Barcelona-based Fresh Sound Records continues its service to jazz fans by coming up with previously obscure and overlooked vocalists that deserve a second and third listen. Here are the latest finds by the Sherlock Holmes of swinging singers.
The latest edition of their THE BEST VOICES TIME FORGOT series features Fran Warren, who actually made her name as a movie star is 60s films like “The Pink Panther”. Her voice is a combination of Doris Day and Rosemary Clooney, backed here by Ralph Burns’ orchestra for a delicate and seductive “Isn’t It A Pity”, a big bold and brassy “Mine Eyes” and a hip teaming with bass on “No Moon At All”. She gets dramatic on stage versions of “When You Away” and “Spring and Weather” and backed by Count Basie’s orchestra, she is street smart on “Sex and the Single Girl” and snazzy for “The Anniversary Song”. Classy lassie.
It’s possible that the Annita Ray may have only put out this one record is because someone heard it and snatched her up. She makes Julie London sound like Pollyanna as she seductively coos out “I Don’t Want To Walk Without You” and chucks your chin during “The Heart That Broke Was Mine.” She travels down noir alley for the title tune, and warbles with Harry Betts’ guitarist during “Oh, You Crazy Moon” while building up warm embers in her teddy during “I’ll Be Around”. Who let her off her leash for this session?!?
As you’ll find out in the liner notes to this album, Helen Carr’s musical career was rather short and sweet, but you’d never guess the trajectory from these 1955-57 sessions. She sounds a bit from the Christy-Connor mold, with a bit of Billie Holiday thrown into the vo-cool formula. The first session from 55 has her with Angelenos Don Fagerquist/tp, Charlie Mariano/as, Donn Trenner/p, Max Bennet/b and Stan Levey/dr for a sassy Ellingtonian ditty “Tulip or Turnip” and spaciously floating with Mariano on the drummerless “I Don’t Want to Cry Anymore” and getting intimate with Trenner on a delicate “I’m Glad There Is You”. With trombonist Frank Rosolino joining in, she’s fun and cheerful on “They Say”. Later in the year, she’s in the sonata company of Cappy Lewis/tp, Howard Roberts/g and Red Mitchell/b for a cozy swing of “ Be Careful, It’s My Heart” before she dims the lights for “Lonely Street”, sliding her lyrics like Lady Day during “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me”. She also shows flexibility in a ringer of a 1949 thrown in session with Charles Mingus for “Say It Isn’t So” and has a blast with Stan Kenton’s Orchestra on “Everything Happens to Me”. This lady will knock you out in the 3rd round.
As with all of the Fresh Sound albums, the liner notes and session musician listings are complete and completely fascinating.