Jazz / Vocal, American Popular Song, Standards, Traditional Pop, Vocal Jazz
Recorded: Los Angeles, September 10, 11 & 13, 1956
"Hoagy Sings Carmichael" (1956)
Hoagy Carmichael, vocals on all tracks (except #11)
accompanied by
Don Fagerquist, Harry "Sweets" Edison (tp); Art Pepper (as), Jimmy Rowles (p) & Nick Fatool (d)
Bonus album: "The Stardust Road" (1939-47) ( - AMG)
Hoagy Carmichael (vocal, piano and whistling)
accompanied by different small groups.
Arranged and conducted by Johnny Mandel.
Al Hendrickson Guitar
Conrad Gozzo Trumpet
George Frazier Liner Notes
Harry Klee Flute (Alto), Flute, Sax (Alto)
Irving Cottler Drums (Snare)
Jimmy Rowles Piano, Celeste
Joe Mondragon Bass
Johnny Mandel Conductor, Arranger
Marty Berman Sax (Baritone), Clarinet (Bass)
Michael Cuscuna Producer
Phil Turetsky Engineer
Ralph Pena Bass
Ray Linn Trumpet
Richard Bock Producer, Engineer
William Claxton Cover Photo
In addition to the complete album "Hoagy Sings Carmichael", this release also boasts a second complete LP, "The Stardust Road" (one of the very first 33 rpm albums, which originally appeared a few years after the 1946 publication of Carmichael's autobiographical book by the same name). In fact, as was often the case in the early days of the LP, no new music was recorded for this album, as it was a compilation of selections first issued as 78 rpm discs during previous years. "The Stardust Road", in particular, contains recordings made from 1939 to 1947. Hoagy can be heard here again singing his own songs and playing the piano on some tunes, as he was a very special pianist.
Includes a 20-page booklet with the complete lyrics for all the songs and rare photos!
Hoagy Carmichael's last significant recording is a project whose format should have been repeated in later years. Sticking to vocals, Carmichael performs ten of his compositions including "Georgia on My Mind," "New Orleans," "Skylark," "Baltimore Oriole," "Rockin' Chair," and "Lazy River." What is unusual is that he is accompanied by an 11-piece all-star jazz group and that his voice takes its turn with trumpeters Harry "Sweets" Edison and Don Fagerquist, altoist Art Pepper, and pianist Jimmy Rowles. The match up works quite well, for Hoagy's songs have long been viable devices for jazz improvising. [The CD reissue of this unique set adds a previously unreleased instrumental rendition of "Georgia on My Mind" to the already impressive program.] ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Hoagy Carmichael
Active Decades: '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s and '60s
Born: Nov 11, 1899 in Bloomington, IN
Died: Dec 27, 1981 in Palm Springs, CA
Genre: Jazz
One of the great composers of the American popular song, Hoagy Carmichael differed from most of the others (with the obvious exception of Duke Ellington) in that he was also a fine performer. Such Carmichael songs as "Stardust," "Georgia on My Mind," "Up the Lazy River," "Rockin' Chair," "The Nearness of You," "Heart and Soul," "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening," "Skylark," and "New Orleans" have long been standards, each flexible enough to receive definitive treatment numerous times. Carmichael, who was briefly a lawyer, loved jazz almost from the start, and particularly the cornet playing of Bix Beiderbecke. His first composition, "Riverboat Shuffle," was recorded by Bix and the Wolverines in 1924, and became a Dixieland standard. Carmichael, as a pianist, vocalist, and occasional trumpeter, eventually abandoned law to concentrate on jazz, particularly after recording "Washboard Blues" with Paul Whiteman in 1927. He led a few jazz sessions of his own in the late '20s (including one that interpreted "Stardust" as an up-tempo stomp), but became more popular as a skilled songwriter. By 1935, he was working in Hollywood and became an occasional character actor, appearing in 14 films including To Have and Have Not and The Best Years of Our Lives, generally playing a philosophical and world weary pianist/vocalist. In the 1940s, Carmichael recorded some trio versions of his hits, and in 1956, he cut a full set of vocals while backed by a modern jazz group that included Art Pepper. After that, he drifted into semi-retirement, dissatisfied with how the music business had changed. His two autobiographies (1946's -The Stardust Road and 1965's -Sometimes I Wonder) are worth picking up.
--- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
