An overlooked gems from the great Joe Williams – an excellent side featuring him singing in a classier and more laidback style than usual!
Gone are the easy swinging blues of the Basie years, and in their place are a set of round, warm, and mellow tones that we
really love – a genre-crossing style of vocals that could have easily put Joe up there in the ranks of some of the pop greats of the late 50s. Part of the credit goes to arranger Jimmy Jones – who's giving Joe some of the best backings of his career, in a mode that's similar to Jimmy's work with female singers of the period. But Joe's the
real hero here, as he shifts his style amazingly, to incredibly sensitive renditions of tunes that include "For All We Know", "Love Is The Sweetest Thing", "Day By Day", "Just As Though You Were Here", "You Leave Me Breathless", "Did I Remember", "Just Plain Lonesome", and "Stay As Sweet As You Are".
(Orange label stereo pressing. Cover has a light sticker spot in front, with some aging and small dents at the opening in back.)