Autumn in New York/Starring Jo Stafford

• Artist: Jo Stafford
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1997
• Total Time: 68:04
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Vocal Music

Review

Autumn in New York/Starring Jo Stafford, a Capitol/EMI twofer collection released in 1997, includes 24 tracks of exceptional material by one of vocal music's underrated performers. Though the dates on the CD list Autumn in New York and Starring Jo Stafford as originally 1955 LP releases, it's much more likely from the artwork and material that these are 78-rpm catalogue sets from at least several years earlier. On the first, Stafford reprises 12 hits from Broadway shows, led by the title song. Fortunately, there's plenty of the dreamy, inspirational material she usually excelled at, including "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "Some Enchanted Evening," and "Almost Like Being in Love." The second LP in the package, Starring Jo Stafford, has several dated novelties -- "On the Alamo," "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "Red River Valley" -- and a dominating vocal chorus (either the Starlighters or the Pied Pipers). Even here, though, Stafford's warm voice and elegant sense of swing saves the few standards present. "Fools Rush In," "Day by Day," and "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" are wonderfully done, and even "The Gentleman Is a Dope" -- a female translation of "The Lady Is a Tramp" -- gets a classic treatment. There isn't much hit material here, but fans of Stafford who just want to hear her voice doing material they haven't heard will be well-pleased. ~ John Bush, Rovi

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