Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Various: Signature Songs

98

Various: Signature Songs

By

Sign in to view read count
Apparently caught up in the millennial rush to get the most out of their catalogs (and apparently a little late in doing so), Telarc has assembled a short set of "signature songs" – songs for which their performers were (apparently) best known. From Cab Calloway’s "Minnie the Moocher" to Dave Brubeck’s "Take 5," these are some of their past performers’ most memorable musical meanderings. And while not every version may be the quintessential (who can forget Cab’s performance in "The Blues Brothers" or earlier takes where his scat was sharper?) or even necessarily related to the given artist (Liza Minelli did "New York, New York"?), the collection of artists and songs is significant at least.

Among the truly unique offerings are some star-studded live shots of Clark Terry’s ingeniously impeded "Mumbles" and Lionel Hampton’s moaning and moving "Flyin’ Home." In the end, it is hard to say which is the greater disappointment—that the album is not filled with the most signature versions of some of these songs or that it is so short.

Track Listing

1. Lullaby of Birdland - George Shearing 2. Minnie the Moocher [#] - Cab Calloway 3. Take Five - Dave Brubeck 4. Con Alma [Live] - Dizzy Gillespie 5. Poinciana [#] - Ahmad Jamal 6. Mumbles - Clark Terry 7. Misty - Erroll Garner 8. Flyin' Home [Live] - Lionel Hampton 9. New York, New York [Live] - Liza Minnelli

Personnel

Dave Brubeck - piano Cab Calloway -- vocals Erroll Garner - piano Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet Lionel Hampton - vibes Ahmad Jamal - piano Liza Minnelli - vocals George Shearing - piano Clark Terry -- vocal, flugelhorn

Album information

Title: Signature Songs | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Telarc Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Fiesta at Caroga
Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fellowship
David Gibson
Immense Blue
Olie Brice / Rachel Musson / Mark Sanders

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.