Don Swan & Orchestra

More on the kitschy easy listening side than the smooth, cool Latin recordings of Cal Tjader, Don Swan was nonetheless one of the better white musicians to make inroads into Latin jazz during the '50s. Swan was born Wilbur Clyde Schwandt in Manitowoc, WI, on June 28, 1904; he studied composition at the University of Chicago and became an arranger for various big bands, even working with comedian Bob Hope's touring show. In 1940, he was hired as an arranger for Xavier Cugat's orchestra, a post he would hold off and on for the next 20 years. Swan's resulting experience and familiarity with Latin music helped put his services in great demand – not only as an arranger, but also as a composer, for both white big bands (Skinnay Ennis, Freddy Martin) and Latin dance orchestras (Perez Prado, Desi Arnaz). Swan signed to Liberty Records as a recording artist circa 1956-1957, and recorded a string of five Latin lounge LPs, beginning with Mucho Cha Cha Cha. Subsequent LPs like All This and Cha Cha Too, Hot Cha Cha, and two volumes of Latino! found Swan heading up all-star groups of West Coast session men, walking the line between Latin jazz and exotic gimmickry. The success of his albums allowed Swan to form a touring group, and he played extensively in New York and Las Vegas. Swan retired from music in the mid-'60s, and eventually moved to Miami, where he died on July 23, 1998, at the ripe old age of 94.
( Artist Biography by Steve Huey at ALLMUSIC )

1. EL Cumbanchero
2. Chatita
3. La Paloma
4. Miami Beach Rumba
5. Once Ochenta y Uno
6. Razz-Berry Mambo

1. Linda Mujer
2. Betita
3. Hokey Joe
4. Grasias
5. A San Antonio Me Voy
6. Cha Cha In Alaska

6. Razz-Berry Mambo

Blossom Dearie

Margrethe Blossom Dearie (April 28, 1924 – February 7, 2009) was an American jazz singer and pianist. She was physically petite, with a recognizably light and girlish voice. Dearie performed regular engagements in London and New York City over many years and collaborated with many musicians, including Johnny Mercer, Miles Davis, Jack Segal, Johnny Mandel, Duncan Lamont, Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg and Jay Berliner.
After high school, Dearie moved to New York City to pursue a music career. Dropping her first name, she began to sing in groups such as the Blue Flames (with the Woody Herman Orchestra) and the Blue Reys (with Alvino Rey's band) before starting her solo career.She moved to Paris in 1952. She formed a vocal group, the Blue Stars (1952–1955),[1][5] which included Michel Legrand's sister, Christiane, and Bob Dorough. In 1954 the group had a hit in France with a French-language version of "Lullaby of Birdland", arranged by Michel Legrand. The Blue Stars would later evolve into The Swingle Singers. On her first solo album, released two years later, she played the piano but did not sing.
After returning from France in 1957, Dearie made her first six American albums as a solo singer and pianist for Verve Records in the late 1950s and early 1960s, mostly in a small trio or quartet setting. 

 She performed frequently at New York supper clubs and in 1966 made her first appearance at Ronnie Scott's club in London. She recorded four albums in the United Kingdom during the 1960s that were released on the Fontana label, including a recording of her 1966 performance at Ronnie Scott's. She also performed regularly on Bernard Braden's TV show

On February 7, 2009, after a long illness and failing health, Dearie died in her sleep of natural causes at her apartment on Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village, New York City........( Info Edited from Wikipedia )

1. Little Jazz Bird

2. My Gentleman friend

3. It's Too Good To Talk About Now

4. Chez Moi

5. You Fascinate Me So

1. You've Got Something I Want

2. Boum

3. L'Etang

4. Hello Love

5. Someone To Watch Over Me.

5. Someone To Watch Over Me

Barry Lipman & Orchestra / Rex Brown Company

Here's some "Lounge / Pop / Sounds" that comes under the guise of a title that is new to me !!
PRESENTING !!!...."Thrilling Library Music" !!!!.......It seems that "Rex Brown Company" is "The Barry Lipman Orch"....Or is it ??...not much info about Rex Brown Co on Internet !!
Its a good sound so have a listen !!

Berry Lipman a.k.a. Friedel Berlipp (1921 — 2016) was since 1955 active as in-house composer and band leader for the record label EMI, working for Gitte, Chris Howland, Lale Andersen, Cliff Richard, Charles Aznavour, Dalida and many more.
In 1964 he switched as head producer over to Deutsche Vogue where he produced among others Petula Clark, Pat Boone, Billy Vaughn, Dionne Warwick and Jonny Teupen.

