While he is best known for his classic collaboration with John Coltrane, baritone Johnny Hartman (1923-83) had an impressive career before and after that iconic session. Originally hired by Earl Hines to replace similarly molasses-toned singer Billy Eckstine, Hartman put out a series of impressive if overlooked albums that rival contemporaries like Johnny Mathis and Tony Bennett, but never getting the same popularity. This two disc, 52 song collection starts with his early days with Hines, with his dreamy delivery evident on “When I Dream Of You”.
His earliest recordings here are from 1947, and Hartman croons with some of the best boppers in the business, including Dizzy Gillespie, Budd Johnson, Errol Garner, Cozy Cole and Bobby Tucker during “You Go To My Head” , “I Should Care” and “That Old Black Magic”. His debut on Bethlehem records is a classic, consisting of ballads with Ralph Sharon/dr, Howard McGhee, J ay Cave/b and Christy Febbo/dr on the Spartan “I Fall In Love To Easily” and the stunning “What Is There To Say?”. With a dash of strings added, Hartman is total class in “Blue Skies” and “Moonlight In Vermont”. Accompanied by Rudy Traylor’s orchestra, Hartmann is suave and debonair on “How Long Has This Been Going On?” and “I Thought About You”. A smoking jacket of music.