Rosolino – 10-11, George Roberts – 10-11 (tb) John Graas (fhr) Bud Shank (fl) Bob Cooper (ts) Bernie Mattison – 9 (vib) Claude Williamson – 10-11 (p) Corky Hale – 9, Ann Stockton – 10-11 (harp) Howard Roberts (g) Joe Mondragon (b) Shelly Manne (d) + strings
9 THIS YEAR’S KISSES (Irving Berlin; On The Avenue, 1937 film) 14935 (Capitol T 725), 16th January 1956
10 ’ROUND MIDNIGHT (Thelonious Monk & Cootie Williams – m; Bernie Hanighen – w; 1944) 14953 (Capitol T 725), 23rd January 1956
11 DAY DREAM (Billy Strayhorn & Duke Ellington; 1940) 14955 (Capitol T 725), 23rd January 1956
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: Don Fagerquist (tp) Frank Rosolino (tb) Vince DeRosa (fhr) Clarence Karella (tu) Bud Shank (fl,as) Bob Cooper (ts) Dave Pell (bar) Larry Bunker (vib) Benny Aronov (p) Howard Roberts (g) Red Mitchell (b) Shelly Manne (d)
12 IMAGINATION (Jimmy Van Heusen – m; Johnny Burke – w; 1940) 16346 (Capitol T 833), 3rd January 1957
13 I’VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE (Frank Loesser; Guys And Dolls, 1950 musical) 16421 (Capitol T 833), 15th January 1957
14 BEWARE, MY HEART (Sam Coslow; Carnegie Hall, 1946 film) 16463 (Capitol T 833), 21st January 1957
15 I WANT TO BE HAPPY (Vincent Youmans – m; Irving Caesar – w; No, No, Nanette, 1924 musical) 16464 (Capitol T 833), 21st January 1957
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: Milt Bernhart, Herbie Harper, Tommy Pederson, Frank Rosolino (tb) George Roberts (b-tb) Bernie Mattison (vib) Benny Aronov (p) Howard Roberts (g) Red Mitchell (b) Alvin Stoller (d)
16 GIVE ME THE SIMPLE LIFE (Rube Bloom – m; Harry Ruby – w; Wake Up And Dream, 1946 film) 17273 (Capitol T 902), 2nd July 1957
17 IT’S A MOST UNUSUAL DAY (Jimmy McHugh – m; Harold Adamson – w; 1947) 17274 (Capitol T 902), 2nd July 1957
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: Bud Shank (fl) Bob Cooper (oboe) Marty Berman (b-cl) Benny Aronov (p) Howard Roberts (g) Red Mitchell (b) Shelly Manne (d) + strings
18 WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG (Ah, The Apple Trees) (Philippe Gerard – m; Johnny Mercer – w; 1950) 17316 (Capitol T 902), 15th July 1957
Russ Freeman (p) & trio: Monty Budwig (b) Shelly Manne (d)
19 IT DON’T MEAN A THING (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) (Duke Ellington – m; Irving Mills – w; 1932; arr. Bob Cooper) 19389 (Capitol ST 1076), 16th June 1958
The Bob Cooper Orchestra: Bud Shank (fl) Laurindo Almeida (g) Monty Budwig (b) Mel Lewis (d)
20 MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE (Guy Wood – m; Robert Mellin – w; 1952; from Music From Beyond The Moon, 1947; arr. Bob Cooper) 19544 (Capitol ST 1076), 27th June 1958
Bob Cooper (ts) & his Orchestra: Ed Leddy (tp) Frank Rosolino (tb) Red Callender (tu) Bud Shank (as,fl) Russ Freeman (p,celeste) Monty Budwig (b) Mel Lewis (d)
21 THEY CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME (George Gershwin – m; Ira Gershwin – w; Shall We Dance?, 1937 film) 19620 (Capitol ST 1076), 3rd July 1958
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: (unknown personnel)
22 NIGHT TIME WAS MY MOTHER (Arnold Miller – m; Connie Pearce – w; 1958) 19757 (Capitol ST 1114), August 1958
23 MY SHINING HOUR (Harold Arlen – m; Johnny Mercer – w; The Sky’s The Limit, 1943 musical) 19846 (Capitol ST 1114), August 1958
24 I REMEMBER YOU (Victor Schertzinger – m; Johnny Mercer – w; The Fleet’s In, 1942 film) 19883 (Capitol ST 1114), August 1958
Bob Cooper (ts) & his Orchestra: Frank Rosolino (tb) Bud Shank (as,fl) Kathryne Julye (harp) Joe Castro (p) Red Callender (b) Mel Lewis (d)
25 DON’T GET AROUND MUCH ANYMORE (from Never No Lament, 1940) (Duke Ellington – m (1940); Bob Russell – w (1942); So’s Your Uncle, 1943 film) 32274 (Capitol ST 1308), 27th August 1959
26 BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED (Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) – m; Lorenz Hart – w; Pal Joey, 1940 musical) 32277 (Capitol ST 1308), 27th August 1959
27 I’M IN LOVE (Jule Styne – m; Sammy Cahn – w; Romance On The High Seas, 1948 film) 32267 (Capitol ST 1308), 10th September 1959
Pete Rugolo & his Orchestra: (unknown personnel)
28 OUT OF THIS WORLD (Harold Arlen – m; Johnny Mercer – w; Out Of This World, 1945 film) 34362 (Capitol ST 1498), August 1960
Compiled by Ray Crick / Audio restoration & remastering by Martin Haskell
