Ballads, Blues & Bey

• Artist: Andy Bey
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1996
• Total Time: 69:04
• Genre: Jazz

Review

Andy Bey was 56 when he recorded Ballads, Blues & Bey in 1995, and despite the fact that his voice had more rough edges than it did in the '60s and '70s, he still had an impressive range and was among jazz's most expressive male singers. For this project, the Newark, NJ native didn't employ a band -- his only accompaniment is his own acoustic piano, and this spare, intimate approach really makes Bey's heartfelt vocals stand out on such chestnuts as "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Embraceable You," and "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To." This time, the Duke Ellington songbook is a high priority for Bey, who demonstrates how marvelous an interpreter of lyrics he is on "In a Sentimental Mood," "Day Dream," and other Ellington gems. Unfortunately, Bey still wasn't nearly as well known in jazz circles as he deserved to be, and he continued to be one of the great unsung heroes of jazz singing. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Someone to Watch over Me	George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin	Andy Bey	(6:19)
You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To	Cole Porter	Andy Bey	(8:08)
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart	Irving Mills, Duke Ellington, John Redmond, Henry Nemo	Andy Bey	(7:39)
In a Sentimental Mood	Irving Mills, Duke Ellington, Manny Kurtz	Andy Bey	(7:03)
Willow Weep for Me	Ann Ronell	Andy Bey	(6:46)
Yesterdays	Jerome Kern, West Arkeen, Otto Harbach, J.J. Johnson, Axl Rose, Del James	Andy Bey	(7:40)
If You Could See Me Now	Tadd Dameron, Carl Sigman	Andy Bey	(6:16)
I'm Just a Lucky So and So	Duke Ellington, Mack David	Andy Bey	(5:21)
Day Dream	Duke Ellington, John Latouche, Billy Strayhorn	Andy Bey	(7:19)
Embraceable You	George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin	Andy Bey	(6:33)

Credits

Jerry Gordon (Liner Notes), Andy Bey (Piano), Eugene Holley, Jr. (Liner Notes), Stephanie Badini (Photography), Jerry Gordon (Executive Producer), Carl Seltzer (Engineer), Herb Jordan (Producer), Andy Bey (Vocals)