For Fathers Day: My Top-10 Favorite Gentlemen of Popular Song!
Jun 03 '04
The Bottom Line The albums I've mentioned below make perfect Father's Day gifts for all those old-school retro, or hipster, Dads out there!
1) ---FRANK SINATRA---
WHAT MAKES HIM MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE?
At the height of his powers in the 1950s, Frank was loved by everyone---all ages, from teens to their grandmothers. He has a universal quality that is easily accessible to all; yet, when he is singing, you feel like he is singing just to you----only. And, then, of course there's that voice; I've never heard anything more powerful.
FRANK SINATRA'S BEST SONGS:
There is no way to narrow it down. Sinatra sang hundreds upon hundreds of fabulous songs. For me, it changes with the seasons, as I rotate amongst my various treasured Sinatra CDs. Lately I've got Sinatra's "Come Swing With Me" CD currently going. I absolutely adore the first song on the "Come Swing With Me" CD...which is "Day by Day". There's another song, towards the end of that CD called, simply: "I Love You", where Frank croons just that phrase. The best ego-boost, and pick-me-up that I know of: Frank, over and over, singing to me how he loves me! Now that's truly a slice of heaven!
FRANK SINATRA SHOPPING ADVICE:
One of the best Sinatra samplers, for unfamiliar listeners, is Frank Sinatra's "Songs for Swingin Lovers" CD....and there are plenty of reviews of that here, on Epinions. I would avoid any of the Columbia CDs that were put out in the 1940s, as Sinatra hadn't reached his peak yet. Anything by Capitol Records (1950s), or Frank's own label, Reprise Records (1960s), would be swell. I just recently saw the whole Reprise Records boxed set for $39.00 at a popular music store. When we are talking about this kind of singer, $39.00 is a small price to pay for hours of listening pleasure.
2) ----NAT KING COLE---
WHAT MAKES HIM A FAVORITE?
I did a 2004 Valentines Day review of his "Unforgettable" CD--which was released in 2000, and has liner notes written entirely by wife Maria Cole. Needless to say, I think of Nat's voice as comfort food for the ear.
NAT KING COLE'S BEST SONGS:
"Smile", "The Very Thought of You", "This Can't Be Love", "Almost Like Being In Love", "When I Fall In Love", "The More I See You"......etc...plus any of Nat's Christmas classics.
NAT KING COLE SHOPPING ADVICE:
"Unforgettable" (2000) is a perfect CD. There are 25 songs on there, and not a bad one in the bunch. It is very rare, that I like each and every song on a CD; but, all 25 on the "Unforgettable" CD are, well, unforgettable!
3) ---STEVE TYRELL---
WHAT MAKES HIM A FAVORITE?
I surprise myself that I would put Steve Tyrell, a newcomer to the music world, as my third favorite singer. He only made his debut in 1999. However, his debut album "A New Standard" is filled with modern interpretations of classic songs, and not a single song that I don't like on the "A New Standard" CD. This is very rare, that someone can put a modern spin on traditional favorites, and not destroy them. Steve Tyrell does the impossible and created a masterpiece. I won't even bother to mention Steve Tyrell's perfect, sexy-voice (A young Louis Armstrong). "A New Standard" makes an absolutely perfect Father's Day gift, especially for traditionalists who didn't think they'd like anything modern.
STEVE TYRELL'S BEST SONGS:
I'm in a trance every time I hear "I Can't Get Started With You". I've never heard anything that perfect, in every way. "Kiss to Build a Dream On" is one of the best versions I've ever heard of that standard song.
STEVE TYRELL SHOPPING ADVICE:
I've given the "A New Standard" CD as gifts on several occasions, and everyone that's received it has ended up very grateful to have been exposed to this musical genius. But, Steve Tyrell's second "This Guy's In Love" CD is also particularly poignant because his wife was dying of cancer during the recording of it.
4) ---ELTON JOHN---
WHAT MAKES HIM A FAVORITE?
Even without one of the most familiar voices in the world, he is a piano genius. Elton John's early work has an emotional urgency and quirky-ness that is particularly engaging.
ELTON'S BEST SONGS:
Again, I, personally like his early work. "Your Song" is, perhaps my all time favorite, and it still moves me to tears. My old-school sensibility adores "Rocket Man", "Bennie and the Jets", "Daniel", and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". Does anyone remember "Tiny Dancer", "Levon", "Teacher I Need You" and "Honky Cat"???? One of my absolutely favorite old-school Elton John songs is "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters".
SHOPPING ADVICE:
The greatest hits album has a few of Elton's classic songs. The "Honky Chateau" CD has "Mona Lisas" and "Honky Cat". It can be tough to find a thorough compilation of old-school Elton. I would imagine the original-early vinyl albums are collector's items.
5) ----MATT MONRO---
WHAT MAKES HIM A FAVORITE?
England sure has imported some wonderful singers to the USA. Matt Monro was Britain's answer to our Wayne Newton, Englebert Humperdink, and Tom Jones. Only, Matt Monro was far more talented than any of those three. You might be familiar with Matt Monro's big booming voice as the one who sung many of the James Bond themes including, "From Russia with Love", during the 1960s. Imagine....Austin Powers meets Frank Sinatra. This is cool-hip, lounge-style music. But, these fabulous old-school (1960s) instrumentals, and perfect vocal inflection make Matt Monro a singer to be treasured.
