Joel Roberts
September 2002

Combing the Catalog
Archive

2 0 0 2 Definitive Series New RVGs II Rare Summer Groove New RVGs Vegas Vocals Duke Ellington Organ-ic Grooves Trumpet Kings 1965 Blue Note Blues Clark & Green 2 0 0 1 J.J. and June Sassy, Sweets & Count Art Blakey Evans, Getz & Bird Connoisseur Reissues Stanley Turrentine 1 9 9 9 Horace Silver Horace Silver RVG Editions, Part 3 The RVG Editions The RVG Editions The Lost Sessions 1 9 9 7 The Ultimate Blue Train

By Joel Roberts

Nat King Cole and Louis Prima have at least this much in common: They were both successful pop vocalists and musicians with unimpeachable jazz credentials, and they spent a lot of time on the Las Vegas Strip. Cole, of course, started his career as a jazz pianist of the highest order before finding his voice, and international superstardom, as one of the best pop singers of his generation. Prima, too, began as a straight jazz artist ­ a trumpet player and composer in the big-band era (he wrote Benny Goodman's huge hit "Sing, Sing, Sing") ­ before achieving considerable success in Vegas as a bandleader and singer of bawdy, jazz-infused pop tunes.

Two recent reissues on Capitol-Blue Note capture Cole and Prima at the top of their games. At the Sands, recorded at the Vegas casino in 1960 and billed as Cole's only official live album, finds the great singer at an unusual moment. Already a major pop star with his jazz days long behind him, Cole performs here for a late-night, invitation-only nightclub audience of fellow entertainers, and for their benefit (and ours) he dips back into his jazz bag a bit, even making a by-then rare appearance at the piano.

With an orchestra conducted by Antonio Morelli, the always laid-back singer rolls casually through a set of mostly familiar material highlighted by a tender version of the ballad "I Wish You Love" and a rollicking take on "Joe Turner's Blues." A curiosity and true period piece not included on earlier releases is "Mr. Cole Won't Rock and Roll," in which the singer lampoons some of the rock hits of the day, while also laying out an artistic statement of sorts.

Prima's The Wildest is his first album with Keely Smith and Sam Butera and the Witnesses, who proved to be the perfect foils for his unique blend of swing, Italian jive and show biz patter. The 1957 recording includes definitive performances of most of Prima's signature tunes, like his medley of "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" (later famously covered by David Lee Roth), "Oh Marie" and "Nothing's Too Good For My Baby."

Prima's gruff New Orleans-tinged voice is complemented by Smith's sweet, clear singing on a series of duets, while the leader's tough trumpet playing and Butera's fiery tenor sax push the instrumentals. Sure, Prima cops tons of licks, vocally and instrumentally from Louis Armstrong, and some of the humor is more than a little over the top, but so what? This is good-time, no-frills party music; music to drink by, not think by. And few have mastered that vital genre better than Louis Prima.

Also newly reissued on Capitol-Blue Note is About the Blues, by Julie London, the pop singer, actress and glamour girl with only tenuous ties to jazz. Though she has little feel for the blues, London has a pleasant-enough voice and a breathy, sexy delivery that makes this harmless collection adequate for background listening and lounging.

Nat King Cole - At The Sands

Personnel: Nat King Cole, piano and vocals; John Collins, guitar; Charlie Harris, bass; Lee Young, drums; and orchestra conducted by Antonio Morelli.
Track listing: Ballerina, Funny (Not Much), The Continental, I Wish You Love, You Leave Me Breathless, Thou Swell, My Kinda Love, Surrey With the Fringe on Top, Where or When, Miss Otis Regrets, Joe Turner's Blues, Mr. Cole Won't Rock and Roll, In a Mellow Tone, Whatcha Gonna Do?

Louis Prima - The Wildest!

Personnel: Louis Prima, trumpet and vocals; Keely Smith, vocals; Sam Butera, saxophone; James Blount, trombone; Willie McCumber, piano; Jack Marshall, guitar; Amato Rodrigues, bass; Bobby Morris, drums.
Track listing: Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody, Nothing's Too Good For My Baby, The Lip, Body and Soul, Oh Marie, Basin St. Blues/When It's Sleepy Time Down South, Jump Jive and Wail, Buona Sera, Night Train, I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You, Five Months Two Weeks Two Days, Banana Split for My Baby, Whistle Stop, Be Mine.

Julie London - About the Blues

Personnel: Julie London, vocals, with orchestra conducted by Russ Garcia.
Track listing: Basin St. Blues, I Got A Right to Sing the Blues, A Nightingale Can Sing the Blues, Get Set for the Blues, Invitation to the Blues, Bye Bye Blues, Meaning of the Blues, About the Blues, St. Louis Blues, Sunday Blues, Blues Is All I Ever Had, Blues in the Night, Bouquet of Blues.