CD, стоящие на полке рядом : Jazz (Man Voice)      

Compilation

All Music Guide

========= from the cover ==========

Duets with Louis Armstrong and friends

There is something about a duet that gives it a special quality, a certain intangible something, for in many cases neither one of the two artists is singing the kind of song he or she is normally associated with. Hence they tend to be kind of 'jokey' or humorous numbers, with a lot of kidding around going on, and sometimes with plenty of very hip dialogue. (It has to be said that they are usually hugely enjoyable too!) Another ingredient is that of mutual respect, professional admiration, even love, which often shines through a particular performance - and the pairings of Louis Armstrong and Ring Crosby, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan and Louis Armstrong all immediately spring to mind - the great Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong significantly being the common denominator in each duo just mentioned. What was it about him? Well, we all know, don't we? We all feel it when we hear it, but it's still not easy to actually explain! In a word, pleasure, well-being, and generally feeling good about life, something like that...

And "The Voice", Frank Sinatra, was also quite happy to share the limelight with others, and his outings with Rosemary Clooney, Pearl Bailey (a real gem that track!), Doris Day (who thought Frank was the greatest) and Dinah Shore all have that hey, doing this together is real fun' feel about them. The emotional Judy Garland, the incomparable Bing Crosby and the unforgettable Nat King Cole don't need any introduction, but perhaps Jo Stafford, comedian Danny Thomas, pianist-singer Nellie Lutcher and alto saxophonist Louis Jordan are not so well known as they ought to be, and their presence on this CD is to be welcomed. Woody Herman was a famous bandleader, and Gene Nelson a popular singer of the time, while Johnny Mercer must rank with Gershwin-Kern-Berlin-Rodgers-Hammerstein as one of the great American popular song writers of all time - what's more he sang too, with that attractive and unique voice of his.

So there we have it, a compact disc with 23 memorable duets, a veritable feast of good listening. Isn't it just great to have a CD like this around to play whenever one feels the need?

- Larry Friedman