The 1950s and 60s were a time that were overloaded with a surfeit of female vocalists, and it was simply impossible to keep up with all of them. Fresh Sound Records does us a service by reissuing albums by ladies that deserve a second look…
LA based Pinky Winters has a hint of Ella, Sarah and Anita O’Day on this highly satisfying pair of albums from 1954 and 56. With Bud Lavin/p, Jim Wolf/b and Stan Levey/dr, she is clear and cooly swinging out “This Can’t Be Love” while evocative on ”Little Girl Blue” and “How About You?” With the backing of jazzers Chico Hamilton/dr, Gerald Wiggins/p, Howard Roberts/g and Jim Wolf/b, she is delectable for “Lonely One” and alluring on the rarely sung “You Smell So Good” and “My Heart’s A Child”. This lady is not a tramp!
From New York, Donna Brooks has an understated dry ice tone that hints at Peggy Lee and June Christy, and draws you in with soft whispers. Her 1954 album includes the lyrical Chuck Wayne/g as well as Milt Hinton/b, William Exiner/dr and Bobby Scott/p, and she softly sways through “Gone With The Wind” and The Things We Did Last Summer”. In a trio setting with Alex Smith/p, Paul Worthington/b and Angelo Paoli/dr she is gorgeously restrained on “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” and “I’ll Take Romance” with her flickering like a candle on “You’re Nearer”. Too Darned Hot!
Each album includes a nice bio and copious session notes. Don’t let these ladies pass you by.
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/pinky-winters-albums/57375-pinky-lonely-one-2-lp-on-1-cd.html