An excellent record from the short heyday of this wonderful singer – done with arrangements from Johnny Mandel! LP, Vinyl record album

A later entry in Ella's Songbook series for Verve – but a great one too, thanks to some strong arrangements from Nelson Riddle! Riddle's working here at a level that he brought to his earlier sessions with Frank Sinatra – one that colors in the tunes with just the right amount of shadings needed for each different composition, but which also still leaves plenty of space for the vocalist to dominate the recordings. Ella's in fine form throughout – swinging easily on the more upbeat numbers, but also balancing things out with some thoughtful ballad work that stands as some of her best of the 60s. Titles include "Let's Begin", "Remind Me", "Yesterdays", "Why Was I Born", "She Didn't Say Yes", and "You Couldn't Be Cuter". CD

The music of Jerome Kern is explored here in territory that's nicely far from the original – really open, fluid trio instrumentals from Enrique Villegas – who's very much at the height of his more modern, open style here! The tunes are familiar, but really pulled apart as well – as Villegas makes them his own through inventive arrangements and a very freewheeling approach to the piano – much less structured than his earlier work, and given equally open support from Oscar Alem on bass and Osvaldo Lopez on drums! Titles include the side-long "Temas De La Comedia Musical Showboat" – plus "Dearly Beloved", "The Way You Look Tonight", "A Fine Romance", and "Long Ago & Far Away". CD

Two great albums from Lucky Thompson! First up is Plays Jerome Kern – wonderful work from that early 60s moment when Lucky Thompson was really opening up with a newly soulful sound – and mixing in some great soprano sax work with his tenor! The tunes are familiar, but the execution is wonderful – Lucky blowing easily in a quartet with Hank Jones on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums – the last of whom really keeps things moving, even when mellow. Titles include " Long Ago And Far Away", "Lovely To Look At", "No More", "Look For The Silver Lining", "Who", "Dearly Beloved", "Why Do I Love You", "Why Was I Born", and "They Didn't Believe Me". Happy Days is an overlooked gem from Lucky Thompson's mid 60s years – that wonderful time when he'd returned to the fold even stronger than ever – filled with hip new musical ideas, and a great command for the soprano sax! This set's got Lucky working on both soprano and tenor, both of which are handled with these angular, soulful tones that are totally great – right at home in a group that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums – all marvelously sensitive rhythm accompanists. Jack Melady adds harp on 2 tracks on the set – a very nice touch – and titles include "Safari", "Cry Me A River", "People", "You Don't Know What Love Is", and "As Time Goes By". CD

Two complete albums – plus bonus tracks! CD

One of the best jazz recordings in years from the legendary Tony Bennett – a set that has the singer paired with the piano talents of Bill Charlap, in a mode that recalls Bennett's 70s classics with Bill Evans! Like those records, there's almost an equal focus here between piano and vocals – Tony sings a bit, Bill solos, then Tony comes back in to round things up – and the spare trio setting really reminds us that after all these years, Bennett's still a hell of an interpreter of the American songbook – in this case the work of Jerome Kern, featured on titles that include "All The Things You Are", "The Last Time I Saw Paris", "The Song Is You", "I Won't Dance", "Look For The Silver Lining", "The Way You Look Tonight", and "Nobody Else But Me". CD

A lost slice of work from pianist Al Haig – and a great one too! The date was recorded at the start of the 80s, and features Haig's piano alongside the bass of Jamil Nasser – a frequent accompanist for most of the 70s, playing here with no drums at all for rhythm – which leaves lots of room for Al to open up on piano! The tunes are all Jerome Kern numbers, but often taken as relatively free vehicles for improvisation – still swinging nicely, thanks to Nasser's help – but often moving well past the straight melody, with a really fluid feel. Helen Merrill produced the record, and sings on a version of "They Didn't Believe Me" – but all other tracks are instrumental, and include "Dearly Beloved", "Yesterdays", "The Way You Look Tonight", "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", and "I'm Old Fashioned". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from that early 60s moment when Lucky Thompson was really opening up with a newly soulful sound – and mixing in some great soprano sax work with his tenor! The tunes are familiar, but the execution is wonderful – Lucky blowing easily in a quartet with Hank Jones on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums – the last of whom really keeps things moving, even when mellow. Titles include " Long Ago And Far Away", "Lovely To Look At", "No More", "Look For The Silver Lining", "Who", "Dearly Beloved", "Why Do I Love You", "Why Was I Born", and "They Didn't Believe Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Mel Torme, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Bud Powell, Ben Webster, Fred Astaire, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Tal Farlow, Coleman Hawkins, and more. CD

An excellent record from the short heyday of this wonderful singer – done with arrangements from Johnny Mandel! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A later entry in Ella's Songbook series for Verve – but a great one too, thanks to some strong arrangements from Nelson Riddle! Riddle's working here at a level that he brought to his earlier sessions with Frank Sinatra – one that colors in the tunes with just the right amount of shadings needed for each different composition, but which also still leaves plenty of space for the vocalist to dominate the recordings. Ella's in fine form throughout – swinging easily on the more upbeat numbers, but also balancing things out with some thoughtful ballad work that stands as some of her best of the 60s. Titles include "Let's Begin", "Remind Me", "Yesterdays", "Why Was I Born", "She Didn't Say Yes", and "You Couldn't Be Cuter". CD

Soprano Anna Moffo performs arias by Verdi, Puccini, Massenet, Bizet, and Strasuss – plus songs by Debussy, Jerome Kern, Noel Coward, Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin, and others. CD