Jazz Vocal Essentials, Vol. 1

• Artist: Various Artists
• Release Date: June 29, 1999
• Total Time: 56:30
• Type: Collection (various artists), Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Jazz

Review

The fine -- and often misunderstood -- art of jazz singing has rarely been covered as well as on this Hip-O collection, the first in a two-volume series that focuses roughly on the years between the 1930s and the 1950s. Featured are tracks from the insurmountable trinity of jazz singers -- Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and Billie Holiday -- plus numerous classics of the field including "Rockin' Chair" by Mildred Bailey, "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" by Ethel Waters, "Black Coffee" by Peggy Lee, "Moody's Mood for Love" by King Pleasure, and "Something Cool" by June Christy. Along with the modernist second volume in the series, Jazz Vocal Essentials, Vol. 1 accomplishes the mission stated in its title with surprising ease. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
A Kiss to Build a Dream On	Harry Ruby, Oscar Hammerstein II, Bert Kalmar	Louis Armstrong	(3:09)
Pennies from Heaven	Johnny Burke, Arthur Johnston	Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing	(3:02)
Utt-Da-Zay (The Tailor Song)	Irving Mills	Leo Watson	(2:30)
I Can't Give You Anything But Love	Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields	Ethel Waters	(3:10)
St. Louis Blues	W.C. Handy	Bing Crosby	(4:31)
Loch Lomond	Traditional	Maxine Sullivan	(2:53)
Rockin' Chair	Hoagy Carmichael	Mildred Bailey	(2:36)
Sweet Lorraine (Lyrics)	Clifford R. Burwell, Mitchell Parish	Nat King Cole	(2:53)
Sugar	Sidney Mitchell, Edna B. Pinkard, Maceo Pinkard	Lee Wiley	(4:37)
I Loves You, Porgy	Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, George Gershwin	Billie Holiday	(2:57)
Body and Soul	Johnny Green, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton, Edward Heyman	Billy Eckstine	(2:55)
Rock Me to Sleep	Benny Carter, Paul Vandervoort II	Helen Humes	(2:41)
On a Slow Boat to China	Frank Loesser	Al Hibbler	(2:51)
Black Coffee	Paul Francis Webster, Sonny Burke	Peggy Lee	(3:07)
Moody's Mood for Love	Dorothy Fields, James Moody, Jimmy McHugh	King Pleasure	(3:01)
Something Cool	Billy Barnes	June Christy	(4:18)
I've Got You Under My Skin	Cole Porter	Dinah Washington	(5:19)

