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A great little soundtrack from Pete Rugolo – Stan Kenton's right-hand man during the early 50s modernist years, and a hell of an arranger in his own right! Pete wrote some of the best crime jazz soundtracks of the late 50s and early 60s – and his work for television ranks up there with the best by Mancini or Nelson Riddle. This 24-track set is the first time that Rugolo's work for the original Fugitive TV show has been reissued – and it's a nice mix of crime themes, chase numbers, and mellower scene-setting tunes. Titles include "Kimble vs One Armed Man", "The One Armed Man's Name is Fred Johnson", "Theme From The Fugitive", "Tragic Homecoming", "Under Arrest", "On The Run", "Brass Interlude", "Freedom & Finale", and "Back On The Road". 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The sound here is much richer than Connor's previous recordings for Bethlehem – and the small combo jazz backings have been replaced by fuller orchestrations by Ralph Burns – done in a cool, edgey sort of way that really pushes Chris into newly sophisticated territory!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

Two early calypso albums on Capitol Records – both pretty unique! First up are some of the first-ever recordings by Harry Belafonte – material recorded in 1949, with Pete Rugolo backings that are really amazing – as jazzy and modern as anything Rugolo did for other singers of the time, with only a hint of calypso in the rhythms. Belafonte sounds quite different on the sides than in later years – still with those tremendous vocals, but almost more of a jazz singer at points – which is a really surprising discovery! This aspect's supported strongly by the choice of tunes – which includes "Deep As The River", "Farewell To Arms", "Close Your Eyes", "The Didn't Believe Me", and "I Still Get A Thrill". Next up is a full album of straighter calypso material by Lord Flea & His Calypsonians – but one that also has a bit of a Capitol Records groove! Flea plays acoustic guitar and sings, and percussion is nice and tight – but there's also a fuller sense of space on the record, one that really sets it apart from other 50s efforts of this type – kind of a Capitol clarity that really adds a lot of charm. Titles include "Out De Fire", "Mister Give Me De Rent", "It All Began With Adam & Eve", "Jump In The Line", "Run Run Run", "Love", and "Monkey". 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. 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

One of Ernestine's early albums for Mercury – a bit unsure as to its direction: soul jazz, straight ballad vocals, or a bit of vocalese jazz – but that's kind of what makes it interesting! Pete Rugolo conducts the group on the session – and he also contributed the original tune "Interlude" to the set. Other strong tracks include a version of "Social Call", plus "Welcome To The Club", "Azure Te", "Runnin Wild", and "Heat Wave". CD

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". CD features some bonus tracks too! 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

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

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