MATT MONRO'S BEST SONGS:
"Around the World in Eighty Days" has got to be my all-time favorite Matt Monro song. "Here and Now", "Lets Face the Music and Dance", "Fly Me To The Moon", and the slower, "Softly as I Leave You", are also some of my Matt Monro favorites.
MATT MONRO SHOPPING ADVICE:
Unfortunately Matt Monro is hard to find, short of a London swap-meet. If you can't download the above songs, there is a "Best of Matt Munro" (they misspelled his name) that is out of production, yet has all the above, essential songs. It would be a collector's item if anyone managed to find it at a yard sale. There is a more widely available.... "The Very Best Of Matt Monro" CD (Not the same as the "Best Of") ....and it does have "Around the World". "The Essential Matt Monro" CD has the "Here and Now", "Softly as I Leave You" and "Lets Face the Music and Dance" songs.
6) ----BOBBY DARIN---
WHAT MAKES HIM A FAVORITE?
Because he sings with a swagger. He has one of those loud booming voices, whereby he has absolute control of the entire room. Again, lots of "lounge-style" songs and singing, yet he was the one of the original crooners of the 1950s ie Eddie Fisher, yet far and away more talented, with precision vocals, than Fisher could ever dream of.
BOBBY DARIN'S BEST SONGS:
His all-time most popular was "Beyond the Sea", and is probably my favorite of his. Don't miss the chance to hear: "This Nearly Was Mine" "Charade" "There's a Rainbow on my Shoulder", "Roses of Picardy", "All By Myself", "As Long As I'm Singing", "Mack the Knife", and "That Funny Feeling"---which Bobby Darin actually wrote.
BOBBY DARIN SHOPPING ADVICE:
Nobody has ever done an adequate compilation that includes all the songs of Darin's, above, that I adore. However, Bobby Darin's "Wild Cool & Swingin'" comes pretty close. I have the Bobby Darin "Wild Cool & Swingin" CD and it has all of the above songs except the "Beyond the Sea", "Roses of Picardy", and "Mack the Knife" singles. I love the whole idea behind the "Wild Cool & Swingin'" concept, which was to showcase various old-school artists at their hippest best.
7) ---MEL TORME---
WHY HE'S A FAVORITE?
Because he's the "Velvet Fog". 'Nuff said.
MEL TORME'S BEST SONGS:
"Stepping Out", "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails", "All I Need Is The Girl", "All That Jazz".
MEL TORME SHOPPING ADVICE:
"Mel Torme Swings Shubert Alley" is an excellent CD, and you can't go wrong giving it as a gift. The only song, from my favorites above, on the "Shubert Alley" CD is "All I Need Is The Girl", but I don't dislike the other songs. Mel Torme did everything well, and never destroys anything he sings. By the way, if you are scouring the yard sales, swap meets, etc.... and happen to come across "This Is Mel Torme" from the 1970s, either on vinyl or CD......quickly snap that up. That's the one that has Torme's fabulous version of "All that Jazz" that must be heard to be believed. It's not the "Chicago" version of "All that Jazz". It was the original Bob Fosse version.
8) ---CHET BAKER---
WHY HE'S A FAVORITE?
Actually, there were two "Velvet Fogs". Chet Baker is another smooth, high pitched Mel Torme-sounding saxaphonist. His is one of the most sophisticated hardcore jazz sounds I've ever heard. And this is definitely hardcore, deep jazz with heavy instrumentals. However, I don't believe there is another saxaphone player as talented as Chet Baker, and that's in addition to his smooth-as-butter voice.
CHET BAKER'S BEST SONGS:
"Let's Get Lost", "There Will Never Be Another You", "My Funny Valentine".
CHET BAKER SHOPPING ADVICE:
Always go for anything that says "Chet Baker Sings.....". The reason is because, if the album doesn't specifically say vocals, then it's just instrumentals and his saxaphone playing, which is certainly quite OK. Still, you must hear his voice. The "My Funny Valentine" CD has the "Let's Get Lost" song that I love by him.
9) ----TONY BENNETT---
WHY HE'S A FAVORITE?
Because he sings two songs that consistently bring me to tears. Tears of joy, that is.
TONY BENNETT'S BEST SONGS:
"La Vie En Rose", his duet with K.D. Lang; and, "This Time The Dream's On Me". But, I also like his version of the Burt Bacharach tune "Make It Easy on Yourself".
TONY BENNETT SHOPPING ADVICE:
The Tony Bennett/K.D. Lang "Wonderful World" CD is one of the best duet concepts I've ever heard. Their two voices meld together perfectly. Tony Bennett's "Forty Years of Artistry" boxed-set, which came out in 1991, has the "This Time The Dream's On Me" single, which I love.
10) ---LOUIS ARMSTRONG---
WHY HE'S A FAVORITE?
That throaty voice is one of the most distinctive, and often imitated....but never equalled. He can also be quite the comedian. The ultimate storyteller in his singing, as his stories are quite funny.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG'S BEST SONGS:
For me, it's all about the "Cabaret", Old Chum! But for many people, "Blueberry Hill", and his version of "Mack the Knife" are instantly recognizable.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG SHOPPING ADVICE:
Try the "16 Most Requested" or "What a Wonderful World" CDs. Also, his duets with Ella Fitzgerald, where he teases and goofs on her, are priceless.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!
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