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Jazz Articles about Marlene VerPlanck

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Getting Into Jazz

Marlene VerPlanck Loves Johnny Mercer

Read "Marlene VerPlanck Loves Johnny Mercer" reviewed by Mark Barnett


Getting Started If you're new to jazz, go to our Getting Into Jazz primer for some hints on how to listen. Capsule An outstanding sampler of Mercer's lyrics, served up by a first-class singer who deserved to be better known. Background How many song lyrics did this man write? Are you ready? 1,200, according to the Johnny Mercer Foundation. They weren't all hits, of course, but each of the 54 Mercer songs listed in Wikipedia is ...

Album Review

Marlene VerPlanck: The Mood I'm In

Read "The Mood I'm In" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Chi si ricorda di Marlene VerPlanck? La storia del jazz è una miniera di artisti dimenticati o sottovalutati che hanno brillato una sola, breve, stagione o sono rimasti a lungo in ombra. Marlene è una di questi e l'ascolto di The Mood I'm In (inciso a 82 anni, ultimo di una serie d'incisioni pubblicate in tarda età) rinnova il rimpianto per una carriera che non s'è sviluppata come poteva e non ha avuto i riconoscimenti che meritava. A dispetto ...

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Album Review

Marlene VerPlanck: The Mood I’m In

Read "The Mood I’m In" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Marlene VerPlanck has been recording since 1955. In round numbers, that is 60 years. She is a natural singer in the same way that Frank Sinatra, Roseanna Vitro, and Lyn Stanley are natural singers... they open their respective mouths and music just comes out. And, at the far end of this career, VerPlanck sounds very good. Age has not diminished her singing as it has in many of her peers singing at the bright age of 82. So, immediately, hats ...

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Album Review

Marlene VerPlanck: Once There Was A Moon

Read "Once There Was A Moon" reviewed by Andrew Velez


Marlene VerPlanck is a singing canary of the old- fashioned sort--one who consistently picks great songs and then sings them in a brightly chirping soprano so that every single lyric is quite intelligible. The songs come out radiating an aura of a singer in love with what she's doing. Maybe that all ought to be commonplace in music, but it isn't. On Once There Was A Moon she continues to demonstrate what a reliable custodian she is of the American ...

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Album Review

Marlene VerPlanck: "NOW!"

Read ""NOW!"" reviewed by Jim Santella


With a stellar piano trio and special guests on hand, vocalist Marlene VerPlanck shapes her 19th solo album around classic romance songs and pleasant pieces that remain somewhat underused.

“Pretty Blue," by Norman Simmons and Joe Williams, paints a lovely picture of the happy feeling that we get when music fills the room and folks nestle in for an evening of comforting thoughts. “NOW!," by J. Billy VerPlanck and Leon Nock, sizzles slowly with heartfelt passion, creating an ...

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Album Review

Marlene VerPlanck: My Impetuous Heart

Read "My Impetuous Heart" reviewed by Jim Santella


A heralded interpreter of the classic American Popular Songbook, Marlene VerPlanck makes each story come alive right before your ears. Arranger Billy VerPlanck, the singer’s husband and musical partner for over forty years, creates scenarios for each song that makes them unique. Changes in tempo and mood that correspond with changes in the lyrics make each arrangement quite apart from ordinary presentations. VerPlanck began her singing career with the big bands of Charlie Spivak, Tex Beneke, and the Dorsey Brothers. ...


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