Great stuff from one of our favorite singers of all time! June has a way with a ballad that still leaves us breathless – turning simple somber songs into dark tapestries of despair and loss, infused with a boozy maturity that makes the lyrics resonate with a sense of pain that's always missing from other versions of the tracks (if there are other versions of the tracks – as some of June's are so good that nobody ever dared touch the songs again!) This CD brings together 16 cuts that perfectly illustrate June's incredible talents, including a number from her classic Something Cool album, issued here in the stereo recordings, which are completely different from the mono ones, which were recorded at a different session years earlier. Titles include "Interlude", "Winter's Got Spring Up Its Sleeve", "The Wind", "The Night We Called It A Day", "Night People", "Nobody's Heart", "Don't Explain", and "Cry Like The Wind". CD

Darkly beautiful work from singer June Christy – a lesser-remembered gem from the end of her years at Capitol Records! The mood here is very much in keeping with the "night people" setting of the title – a lonely space of empty streets, open windows, and late night saloons – first brought to record so beautifully by June on the Something Cool album, and wonderfully revisited in this fantastic set! Arrangements are by husband Bob Cooper, and although they're a bit less arch-modern than some of Christy's work with Pete Rugolo, they still really get at the boozy genius of June's vocals at their best. Titles include "I Had A Little Sorrow", "Night People", "Make Love To Me", "Shadow Woman", "My Ship", and "Kissing Bug". CD also features 5 bonus tracks from the Do Re Mi album – including "Make Someone Happy", "Asking For You", and "All You Need Is A Quarter". CD

A well-chosen batch of tunes from June Christy's legendary years at Capitol Records – material that really helped transform the sound of the voice in jazz during the 50s! Arrangements are by Pete Rugolo or Bob Cooper – and there's a tremendous amount of darkness in many of these tunes – a mix of cold and sweet that's simply breathtaking, and which is still a style that June does better than anyone else. Titles include "How High The Moon", "Nobody's Heart", "Something Cool", "Just A Sittin & A Rockin", "Midnight Sun", "Willow Weep For Me", and "My Heart Belongs To Only You". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing stuff, and easily one of June's greatest albums – even if it is an unusual one! The format here is a far cry from the boozier modes of June's earlier career – as the tunes on the set are mostly children's songs, redone as jazzier numbers by June and the Joe Castro Quartet – the latter of whom provides some rare small combo backing for Christy, in a lightly dancing mode that really makes the album work! And while you might expect the children's tunes to be simple-minded or cloying, June's delivery of the material unlocks the secret sense of loss, sadness, and longing that's often buried in the songs – completely transforming familiar numbers in a way that really leaves us breathless! Titles include "Kee Mo Ky Mo", "Small Fry", "Swinging On A Star", "Give A Little Whistle", "The Magic Window", "Baby's Birthday Party", and "Aren't You Glad You're You". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes non-album singles and previously unissued material – 16 tracks total. CD

Always brilliant work from the great June Christy – an album that's got a lot more darkness than you might think from the title and the bright-colored cover! The style is very booze-soaked and sad – with plenty of echoes of the classic Something Cool album – and like that set, this one features sublime arrangements from the great Pete Rugolo – who has a perfect way of shading things in with the dark tones and modern elements that always work best for Christy's vocals! One of our favorite-ever records from June – with titles that include "Let There Be Love", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "I Want To Be Happy", "Imagination", "No More", "Better Luck Next Time", and "The Best Thing For You". LP, Vinyl record album

