On the documentary ‘Tis Autumn, jazz journalist Will Friedwald states that the way to separate “real” jazz fans from the rest of the crowd is if they have any Jackie Paris albums. Paris was the rare combination of being both a) an excellent singer and b) completely overlooked and obscure for 95% of his career. He was a mix of California Cool like Baker, but old school hip like Bennett, but all his own, and his own was wonderful.
He only released a handful of albums; they are all wonderful . These two from the early 60s are high water marks, with Paris teamed with some real boppers. Paris had a stroke of genius for the 1960 session which had him singing Ira Gershwin’s lyrics to songs other than his brother’s. The hard hitting orchestra includes Roy Haynes/dr, George Duvivier/b and Joe Wilder/tp, and Paris sears through a torrid “Girl of the Moment” while delivering a definitively delicate and romantic “Long Ago And Far Away.” He possessed a vulnerable flutter in his voice that teetered between vibrato and hear-throb, milking it for all he can on “This is New.”
The 1962 date includes a jam with Hank Jones/p along with Duvivier and Haynes, while Pairs plays some hip guitar on “Thad’s Blues” and puts his heart on his sleeve on “Tonight” while playing it cool on “Cherry.” The orchestras snap and sizzle behind Paris on a smoking “Duke’s Place” and the definitive version by ANYONE of “’Tis Autumn” is delivered to your front porch, along with a haunting read of “Jenny.”
I guarantee that if you’re a vocals fan, and you buy these sessions, you’re going to ask “Where has this guy been?!?” You’ll also end up searching for everything he’s done. Maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow, but some day. Here’s looking at you, kid.
Fresh Sound Records