Credits

Count Basie (Director), Herbie Harper (Trombone), Willie Smith (Sax (Alto)), Paul Ricci (Sax (Alto)), Henry Bridges (Sax (Tenor)), Leo Watson (Performer), Joe Mondragon (Bass), Oscar Lee Bradley (Drums), Frank Carlson (Drums), George Hunt (Trombone), Doug Schwartz (Mastering), Helen Humes (Performer), Merrill Stepter (Trumpet), John Anderson (Trumpet), Nat King Cole (Performer), Tom Patrick (Artwork), King Pleasure (Performer), Chuck Gentry (Sax (Bass)), Lee Wiley (Performer), Blossom Dearie (Vocals), Arvell Shaw (Bass), Bobby Tucker (Piano), Ted Nash (Sax (Tenor)), Milt Bernhart (Trombone), Traverse Crawford (Vocals), John McGhee (Trumpet), Peggy Lee (Vocals), Claude Thornhill (Piano), Buster Bailey (Clarinet), Mundell Lowe (Guitar), Jack Miller (?), Ethel Waters (Performer), Babe Russin (Sax (Tenor)), Billy Strayhorn (Piano), Royal (Sax (Alto)), Barbie Insua (Design), Wesley Prince (Bass), Dinah Washington (Performer), Junior Mance (Piano), Dana Smart (Producer), Barney Kessel (Guitar), Britt Woodman (Trombone), Cecil Payne (Bars), Leon Bibb (Bass), Ed Shaughnessy (Drums), Billy Eckstine (Performer), Duke Ellington (Piano), Gus Bivona (Sax (Alto)), Arthur Whetsol (Trumpet), Jimmy Zito (Trumpet), Lee Gaines (Vocals), Ray Abrams (Sax (Tenor)), Cecil Payne (Sax (Baritone)), Bobby Tucker (Director), Jimmy Rowles (Piano), Paul Ricci (Sax (Tenor)), Duke Ellington (Director), Pete Brown (Sax (Alto)), Wendell Marshall (Bass), Earl Hines (Piano), Bob Cooper (Sax (Tenor)), Pat Lawrence (Executive Producer), Shorty Rogers (Trumpet), Louis Armstrong (Vocals), Jess Stacy (Piano), Count Basie (Performer), Maynard Ferguson (Trumpet), Ralph Muzillo (Trumpet), Blossom Dearie (Piano), Sonny Greer (Drums), June Christy (Performer), Barney Bigard (Clarinet), John Kirby (Bass), Maxine Sullivan (Performer), Caughey Roberts (Sax (Alto)), Willie Smith (Saxophone), Teacho Wiltshire (Piano), Maxwell Davis (Sax (Tenor)), Herschel Evans (Sax (Tenor)), Gene DePaul (Piano), Muggsy Spanier (Cornet), Jimmy Hamilton (Clarinet), Billie Holiday (Performer), Andy McKaie (Coordination), Laura Graven (Coordination), Louis Armstrong (Performer), Laura Graven (Art Direction), Nat King Cole (Piano), Frank Victor (Guitar), Jimmy Hamilton (Sax (Tenor)), Dan Minor (Trombone), Pete Rugolo (Arranger), Joe Keyes (Trumpet), Ed Hines (Piano), Marshall Royal (Sax (Alto)), Claude Thornhill (Orchestra), Cootie Williams (Trumpet), Harry Carney (Sax (Baritone)), Will Friedwald (Liner Notes), O'Neill Spencer (Drums), Will Friedwald (Compilation Producer), Clinton Holland (Vocals), Claude Thornhill (Arranger), Peggy Lee (Performer), Al Hibbler (Performer), Mildred Bailey (Performer), Paul Ricci (Clarinet), Billie Holiday (Vocals), Rhonda Shields (Art Direction), Buck Clayton (Trumpet), Will Friedwald (Producer), Clark Terry (Trumpet), Jack Washington (Sax (Baritone)), Jimmy Rushing (Performer), Jeff Clarkson (Piano), Lester Young (Sax (Tenor)), Walter Page (Bass), Keter Betts (Bass), Tommy Pederson (Trombone), Jack McVea (Sax (Baritone)), Harry Carney (Bars), George Roberts (Trombone (Bass)), Joe Tricky Sam Nanton (Trombone), Jack Trainor (Trumpet), Haig Stephens (Bass), Fred Guy (Guitar), Jo Jones (Drums), Oscar Moore (Guitar), Cozy Cole (Drums), Jack Washington (Bars), Harry Lewis (Vocals), Vartan (Art Direction), Conrad Gozzo (Trumpet), Bud Shank (Sax (Alto)), Paul J. Hoeffler (Photography), Jack McVea (Bars), Tom Patrick (Cover Art), Lem Davis (Sax (Alto)), Louis Armstrong (Trumpet), Max Wayne (Bass), Eddie Beal (Piano), Freddie Jenkins (Trumpet), Claude "Fiddler" Williams (Guitar), Juan Tizol (Trombone), Count Basie (Piano), Denzil Best (Drums), Max Roach (Drums), Leonard Gaskin (Bass), Clifford Brown (Trumpet), Teddy Lee (Drums), Doug Schwartz (Digital Mastering), John Levy (Bass), Frankie Newton (Trumpet), Jack Teagarden (Trombone), Pete Rugolo (Director), Juan Tizol (Trombone (Valve)), Wellman Braud (Bass), Nat King Cole (Vocals), Johnny Hodges (Sax (Alto)), Lawrence Brown (Trombone), Bing Crosby (Performer)