If you’re a fan of jazz vocalists, this series of reissues by Fresh Sound Records is manna from heaven. For the past year or so they have been digging deep into the archives and have found some incredibly talented artists that got overlooked first time around. Here’s your chance to hear what the world has been missing, and it’s been missing a lot!
Chicago vocalist Pat Thomas (1938-92) had a warm and modern delivery, making a creative session in 1960 with jazz stalwarts like a pre-Eric Dolphy Booker Little/tp, Curtis Fuller/tb, Roland Alexander/ts-fl, Teddy Charles/vb, Reggie Workman/b, Tommy Flanagan/p, Kenny Burrell/g and Charlie Persip/d. She takes standards like “Mean To Me” but gives them a suave ambience, even going wordless as she coos and hums through a gorgeously impressionistic “Star Eyes.” At time husky, as on “It Could Happen to You, other times hushed during “My One And Only Love,” she is always engaging. WHEW!
Barbara Long was also from Chicago, having a bit more Eartha Kitt bite to her sound, swinging with a dash of Ella and bopping Sassy on this 1961 outing with MIngu alumnus Booker Ervin/ts, Billy Howell/tp, Nat Phipps/p and Grant Green mates George Tucker/b and Al Harewood/dr. She stretches out a bluesy “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You” and coos a nice and cozy “Squeeze Me” and dances over the snappy rhythm section like a Marine working an obstacle course on the popping “The Trolley Song” and she swoops like a pelican on “Largo To Oscar.” Like finding a shelved movie of Rita Hayworth.
First of all, you’ve GOT to love the name Honi Gordon. She had recorded previously with Charles Mingus, but this 1962 album with Jaki Byard/p, Ed Shaughnessy/dr, Ken McIntyre/as-fl, WallY Richardson/g and George Duvivier is her official debut, and it’s a divine outing. She produces a smoky and sensuous voice, oozing on ‘Strollin’” and drifting into the shadows during “Ill Wind” and a sublime “Why Try to Change Me Now?” Byard is a genius of a choice on this session, adding colors to an obscure beauty of “ Cupid” and McINtyre’s alto hovers during a bluesy “Walkin’ Out The Door.” A walk-off homer!
Michigan native Sue Childs debuts on this 1964 with a local team of Sherm Mitchell/tb, Tony Sotos/ts-bs-fl, Bill Pasquale/g, Bruce Anderson/b, Gaetan Caviola/dr on some clever arrangements of standards. Her style has a dash of Ella’s sense of swing and a cool tone of a Chris Connor, and with guest JR Monterose on tenor for a couple of songs, things get heady on “All Or Nothing At All” and “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To.” An ethereal “Lollipops and Roses” is a real ringer that works, and the horns bop out a Charlie Parker lick to open things up on a hip “ Honeysuckle Rose.” Her read of “Summertime” is quite original, while she digs into “Out of Nowhere.”
Both of these sets include liner notes and important background information. Only one word will suffice for my response to this series…MORE!!!!