Vocals that pop and swing are delivered by the latest pair of 2 disc reissues from Avid Records.
Paul Anka initially got his name from singing teen hits like “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” and “Diana”. These albums have Anka branching out to hit the more adult-oriented market. His 1958 eponymous debut includes the big sellers “Diana” and “You Are My Destiny” while branching out to spirituals like “Down By The Riverside” and sing hits “Sing, Sing, Sing”. Next year has Anka plunging into the pop field with “I’ve Heard That Song Before, “Autumn Leaves” and “I Love Paris” with a big portion of Left Bank moods. From 1960, Anka gives a dash of Sinatra, even in the title of the album, and even doing some Chairman material in “PS I Love You”, “Hello, Young Lovers” in this “love” themed album. Lastly, the next album includes songs about youth and love with tunes like “Younger Than Springtime” and “Young and Foolish” and “I Love You’. Good, but not done “his way” yet.
Joe Williams struck gold as the vocalist for Count Basie with his mega-hit “Every Day I Have The Blues” with his solo albums following in the wake. Understandably, his debut includes a bunch of Basie-alumni and the material mixes Basie and Ellington material such as “Sent For You Yesterday” and “Perdido” and some KC blues like “More Than One For My Baby”. 1956 has Williams teamed with Jimmy Mundy’s orchestra for a rich read of ‘A Man Ain’t Supposed to Cry” and the desultory “Say It Isn’t So” with the entire album in a deep blue mood. Next up is the exact opposite mood, with Williams comfortable frontline with Count Basie and rocking out on a retake of “Every Day…” and getting down on “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and the KC classic “Ain’ No Use”. Williams keeps to the KC blues on a tough as nails set that has the eight to the bar “Confessin’ The Blues” and raw “Night Time Is the Right Time” with Williams sweating it out the entire album. Real hues of blues!