That's "gone" – as in the way June Christy really sends us – vocals that take us to a place that few other 50s singers could ever hope to reach! June's work here is a masterpiece of melancholic understatement – far less overblown than some of her pop contemporaries, but also filled with feeling in a way that's different from some of the other icy singers of the time. A big part of the album's strength lies with arranger Pete Rugolo – who gives June here some of the same dark corners and modern elements you'd find in her classic Something Cool album – which really hits the right sort of emotion for Christy. Titles include "When The Sun Comes Out", "It's So Peaceful In the Country", "When You Awake", "Lazy Mood", and "Interlude". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare later work from June Christy – with titles that include "Cecilia", "Mister Wonderful", "Lover", "I'll Take Romance", "Checkin In", and "September Song". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure moment in June Christy's career, but a great one too – a rare later recording, done many years after her time at Capitol Records – in a laidback setting with a hip group of west coast players! June's voice definitely shows a bit of age, but she's still head and shoulders above most jazz singers of her generation – mixing subtle feeling and darkness together beautifully, in a way that makes for a wonderfully moody record! Lou Levy leads the group on piano, and other players include Bob Cooper on tenor and flute, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet – although the horns don't seem to appear on all the tracks on the date. Titles include "The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye", "My Shining Hour", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Show Me", "Willow Weep For Me", "Everything Must Change", and "Autumn Serenade". CD

An obscure moment in June Christy's career, but a great one too – a rare later recording, done many years after her time at Capitol Records – in a laidback setting with a hip group of west coast players! June's voice definitely shows a bit of age, but she's still head and shoulders above most jazz singers of her generation – mixing subtle feeling and darkness together beautifully, in a way that makes for a wonderfully moody record! Lou Levy leads the group on piano, and other players include Bob Cooper on tenor and flute, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet – although the horns don't seem to appear on all the tracks on the date. Titles include "The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye", "My Shining Hour", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Show Me", "Willow Weep For Me", "Everything Must Change", and "Autumn Serenade". LP, Vinyl record album

June's got rhythm, sure, but the real thing that makes her great is her dark and moody sense of melody! This album's one of June's late 50s efforts done with husband/arranger Bob Cooper – not as arch modern as some of her work with Pete Rugolo, but still in a style that's definitely inspired by that classic work. Backing is by a small group of LA jazzers – including Shelly Manne, Russ Freeman, Laurindo Almeida, Frank Rosolino, and Cooper – and titles include "My One & Only Love", "Blue Moon", "I Can Make You Love Me", "When Lights Are Low", and "Gypsy In My Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

June's got rhythm, sure, but the real thing that makes her great is her dark and moody sense of melody! This album's one of June's late 50s efforts done with husband/arranger Bob Cooper – not as arch modern as some of her recordings with arranger Pete Rugolo, but still in a style that's definitely inspired by the classic work of albums like Something Cool and Off Beat. Backing is by a small group of LA jazzers – including Shelly Manne, Russ Freeman, Laurindo Almeida, Frank Rosolino, and Cooper – and titles include "My One & Only Love", "Blue Moon", "I Can Make You Love Me", "When Lights Are Low", and "Gypsy In My Soul". CD also features 4 tracks from the rare Cool School album – "Small Fry", "Looking For A Boy", "Aren't You Glad You're You", and "Baubles Bangles & Beads". CD

One of June's all-time classics – and perhaps her most famous album, next to the sublime Something Cool. The set, like that one, was arranged and conducted by Pete Rugolo – whose icy and modern touches are the perfect foil for June's sad and dark voice. Familiar tunes are completely transformed by the pair's masterful handling – and titles include "The Wind", "There's No You", "For All We Know", "This Year's Kisses", "That's All", and "Maybe You'll Be There". LP, Vinyl record album

One of June's all-time classics – and perhaps her most famous album, next to the sublime Something Cool. The set, like that one, was arranged and conducted by Pete Rugolo – whose icy and modern touches are the perfect foil for June's sad and dark voice. Familiar tunes are completely transformed by the pair's masterful handling – and titles include "The Wind", "There's No You", "For All We Know", "This Year's Kisses", "That's All", and "Maybe You'll Be There". CD features some bonus tracks too! CD

