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Alice Babs: Vi minns Alice Babs

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Alice Babs: Vi minns Alice Babs
This six-CD box set pays homage to Alice Babs, the Swedish jazz singer who died at the age of 90 in February, 2014. A soprano with a three octave range, she sang with Duke Ellington, most notably in his so-called sacred concerts.

At the start of her career, in 1940, at the tender age of 16, Babs (real name Nilsson) was vilified in the Swedish press as a slyna, the politest translation of which is "hussy."

The critic who attacked her so viciously for her role in the film Swing it magistern (Swing it, teacher) said she should be given a good spanking and sent back to school.

Instead she went on to sing with the Swedish Jazz All Stars who were a hit at the 1949 Paris jazz festival and with Danish musicians Svend Asmussen (violin) and Ulrik Neumann (guitar) to form the Swe-Danes, whose highly original brand of close harmony and vocalese won them international acclaim from 1958-61.

Unfortunately, Babs also sang a great many extremely schlocky pop songs and, as a result, only the first two CDs are of any real interest to jazz fans.

However, the first, Jazz and ballads, is very good indeed, showcasing Babs' formidable vocal abilities and—on three tracks—her instrumental talents. She was an above average pianist and once—at Ellington's insistence—played for him and Billy Strayhorn.

Perhaps she recalled what must have been a daunting experience as she played and sang Strayhorn's quaintly titled "I'm Checkin' Out, Go'om Bye," included here.

There are great versions of "After All I've Been To You," played to her own accompaniment, and of Ellington's "Prelude To A Kiss," with Harry Arnold's Orchestra during which she sings a sensitive wordless accompaniment to Ove Lind's clarinet solo.

Twelve of the tracks feature various constellations headed by pianist Bengt Hallberg. Standouts: "So Many People," "Memories Of You" and "No Words Blues," which is just that, "composed" by Babs and Hallberg on the spot.

There's even a snippet of Babs singing (wordlessly) on "Things Ain't What They Used To Be" in an early encounter in 1963 with the Ellington band in Paris.

The second CD, devoted to the Swe-Danes, is a marvellously light-hearted affair in the spirit of Slim Gaillard, though the arrangements are actually often extremely complex. On "Swe-Danes Symphony" the trio imitate a full symphony orchestra.

Their American hit, "Scandinavian shuffle" is also included, along with "Lullaby of Broadway" on which they mix the English and Swedish versions, Babs using her phenomenal voice to great effect.

The other CDs are devoted to her pop output with, here and there, references to jazz. Gems include "Ingo cha-cha," a tribute to Swedish boxer Ingemar Johansson, who in 1959 beat Floyd Patterson to become heavyweight champion of the world. There's "Ta't lugnt, ta en Toy," a commercial for Swedish chewing gum and—worst of all—"Skandinavien," a number extolling the dubious delights of Scandinavia as a tourist destination.

Track Listing

CD 1: After All I've Been To You; I'm Alone; Willow Weep For Me; What Becomes Of Me/But Not For Me; A Man; No Words Blues; I Didn't Know What Time It Was; If I Were Eve; So Many People; Memories Of You; Song For The Dreamer; A Sailboat In The Moonlight; I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town; St. James Infirmary; Nobody Knows You; Bluer Than Blue; After You've Gone; Dancing Together; I'm Checking Out Go'om Bye; Things Ain't What They Used To Be; Prelude To A Kiss; I Can't Give You Anything But Love. CD 2: Skål (Swe-Dane Shuffle); Scandinavian Shuffle; Swinging In A Hammock; Side By Side; Georgia Camp Meeting; Hot Toddy; Lullaby Of Broadway; Den Lille Ole Med Paraplyen; Go Chase A Moonbeam; You're Driving Me Crazy; Miss Annabelle Lee; Swe-Danes Symphony; Swe-Dane Shuffle. CD3: En Gång I Stockholm; Ensam Jag Går; Fråga Mig Inte Varför;Le Lite Grann; Lilla Geisha; Månbubblor; Lile Astronomi; Visa I Molom; En Ollonnborr Är Varenda Fråga; Hambo; Filosofisk Dixieland; Råttjakt För Två; Pudelvisan; Det Var Sommar/Parkernas Stad; Blotta Tanken; Det Är Vår; Fröken Vår; Il Bacio; Johnny One Note; Den Gamla Kommoden; Vaggvisa Till Radiorecensent/Little Man, You've Had A Busy Day; Villanelle; Mot Kveld. CD4:It's Wonderful; I May Be Wrong; Hey Diddle Diddle; Swing Fula Fluga Swing; I Double Dare You; Oh-ho-ho-ho; Swing Swing Girl; Regntunga Skyar; Swing It Magistern; En Oharmonisk Visa; Be-bop- knopp; Coffee Calls For A Cigarette; Mitt Eget Blue Hawaii; Vårat Gäng Potpurri. CD5: Sommar Sommar Sommar; Fritiof Och Carmencita; Sommarmålning; Gökuret; En Gång Jag Seglar I Hamn; Emil/Min Vår, Din Vår; Det Vore Välan F'runderbart/Wouldn't It Be Loverly; Josefon; Du Och Jag/I'm For You, You're For Me; Kyss Mig Varje Morgon/Love Me In The Daytime; Tro På't/High Hopes; Here Comes Summer; Puerto Rico; Skandinavien; Res Med Mig; Ingen Är Som Du; Desafinado; Vår I Stadsparken; Primavera; Under Ett Paraply; Kolonivisa; Home With You; Go Chase A Moonbeam; Det Är Inte Sant; Låt Mig Bli Din. CD6: It's Been A Long, Long Time; I'm The Words, You're The Music; Våran Bil; Hemma Igen; Ingo Cha Cha; St Louis Blues; Det Går Ännen Fort; Tradadiralla Di Ralla; Sprid Lite Sol Omkring Dig; Tandem; En Sliten Liten Melodi; You Make Me Feel So Young; I Want To Be Happy; Vildandens Sång; Plugget; Ta’t Lugnt, Ta En Toy; Lollipops To Lipstick; Han Kom Från Texas; Dong, Dingeldang, Dingeldong; Der Kleine Muck; Ich Hab' Dich Und Du Hast Mich; By The Watermelon Vine Lindy Lou; You Say The Sweetest Things; Lady Be Good; Dinah.

Personnel

Alice Babs
vocals

Alice Babs: vocals with diverse musical accompaniment.

Album information

Title: Vi minns Alice Babs | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Vax Records

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