And in 1967 he finally became a freelance music producer and founded the Berry Lipman Orchester in there some great European musicians like Charly Antolini or Jiggs Whigham for example. Very successful with their mostly very easy Lounge-Pop sounds like The orchestra’s biggest hit THE GIRLS FROM PARAMARIBO composed by Berry Lipman. He also worked for Selected Sound, the Hamburg based German library company and on this album Berry Lipman shows his full spectrum between the typical easy female LALALA vocal stuff, really thrilling Library Music and some nice n’ groovy Disco tunes.

1. Berry Lipman & His Orchestra – Season Opening (2:50)

2. Rex Brown Company – Cosmic Dance (3:23)

3. Rex Brown Company – March Of Success (2:26)

4. Rex Brown Company – Dancing Stars (3:08)

5. Rex Brown Company – Presentation March (2:39)

6. Rex Brown Company – Everblue (3:11)

1. Rex Brown Company – Stone By Stone (3:17)

2. Rex Brown Company – Hey My Boy (3:30)

3. Rex Brown Company – City Opening (1:54)

4. Rex Brown Company – Action Passing 5/4 (2:15)

5. Rex Brown Company – Highway Patrol (2:02)

6. Rex Brown Company – I Like It (3:02)

2. Cosmic Dance

Anne Phillips

Anne Phillips is an American singer, songwriter, and producer. She has worked with Burt Bacharach, Carole King, Mahalia Jackson and has arranged and produced jingles for the Four Tops and Martha and the Vandellas.

Phillips started working in demo recordings for songwriters in the 1950s. She was a member of the Ray Charles Singers on the Perry Como Show. In 1959, she recorded her first pop album, Born to Be Blue, for Roulette Records.

"Born to Be Blue received great reviews when it came out later that year. This was from Billboard:

'Miss Phillips has a willowy, wistful sound that is used to effect on an attractive group of tunes. Sparked by Kermit Levinsky’s fine arrangements she registers well on the album title tune, You Don’t Know What Love Is, There Will Never Be Another You, etc. Her phrasing is good and her approach to a song doesn’t invite comparison. A talent to watch.'

Phillips worked on demo recordings for Carole King, Burt Bacharach, and Neil Diamond. In 1962, she sang background vocals on Carole King's It Might As Well Rain Until September.

Phillips has worked as a singer, music arranger, conductor, writer, and producer for national commercials including Pepsi, Revlon, and Sheraton. For some campaigns, she did vocal arrangements in the style of other popular artists. Phillips composed music for a Pepsi campaign with BBDO in the 1960s called "The Taste That Beats the Others Cold, Pepsi Pours it On.The spot included The Turtles, The Four Tops, The Hondells, and the Trade Masters.

1. Lonelyville

2. I've Got To Pass Your House To Get To Mine

3. A Stranger In Town

4. I Don't Want To Walk Without You

5. There Will Never Be Another You

6. When Sunny Gets Blue

1. Born To Be Blue

2. Saturday Night Is The Loneliest Night of The Week

3. Easy Street

4. For Heavens Sake

5. It Could Happen to You

6. You Don't Know What Love Is

5. There Will Never Be Another You

Carol Kidd - I put a spell on you

Here's a video of one of my favourite singers  I have seen her live twice and she is great...one of the most underrated singers of today....she now lives in "Majorca" and she features most years in the "Edinburgh Jazz Festival"...as you can see from this video she's not scared of giving the musicians some play time which to me is a sign of greatness !!...I hope she come back to do some more concerts as I would love to see her again !!.....

Disney Adventures In Jazz..Gil Goldstein & Trio

I should think that everybody must have or should have a favourite Disney song !!....here's a Trio of music tracks that certainly puts a different slant on some well known songs / tunes hope you enjoy them !!!....as much as I do !!

1. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

Jazz Loves Disney.VA

The second of the Disney "Loves" this time with words !!


The album "  Jazz Loves Disney", a highly anticipated album created by producer Jay Newland , who worked alongside Gregory Porter , Etta James  and  Norah Jones, among others . The arrangements and realization were entrusted to Rob Mounsey . 
This project, recorded between Paris, London and Los Angeles, takes the greatest classics of Disney films and brings together the biggest names in the French and international jazz scene as Gregory Porter , Anne Sila , Melody Gardot , China Moses Jamie Cullum . So you can listen in a new version these songs that have rocked our childhood and continue to enchant us again!