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time – and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an incredibly icy tone on the record, filled with sorrow, regret, and loneliness – all of which are amplified even more deeply by Pete Rugolo's eerie, off-kilter arrangements. Titles include "Something Cool", "It Could Happen To You", "Lonely House", and "I Should Care". This is the original 10" mono recording with 7 tracks – and a green and white cover that has June with eyes closed. LP, Vinyl record album

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time – and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an incredibly icy tone on the record, filled with sorrow, regret, and loneliness – all of which are amplified even more deeply by Pete Rugolo's eerie, off-kilter arrangements. Titles include "Something Cool", "It Could Happen To You", "Lonely House", "I'm Thrilled", and "The Night We Called It A Day". Fantastic stuff! Stereo re-recording of the full LP – from the late 50s. LP, Vinyl record album

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time – and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an incredibly icy tone on the record, filled with sorrow, regret, and loneliness – all of which are amplified even more deeply by Pete Rugolo's eerie, off-kilter arrangements. Titles include "Something Cool", "It Could Happen To You", "Lonely House", "I'm Thrilled", and "The Night We Called It A Day". Plus, this special CD reissue features the mono and stereo recordings of the album – completely different ones, as the album was originally recorded in mono in 1954, and completely re-recorded again with the same arrangements in 1960! CD

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time – and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an incredibly icy tone on the record, filled with sorrow, regret, and loneliness – all of which are amplified even more deeply by Pete Rugolo's eerie, off-kilter arrangements. Titles include "Something Cool", "It Could Happen To You", "Lonely House", "I'm Thrilled", and "The Night We Called It A Day". Fantastic stuff! Original Mono recording – from 1953. LP, Vinyl record album

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time – and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an incredibly icy tone on the record, filled with sorrow, regret, and loneliness – all of which are amplified even more deeply by Pete Rugolo's eerie, off-kilter arrangements. And, on this CD reissue, you'll also hear the pair in a whopping amount of extra material, pulled from singles and albums issued around the same time, for a total of 24 cuts in all. Titles include "Magazines", "Whee Baby", "I'm Thrilled", "Out Of Somewhere", and "The Night We Called It A Day". Fantastic stuff! CD

A loving reissue that brings together two of the best June Christy albums on one CD! Both albums were cut a bit later than some of Christy's more famous work, and they represent the peak of her emotional maturity as a singer. The arrangements on both albums were done by Pete Rugolo, and he brought the same sort of eerie sound to the records that he did to Something Cool, his earlier classic with June. There's 20 cuts in all, and titles include "Off Beat", "The Bad & The Beautiful", "Saturday's Children", "Out Of This World", and "Nightime Was My Mother". Incredibly haunting work by one of our favorite all-time jazz vocalists! CD

The first album in a legendary run of vocal jazz classics on Atlantic Records – and a set that really helped Chris Connor move to a new level of expression in her music! The sound here is much richer than Connor's previous recordings for Bethlehem – and the small combo jazz backings have been replaced by fuller orchestrations by Ralph Burns – done in a cool, edgey sort of way that really pushes Chris into newly sophisticated territory! The sound's on a par with the best June Christy/Pete Rugolo collaborations on Capitol – and the group's filled with some great jazz players, including Zoot Sims, John Lewis, Milt Hinton, and Oscar Pettiford. Titles include "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "My April Heart", "He Was Good to Me", "Where Are You", and "Get Out Of Town". CD

The first album in a legendary run of vocal jazz classics on Atlantic Records – and a set that really helped Chris Connor move to a new level of expression in her music! The sound here is much richer than Connor's previous recordings for Bethlehem – and the small combo jazz backings have been replaced by fuller orchestrations by Ralph Burns – done in a cool, edgey sort of way that really pushes Chris into newly sophisticated territory! The sound's on a par with the best June Christy/Pete Rugolo collaborations on Capitol – and the group's filled with some great jazz players, including Zoot Sims, John Lewis, Milt Hinton, and Oscar Pettiford. Titles include "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "My April Heart", "He Was Good to Me", "Where Are You", and "Get Out Of Town". LP, Vinyl record album

