Between Elvis of the 1950s and The Beatles and Motown of 1960s, white audiences has singers like Fabian, Bobby Vee and Bobby Vinton while black music fans chose between older cats like Billy Eckstine or younger crooners such as Johnny Mathis. Of the latter genre, Adam Wade had a sound similar to Mathis, just a tad richer and darker, but still surrounded by romantic and lush sounds. These 53 songs capture wade in two moods, one as the wide eyed dreamer on the first cd, and then as the sophisticated light jazz vocalist.
Wade is teamed mostly with George Paxton and His Orchestra along with vocal choruses including he Bel-Aire Singerson gentle pieces like “Ruby” and popular hits like “Take Good Care Of Her,” “And Then Came Adam,” Adam and Evening” and “One Is A Lonely Number.” For jazz fans, Wade sounds quite convincing in the early 60s on ballads like “Canadian Sunset,” “Tenderly” “What’ll I Do” and gives Sinatra a run for his money on “Where Are You.” He even pumps his biceps a bit on an easy swinger “Just In Time” from one of his albums.
The impressive booklet and liner notes give copious detail of his later career, as he went into acting after these sessions. He did leave behind an impressive library of sophisticated sweater-cool sounds; if you’re of the MOR taste, have a fun one!