Walt Disney was a big fan of jazz and this musical style is very present in the soundscape of the Disney universe. The idea of ​​arranging the greatest Disney classics with jazzy sauce works so well and shows us how these songs are universal and timeless.

"What's wonderful about all this music is that it's stimulating in its melodies, exciting and fun in its lyrics. It was great to have the chance to reinvent one of my favorite songs from the Aristocats "- Jamie Cullum

6. I Wanna Be Like You

Jazz Loves Disney 2..VA

So here is the third of the "Trio" of different  Disney songs and tunes brought right up to date for the 21st century !

4. Under The Sea

Sergio Franchi

Not in the same class as "Mario Lanza" but a good tenor from the 60's....it says on the back sleeve that his appearance on British TV namely "Sunday Night At The London Palladium" started his career...its a good nostalgic walk or stroll down the "Italian Streets" !!!

P.S. Just a quick note !..the year is 1962 ! so when the "Italy's Brilliant New Tenor" that is on the front its 57 Years ago !!!!......Cor' don't time Fly !!!!

Sergio Franchi (April 6, 1926 – May 1, 1990), born Sergio Franci Galli, was an Italian-American tenor and actor who enjoyed success in the United States and internationally after gaining notice in Britain in the early 1960s. In 1962, RCA Victor signed him to a seven-year contract and in October of that year Franchi appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and performed at Carnegie Hall. Sol Hurok managed Franchi's initial American concert tour.
Franchi became a headliner in Las Vegas, and starred in concerts and cabarets on several continents. His earliest ambitions and studies had been directed toward an operatic career, but he instead found his niche in popular and romantic music. Franchi performed musical comedies on stage, appeared on numerous television variety shows, and starred in a major motion picture. He became an American citizen in 1972. During 1959 Franchi made an important contact with an English agent, James Gilmore, who encouraged Franchi to meet with him if he came to London.Early in 1960 Franchi had played the role of Janni in the short-lived London production of The Golden Touch. His singing performance received favorable reviews. His London agent, James Gilmore, arranged several TV appearances for Franchi.

Franchi made several appearances on ATV's Startime. And then, during a two-week engagement at the London Palladium, Franchi made two TV appearances on Sunday Night at the London Palladium; a show that launched the career of many performers, and the most popular TV show in Britain. Franchi's second Palladium TV show was a breakthrough performance, in that it led to a cascade of events which catapulted Sergio Franchi into American stardom. Viewing his performance that night was Norman Luboff, who called RCA Victor about the Italian tenor.
With RCA approval, Luboff facilitated Franchi's signature on an exclusive seven-year recording contract. RCA Victor issued his records on the prestigious Red Seal label. Sol Hurok was engaged to provide bookings and direction for an American tour, and (while in London) Franchi recorded his first RCA Victor album-- Romantic Italian Songs, to be released concurrent with his American debut.......( Info Edited From  a very long "Info" Page on "Wikipedia")

1. Core 'ngrato
2. Funniculi Funicula
3. O Sole Mio
4. Mattinata
5. Mamma Mia Che Vo' Sape
6. La Vilanella

1. Marechiare
2. A Vucchella
3. Come facette Mammeta
4. Fenesta Che Lucive
5. Torna a Surriento
6. O Surdato Namorato 

2. Funiculi Funicula

Wally Whyton

Glad to see and hear vocalists that I am not familiar with and not heard of !! so its broadening my musical tastes as well as I hope it is doing to some of the people that are looking in !!

Wallace Victor "Wally" Whyton (23 September 1929 – 22 January 1997) was a British musician, songwriter and radio and TV personality.Born in London, England, Whyton grew up listening to jazz, blues and folk music, and learned to play first the piano, then trombone, and finally guitar. In 1956, while working in advertising, he formed the Vipers Skiffle Group, which became the resident band at the 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho. After a number of hit records produced by George Martin, including Whyton's song "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O", the group split up in 1960, and Whyton moved into television .
It's me, mum!" (Fontana, STL5476) was released in 1968 and featured Wally playing 12-string guitar and singing contemporary and traditional folk songs from the USA, an old music-hall song, and a couple of his own songs: "Selma, Alabama (April 1965)", and "When Winter Comes".

10. When Winter Comes.