A very moody album from Chris Connor – one that features arrangements by Ronnie Ball and Jimmy Jones, on a somber set of songs that makes the album one of Chris' darkest for Atlantic! Most of the tunes are in small group settings – a bit tightly arranged, but in a good way that gives the record a kind of June Christy sort of sound – never to overdone on the vocal tip, with a sense of restraint that only further creates tensions in the tunes! There's a level of sophistication here that's way different than the somewhat cheesy image on the cover – and titles include "Where Flamingos Fly", "Alone Together", "I'm Glad There Is You", "If I Should Lose You", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Joe Derise was great male vocalist from the 50s – one who only recorded a few sides under his own name, but really left his mark on music! Joe's got an easily swinging style that's a bit in the mode of other 50s male singers, like Bobby Troup or Jackie Paris – but he's also a bit more fragile, in that intimate style used more by female singers like Chris Connor or June Christy – not nearly as icy, but with a sense of care that really comes through strongly in this rare Bethlehem release. This album features Joe working with a trio that includes Osie Johnson on drums and Milt Hinton on bass – and Joe accompanies himself on piano, gently coaxing warm feeling out of tunes that include "Maybe", "Comes Love", "My Romance", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "How High The Moon". CD

A beautiful pairing of the vocals of Billy Eckstine and the arranging talents of Pete Rugolo – a real standout set that's easily one of Eckstine's greatest albums ever! By the time of this set, Rugolo had made a great name for himself arranging other vocal sides for June Christy, The Four Freshmen, and others – and he's bringing a sense of poise and space to the album that's often missing from much of Billy's later work. The warm Eckstine voice is allowed plenty of space to do its thing here – floating out effortlessly over the larger orchestrations and gliding with the gentle darkness that first made him stand out from the pack so many years ago. There's nothing too fancy or fussy going on here, and Billy's performance is a key example of his strong talent for understatement at its best. Titles include "It Was So Beautiful", "I Got A Right To Sing The Blues", "Imagination", "Lullaby Of The Leaves", "That's All", "I Cover The Waterfront", and "A Faded Summer Love". CD

A super rare Decca album by vocalist Beverly Kenny – one of a few albums she cut for the label in the late 50s – and one of only a handful she ever cut at all! Beverly has a deep, sultry vocal style that recalls June Christy a bit, and the velvety toned Mel Torme in a way – and this album makes great use of the intimate style with the nicely spare accompaniment. The bluesy work on this set recalls some of the the work of Ernestine Anderson at times – and the tunes were conducted by Hal Mooney (who has worked with Anderson) and Charlie Albertine. Tracks including "Born To Be Blue", "Isn't It A Pity", "It Only Happens When I Dance With You", "Again", "Vanity", and "It's A Blue World". CD

Here's a nice one – the only album we've ever seen by vocalist Dee Lawson, an icy yet soulful singer with a style that's clearly forged in the June Christy mode! The set features some nice small combo backing that really matches the late night mood of the tunes – more jazz-based overall than some of the vocal sets with larger orchestrations on Roulette – and featuring some of the great little unusual tunes that used to show up on that label's better vocal sides of the time. Highlights include "A Ballad At 5am", "It Was Nice While The Money Rolled In", "You Can't Hardly Get Them No More", "If The Moon Turns Green", and "Lost Within A Dream". Players include Jimmy Cleveland, Doc Severenson, and Eddie Safranski. LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from Peggy Lee's first stretch at Capitol Records – 39 tracks from the late 40s and early 50s that are collected here on CD for the first time ever! The work is a wonderful illustration of Peggy's early brilliance – and they show a strong evolution from simple big band singer into the mature, melancholy territory that really set Lee apart from most of her generation – and which paved the way for other solo singers like Chris Connor and June Christy in the 50s. Styles vary as the set goes on, and backings are from Dave Barbour, Pete Rugolo, Billy May, and others. Titles include "Neon Signs", "Trouble Is A Man", "Music Maestro Please", "Ain't Goin No Place", "Don't Be So Mean To Baby", "Ay Ay Chug A Chug", "Something To Remember You By", "Goin On A Hayride", "Shame On You", "That Ol Devil", "Boulevard Cafe", "A Man Wrote A Song", "Sunshine Cake", "Run For The Round House Nellie", and "Love". CD

