I’ve stopped being surprised by the surfeit of female vocalists that the Spanish label Fresh Sound Records comes up with. Through them, I’ve discovered swingers like Nancy Harrow and luscious vamps such as Sallie Blair. Here, we’ve got from 1950s Chicago Audrey Morris, who sang and played piano in the Windy City for most of her career. These two disparate sessions, one Spartan and one with a big band, display a rich talent that somehow slipped through the cracks.
The 1955 album has her singing and playing piano with the sole company of Johnnie Pate/b and Charles Walton/perc who provide her more framework than anything else. Her voice is strong yet sensitive, with a clarity a la a Johnny Hodges as she burns embers of orange on “Where Are You” and “Good Morning Heartache.” She plays the victim well, sounding convincing on intimate reads of “Guess Who I Saw Today” and “Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry” and even with a trite “Blah, Blah, Blah” she gives it a strong go.
The 1956 album has her in front of Marty Paich’s Orchestra, which includes Stu Williamson doing his best impersonation of Harry “Sweets” Edison’s trumpet on the obligatos. The moods are still of silhouettes, and she walks into the shadows in a dark sheer nightgown on “Glad To Be Unhappy” and “It’s Always You.” Walking into the light during “If You Could See Me Now” and “It’s Always You” she is deft at adding nuance at just the right syllable. You’re going to like this one!
Fresh Sound Records