Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rosemary Clooney: Sweet Melody

170

Rosemary Clooney: Sweet Melody

By

Sign in to view read count
Rosemary Clooney: Sweet Melody
What can I say about Rosemary Clooney that I’ve not said hundreds of times before — that she is one of the most charming and intelligent interpreters of popular song that it has ever been my pleasure to hear and appreciate. These fourteen examples of Rosie’s uncommon artistry, recorded between 1949 and ’56, include four from her own favorite album from that era, on which she is accompanied by the marvelous Duke Ellington Orchestra. The earliest selection, “Oh, You Beautiful Doll” (with Hugo Winterhalter’s orchestra and chorus), dates from 1949 when Rosie was barely out of her teens and a scant two years before she recorded the breakthrough hits “Half as Much” and “Tenderly” (with Percy Faith’s orchestra). While she’s had more than her share of ups and downs since then, the pipes are in grade–A shape and she remains in her seventies one of the finest singers on the scene. But that is now, and this was then. Besides the songs already mentioned, Rosie sings three (“When You Wish Upon a Star,” “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening,” “You’ll Never Know”) with trumpeter Harry James’ orchestra, two (“I’ve Grown Accustomed to Your Face,” “Too Young”) with Paul Weston, one (“You Make Me Feel So Young”) with Norman Leyden and a second (“Blues in the Night”) with Faith’s orchestra. Most are string–laden and saccharine, but Rosie shines through no matter how prosaic the setting. The exceptions are the numbers with Ellington, which swing easily and include some brief but persuasive solos by trumpeter Clark Terry. Clooney’s fans should be quite familiar with these early snapshots of her unrivaled artistry; others should hear for themselves why she’s generally thought of as one of the best “girl singers” popular music has ever known.

Contact:North Star Records, 22 London St., East Greenwich, RI 02818.

Track Listing

I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart; Tenderly; I Got It Bad (And That Ain

Personnel

Rosemary Clooney, vocals, with orchestras conducted by Duke Ellington, Percy Faith, Hugo Winterhalter, Harry James, Paul Weston, Norman Leyden.

Album information

Title: Sweet Melody | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: North Star 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

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

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