One of Julie London's strongest overall albums – a great session that features small group backings with a warm and intimate feel! There's less of the languid sadness of some of Julie's other records, and more of the dreamy floating style of singers like Chris Connor or June Christy on this one. The feeling of the album's great, and it shows that Julie was much more than a pop singer with sexy looks and a smoky finish – although we're happy to hear that on here too! Titles include "Let There Be Love", "Goodbye", "You've Changed", "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To", "Lonesome Road", "They Didn't Believe Me", and "The Thrill Is Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

First up is one of Julie London's strongest overall albums – a great session that features small group backings with a warm and intimate feel! There's less of the languid sadness of some of Julie's other records, and more of the dreamy floating style of singers like Chris Connor or June Christy on this one. The feeling of the album's great, and it shows that Julie was much more than a pop singer with sexy looks and a smoky finish – although we're happy to hear that on here too! Titles include "Let There Be Love", "Goodbye", "You've Changed", "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To", "Lonesome Road", "They Didn't Believe Me", and "The Thrill Is Gone". Around Midnight's just about the best time to listen to Julie London – especially given her sultry late-night style of singing! This album's one that definitely follows in that mode – setting Julie's vocals to backings by Dick Reynolds – a bit fuller than some of her earliest Liberty albums, but still quite moody, and very much in the best spirit of the album's songs of adult love and loss. The song choices are especially great too – with some key mid-century classics that include "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning", "Lush Life", "Lonely In Paris", "Something Cool", and "You & The Night & The Music". CD

Very cool work from Anita O'Day – a session cut with Jimmy Giuffre arrangements, in a style that's a bit different than some of her other 50s work for Verve! Jimmy brings a nice touch of modernism to the record – casting the horns in ways that show his own love of creative colors and careful phrasing, which makes for a bit more sensitivity than you'd hear on some of her dates with Billy May. Anita really responds to this shift with her vocals – stepping around the tunes carefully, and seeming to slide in alongside Giuffre's horn charts in a really fresh way. The vibe's a bit like that of June Christy on Capitol with Pete Rugolo – which is a great recommendation to us – and titles include "Hershey Bar", "A Lover Is Blue", "Mack The Knife", "You're A Clown", and "Orphan Annie". LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely work from Anita O'Day – a relatively obscure session that has her working with west coast arrangements from the pen of Bill Holman. The sound of the album's almost in the mood of a classic 50s Capitol album by June Christy – with a sophisticated and jazzy sound that O'Day didn't always have, and which could sometimes get lost on her more gimmicky albums. Tracks have a wonderful glide and an easy-going approach – and titles include "Easy Living", "Can't We Be Friends", "It Could Happen To You", "Avalon", "The Party's Over", "Blue Champagne", and "Indian Summer". LP, Vinyl record album

What a singer! Anne Phillips is someone that we know nothing about – we'll admit – but this gem of an album is one we'd gladly stack next to our favorite 50s vocal sides, including work by June Christy and Chris Connor! The arrangements are superb – a blend of jazz and lusher styles, handled by Kermit Leslie in a subtly sweet style that never gets to cloying – and Anne's vocals are moody and dusky, but never self pitying. Wonderful stuff all around – and with tracks that include "For Heaven's Sake", "Lonelyville", "I've Got To Pass Your House To Get To Mine", "When Sunny Gets Blue", and "A Stranger In Town". LP, Vinyl record album

