One of the best-remembered jazz albums from singer Bev Kelly – partly for the record's great use of guitar by Johnny Smith, but also for the great vocals from Bev herself! The album's one of a few that really set a new standard for small combo jazz in the 50s – different than the bigger band records with singers, but also not nearly as cabaret-styled as some of the other records with a small group behind the vocalist. Smith's tone is wonderful – that moody, mellow magic he did so well – and his pairing here is not unlike that of Barney Kessel with Julie London, but with much more of a New York vibe overall. Titles include "Looking For A Boy", "Destination Moon", "Tis Autumn", "Almost Like Being In Love", "Snuggled On Your Shoulder", and "Moe's Blues". CD

... CD

... CD

Very jazzy work from vocalist Beverly Kenny – sung with small combo backings throughout, and a style that's always fresh and lean! Some of the titles here are from earlier years, as implied by the title – but the sound of the record is in the best late 50s vocal jazz mode, thanks especially to the lineup of players on the set. Some musicians are stated outright – including Jerome Richardson on reeds, Chuck Wayne on guitar, Johnny Rae on vibes, and Eddie Bert on trombone – while other players are listed simply as "a flautist" or "a trumpeter", most likely due to contractual reasons! But even with this obscured identity in the notes, the players are all plenty darn great – and really help shape the sound of the record throughout. Titles include "Undecided", "I Had The Craziest Dream", "More Than You Know", "The Dipsy Doodle", "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place", "A Sunday Kind Of Love",a nd "Tampico". CD

Some of the earliest work ever recorded by vocalist Beverly Kenny – early 50s sides done before her rise to fame on Roost and Decca, and a much-needed addition to her too-short career! The tracks were originally part of transcription discs done for radio stations, and they've got a surprisingly full, professional feel – not like the quieter material showcased on SSJ's other Kenny collection, Snuggled On Your Shoulder – but recorded with jazzy backings from arranger Eddie Safranski! The lineup includes tenor, alto, baritone, and trumpet – plus piano by either Dick Hyman and Moe Wexler, and guitar from Mundell Lowe – all to perfectly set the blue mood that Beverly's going for with her vocals. Many of the tracks here are nicely less familiar, and not overdone standards – and titles include "That Pyramid Jazz", "Long Lean & Lanky", "It's A Mean Old World", "Too Bad", "The Stars The Night The Moon", "Yours Sincerely", and "Let's Try It Again". CD

A real musical discovery from vocalist Beverly Kenney – rare session material from 1954, recorded even before her first few albums on the Roost label! The sound here is very spare – with Bev on vocals and Tony Tamburello on piano – in a style that might be called "demo" during later years, when singers always expected more instrumentation to be added later on – but which comes off perfectly here in a late nite, intimately jazzy mode! Beverly's vocals are wonderfully strong, but never overdone – really holding the record with a presence that's breathtaking, and almost more so than any of her later work with bigger groups. Titles include "Gay Chicks", "Tea For Two", "There Will Never Be Another You", "Moe's Blues", "Can't Get Out Of This Mood", "Snuggled On Your Shoulder", and "That's All". CD

A really cool set, and one that goes way past the usual 60s soul and pop modes that usually define a girl group compilation – as this one goes way way back, and traces female harmony modes from the early swing years onwards – served up in a massive 82 track package that's overflowing with surprises! The material really shows the evolution of the mode in a great way – mixing early 78rpm tracks with postwar 45s and LP titles – in modes that include jazz, soul, R&B, and pop – all supported by the usual great French and English notes that we love from this label! CD3 features all early 60s material, with a few decades spanned on the previous 2CDs – work by artists who include Daindridge Sisters, Angels, Blossoms, Cookies, Poni-Tails, Bonnie Sisters, Beverly Sisters, Clark Sisters, Shirley Gunter & The Queens, Paulette Sisters, Chordettes, Raelettes, Quin-Tones, Paris Sisters, Royalettes, Starletts, Charmaines, Dinning Siters, Fontaine Sisters, Boswell Sisters, The Enchanters, and others. (Soul, Vocalists) CD

Music from The Nat King Cole Trio, Carmen McRae, Chet Baker, Mel Torme, Annie Ross, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, June Christy, Beverly Kenney, David Allyn, and more. CD