Name: Music of Manhattan, 1951
Brand: Uptown Jazz
SKU: 125122
Price: 27.34 GBP
Availability: InStock

Music of Manhattan, 1951

Rating

Album: Music of Manhattan, 1951
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Street of Dreams
2)	Oh, Look at Me Now
3)	Hallelujah
4)	Manhattan
5)	Manhattan
6)	I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You
7)	Sugar
8)	I've Got a Crush on You
9)	Sugar
10)	Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere
11)	Oh, Look at Me Now
12)	'Deed I Do
13)	That's for Sure
14)	'S Wonderful
15)	I've Got a Crush on You
16)	Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere
17)	Street of Dreams
18)	Manhattan
19)	'Deed I Do
20)	I've Got a Crush on You
21)	I'm Comin' Virginia
22)	Down to Steamboat Tennessee
23)	Baby, Won't You Please Come Home

Album: Music of Manhattan, 1951
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Street of Dreams
2)	Oh, Look at Me Now
3)	Hallelujah
4)	Manhattan
5)	Manhattan
6)	I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You
7)	Sugar
8)	I've Got a Crush on You
9)	Sugar
10)	Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere
11)	Oh, Look at Me Now
12)	'Deed I Do
13)	That's for Sure
14)	'S Wonderful
15)	I've Got a Crush on You
16)	Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere
17)	Street of Dreams
18)	Manhattan
19)	'Deed I Do
20)	I've Got a Crush on You
21)	I'm Comin' Virginia
22)	Down to Steamboat Tennessee
23)	Baby, Won't You Please Come Home

Performer Notes

Personnel: Lee Wiley (vocals); Jerry Winner (clarinet); Billy Butterfield, Buck Clayton (trumpet); Muggsy Spanier (cornet); Howie Anderson, George Wein, Dave Bowman , Joe Bushkin (piano); George Wettling, Jo Jones , Barrett Deems (drums).
Liner Note Author: Will Friedwald.
Recording information: New York, NY (12/??/1950-07/05/1952); Rustic Lodge, North Brunswick, N.J (12/??/1950-07/05/1952); Storyville Hotel, Buckminster, Boston, MA (12/??/1950-07/05/1952); Town Hall, New York, NY (12/??/1950-07/05/1952).
Lee Wiley was a mysterious, enigmatic figure; a subtle singer, she was both introverted and sensual. Although Wiley mostly stuck reasonably close to the melodies she sang (and never scatted), her phrasing uplifted each of the standards that she interpreted, and she improvised just enough to be considered a jazz singer. This particular CD contains mostly live and rare material dating from 1951-1952. At the time, after a few years off records, Wiley was having a slight comeback with her Columbia LP Night in Manhattan. There are 23 titles on this CD, taken from nine different occasions; some of the songs are repeated ("Manhattan" and "I've Got a Crush on You" pop up three times apiece) but one's interest is held throughout. Highlights include "Oh, Look at Me Now," "Ghost of a Chance," and two versions apiece of "Sugar" and "Street of Dreams." Among the key sidemen in the small group sessions (one song has the Ray Bloch Orchestra) are pianist Joe Buskin, trumpeter Billy Butterfield, cornetist Muggsy Spanier (in top form), trumpeter Buck Clayton, and a Dixieland band that includes trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen. Although not as essential as her earlier songbooks, which are available on the Audiophile label, this collection of former rarities (some of the titles were previously out on the Memories Lightest, Yadeon, or Jass labels, but seven had never been issued before) is highly recommended to Lee Wiley fans, particularly since the singer did not record that much later in her career. The liner notes by Will Friedwald are an additional plus, containing interesting anecdotes by some of Wiley's famous friends. ~ Scott Yanow