Rare jazz work from vocalist
Joanie Sommers – a singer who's probably better known for her pop recordings for Warner Brothers in the 60s – but who really sounds great here in a set of recordings done for the Navy Swings radio show! Like others in that series,
Joanie's working here in a relaxed, easy-going format – one that's almost as if you were catching her in some intimate LA club at the time, in a style that's free from the constraints of record company politics or hopes of a chart single. The group on most of the set is the Shelly Manne Quintet with Conte Candoli, Richie Kamuca, and Russ Freeman – but the album also features an additional 6 numbers with backing by the Bobby Troup Sextet.
Joanie's great throughout – confident, yet easy-going – and titles include "Once", "This Heart Of Mine", "Cherokee", "I Concentrate On You", "You'd Better Go Now", "A Second Chance", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "The Best Is Yet To Come", and "Daddy".