A decade's worth of wonderful work from singer Sue Raney – a vocalist who was a real west coast gem at the time, and rarely got the fame she deserved! Sue's got a style that follows nicely in the mode of Chris Connor or June Christy, but which is also a bit warmer and personal, especially in a setting such as this. The sides are all studio sessions, but rare ones done for the US Navy Swings radio show at the time – recorded with backing from Shelly Manne & His Men, The Page Cavenaugh group, or the Buddy DeFranco Tommy Gumina Quartet. Instrumentation is all tightly jazzy, and sometimes filled with some freshly different phrasings – and the set features a nicely varied selection of 20 tunes that include "Umbrellas Of Cherbourg", "Breezin Along With The Breeze", "Goodbye Charlie", "Bluesette", "Five Definitions Of Love", "No Place To Go", "Burnt Sugar", "I Ain't Go No Worry", and "My Love Is A Wanderer". CD

They're not lying with the title of this one – as Rita's voice is as cool as it gets, very much in the mode of 50s work by June Christy or Chris Connor – but made even more icy because of her Dutch accent, which adds a strange twist to her interpretation of the English lyrics on the set! Backing is by Ian Corduwener or Tom Dissevelt, and there's an unusual blend of flute and bass and strings on many of the tracks, which creates a sound that makes the music somber and sad – a blend that really works wonders with material like "Only A Moment Ago", "Where Are You", "There Is No Greater Love", "The Song Is You", "They Didn't Believe Me", and "Star Eyes". CD

Excellent cool jazz vocals from The Netherlands! In the immediate post-war years, the Dutch jazz scene was one of the first to emerge with a sophisticated understanding of the American jazz form. Rita Reys was one of the country's leading talents in this respect, and she had a wonderfully cool vocal style that was similar to American singers like June Christy or Chris Connor. This great Japanese reissue of an album from 1956 has her fronting 2 different groups – one the legendary Wessel Ilcken Combo, the other an early version of The Jazz Messengers, featuring Horace Silver and Hank Mobley. The Jazz Messengers sides were apparently recorded in New York, and the Ilcken sides are of Dutch origin. Both are great – and titles include "I Should Care", "It's Alright With Me", "Old Black Magic", "Taking A Chance On Love", and "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year". CD

Excellent cool jazz vocals from The Netherlands! In the immediate post-war years, the Dutch jazz scene was one of the first to emerge with a sophisticated understanding of the American jazz form. Rita Reys was one of the country's leading talents in this respect, and she had a wonderfully cool vocal style that was similar to American singers like June Christy or Chris Connor. This great Japanese reissue of an album from 1956 has her fronting 2 different groups – one the legendary Wessel Ilcken Combo, the other an early version of The Jazz Messengers, featuring Horace Silver and Hank Mobley. The Jazz Messengers sides were apparently recorded in New York, and the Ilcken sides are of Dutch origin. Both are great – and titles include "I Should Care", "It's Alright With Me", "Old Black Magic", "Taking A Chance On Love", and "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year". CD

A beautiful little record from singer Carol Sloane – a singer who's billed as a discovery from the Newport Jazz Festival – but who sings here with shimmeringly modern arrangements that recall some of June Christy's best 50s work with arranger Pete Rugolo! The force behind the backings here is mostly Bill Finegan – of Sauter-Finegan fame – who uses just the right amount of subtle modern colors and tones to instantly announce Sloane as a singer from a new generation – one who's not trying to cross over to pop, nor please the dancers – and instead revel in all the advances that jazz vocals had made in the postwar years. Bob Brookmeyer also arranged a few tunes – and plays often on the record, with a great tone that underscores the blue vibe of the set – and titles include "Who Cares", "My Ship", "Little Girl Blue", "Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries", "Night & Day", "My Silent Love", and "The More I See You". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Matt Dennis, Peggy Lee, Chet Baker, Mark Murphy, Kay Starr, Lou Rawls, June Christy, Dick Haymes, Irene Kral, Sheila Jordan, Jeri Southern, Dinah Shore, Nat King Cole, Hoagy Carmichael, and Cassandra Wilson. 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