The False Ducks Blahg

     Yesterday, I played a little hooky from work.  I have a job where I tend to run around a lot checking on clients and taking them to appointments.  I also try to sneak in some time to visit my Mother in the long-term care home where she resides.  I received a call in the afternoon that she was out of a certain denture adhesive, so I drove to the pharmacy and then took them up to her.  On the way back to work, I took a diversion and stopped in at a local thrift store.  I had been there on the weekend but I hadn’t had a chance to check out the vinyl records section because there had been an individual taking a deep dive through them.  Yesterday, I had a chance to go through the records and scored four records.  Thus the title. 

   Before I start in on sharing songs from the records, let me show you some quick photos of the vinyl.  I took these while in my car because I wanted to research them in my office when I got back: 

That last record was, I believe, the first one I selected yesterday.  I have in fact written a previous blahg about Dakota Staton, WHY DID I BUY THIS CD?    I talked about a CD with the title “Dakota Staton – Five Classic Albums” which I had purchased but didn’t remember doing so.  Here’s a picture of that CD: 

Notice that the five albums compiled on the CD set did not include “In The Night” which is the album she did with George Shearing that I purchased yesterday.  That’s where I will start. 

   I won’t go into more details about Dakota Staton but you can check out the blahg, I referenced above.  Here’s a better look at the front cover of the “In The Night” LP as well as a shot of the back cover.  You can click on the images to make them bigger: 

I’ll start off by offering the title track, “In The Night:”

That one was slow and sultry.  Here’s a track that gently swings, “I Hear Music”: 

I’ll offer one more that fits the sultry category, “The Thrill Is Gone”:

   

   I’ll jump back to the top photo which shows the LP “Solid and Raunchy” featuring Bill Black’s Combo.  I found this quote on YouTube where someone posted the whole album:

Bill Black was the original bass player in Elvis Presley’s band. He played on all the early Elvis recordings. After leaving Elvis Presley’s band he formed Bill Black’s Combo, which became one of the most popular instrumental bands of the period.

Here are more cover shots of the front and back:

I noticed right away that the song “Don’t Be Cruel” leads off the first side.  This is a song closely associated with Elvis Presley.  Here’s the Bill Black Combo version: 

If you want to talk about songs closely associated with someone else, then what do you think of when I say “Tequila?”  You should say Pee Wee Herman and it should conjure up images of Pee Wee dancing to this song on top of a bar in the 1985 film, “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”:

That version was performed by “The Champs.”  Here’s Bill Black’s Combo version:

Finally, from this album, I want to offer up “Mack The Knife” because it too is such an iconic song.  There have been great versions by Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Darren, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby with Bob Scobey’s Frisco Band.  You can listen to the Bing and Scobey version by viewing my blahg, WHAT ON EARTH IS SCOBEYFAN?  Here’s Bill Black’s combo with their version: 

   

   The next album is a compilation of sorts, “Bethlehem’s Girlfriends.”  The AI version of google stated this about the album:

Bethlehem’s Girl Friends
(1956) is a compilation album released by Bethlehem Records featuring jazz vocalists Chris Connor, Julie London, and Carmen McRae. The 12-inch LP (BCP-6006) showcased tracks from these prominent artists, including songs like “It’s All Right With Me” and “A Foggy Day.”

Here are the front and back covers: 

Where do I start with this album?  Well, I noticed that the song “The Thrill Is Gone” is sung on the album by Chris Connor.  I offered a version earlier in this blahg by Dakota Staton.  Now here’s Chris Connor’s take: 

Another song by Chris Connor on this compilation LP is “Lush Life.”  Not too many have attempted this song.  Sinatra tried recording it and there’s an incomplete version: 

There’s also a nice version by Linda Ronstadt and a marvellous version by Blossom Dearie: 

Now here’s Chris Connor’s version: 

Another vocalist from the Bethlehem’s Girlfriends record is Carmen McRae.  Here she is singing on “Easy To Love”: 

Here’s a more uptempo song, “Tip Toe Gently”: 

The last singer featured on the Bethlehem album is Julie London.  I think I have a couple of Julie London albums at home so I know who she is.  She sings four songs on this record but I’m going to choose the two songs I have heard by Frank Sinatra.  The first is “A Foggy Day”: 

I think I used the word “sultry” earlier when talking about Dakota Staton’s singing on “In The Night,” but sultry fits here, too.  Here’s Julie London singing “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me”: 

Wow, what a voice! 

   I’m not sure what to say about the last record I purchased, “Windjammer City Style” featuring Red Norvo.  I purchased the album because I had heard of Red Norvo.  In fact, I referenced him in two of my Linda Keene blahgs:  TRACING LINDA KEENE, PART 2: THE MOMENT IN MY LIFE and TRACING LINDA KEENE, PART 3: ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD.  Linda Keene was on a six month tour across the USA with Norvo from June to December of 1940.  I also mention a CD I own of Norvo live at The Blue Gardens in  Armonk, New York in January 1942.  A Billboard notice had Norvo there from December of 1941 to January 1942 and that Linda Keene was appearing with him:

Unfortunately, Linda Keene did not appear with him at The Blue Gardens.  Here’s an image of the CD:

The vocals on the CD are attributed to Helen Ward, Kay Allen, Fran Snyder, and Eddie Bert.  Here’s one of the songs I posted with a Helen Ward vocal on “This Time The Dream’s On Me:

On February 16, 1945 Linda Keene also recorded four songs with a group of musicians that included Red Norvo on vibes.  They both appeared on the Black & White label.  The A side featured the song “I Don’t Stand A Ghost Of A Chance” :

The flip side was “I Must Have That Man”:

Linda Keene also recorded two other songs on February 16, 1945 with the same musicians, including Norvo, also released on the Black & White label.   “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You” and “Blues On My Weary Mind” were 19A and 19B on the Black & White Label. 

GEE BABY, AIN’T I GOOD TO YOU–LINDA KEENE WITH CHARLIE SHAVERS & RED NORVO

———————————–

BLUES ON MY WEARY MIND–LINDA KEENE WITH CHARLIE SHAVERS & RED NORVO

 

I guess, with all of that in mind, I thought that purchasing the Red Norvo album, Windjammer City Style would be an interesting listening experience.  It bills itself as the musical score from the Cinemiracle production, “Windjammer.”  Both the movie and this record were released in 1958.  Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about the “Windjammer” film:

Windjammer is a 1958 documentary film that recorded a 17,500-nautical-mile (32,400 km) voyage of the Norwegian sail training ship Christian Radich. Windjammer was produced by Louis de Rochemont and directed by Louis de Rochemont III. It was the only film to be shot in the widescreen Cinemiracle process, which came with a seven-track stereophonic soundtrack.

Here are images of the Red Norvo Windjammer LP: 

I don’t know most of the songs from this record but I recognize the title “Memories Are Made Of This.”  I believe Dean Martin had a hit with it:

The only other song from the LP that has a familiar title is “Marianne” and has been recorded by Harry Belafonte and there’s a live version by Trini Lopez on the album Trini Lopez at P.J.’s.  Here’s Trini singing it as part of a medley from the P.J.’s record: 

Now here’s Red Norvo’s version: 

    I haven’t listened to all of the tracks on all four albums.  That’s another day.  Not bad though for a quick stop at a thrift store….A Four Record Stop.