You and The Night and The Music is a wonderful collection of standards, augmented by two originals from Helen Merrill and Torrie Zito. Merrill's voice hasn't weakened much over the years, and there's true warmth to her performances on this album. She's supported by an impressive band, featuring bassist Charlie Haden, drummer Paul Motian, trumpeter Bob Millikan and pianists Masabumi Kikuchi and Torrie Zito. There's a relaxed charm to the music that helps make You & The Night & The Music one of her better latter-day efforts. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1 Song of Delilah 4:16
Ray Evans / Jay Livingston / Victor Young
2 Medley 5:20
Haven Gillespie / Victor Young
3 And in You Came 4:23
Helen Merrill / Torrie Zito
4 Ill Wind (You're Blowin' Me No Good) 3:03
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
5 I Want to Be Happy 3:58
Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans
6 My Funny Valentine 4:23
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
7 You and the Night and the Music 3:45
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
8 Young and Foolish 6:47
Albert Hague / Arnold B. Horwitt
9 Don't Leave Me Alone 3:28
Helen Merrill / Torrie Zito
10 All of Me 4:14
Gerald Marks | Seymour Simons
11 Street of Dreams 4:10
Sam M. Lewis
Credits :
Bass – Charlie Haden (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 to 11)
Drums – Paul Motian (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 to 11)
Electric Piano – Torrie Zito (tracks: 3)
Flugelhorn – Tom Harrell (tracks: 1, 5, 8, 9, 10)
Piano – Masabumi Kikuchi (tracks: 1, 3 to 11), Torrie Zito (tracks: 2)
Producer, Liner Notes, Vocals – Helen Merrill
Trumpet – Bob Millikan (tracks: 1), Tom Harrell (tracks: 9)
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
HELEN MERRILL - You and the Night and the Music (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
HELEN MERRILL - Lilac Wine (2004) FLAC (tracks), lossless
Nearly a half-century after she recorded a classic album with trumpeter Clifford Brown, Helen Merrill's voice is still pretty strong. On Lilac Wine she performs a set of melancholy ballads that are heartfelt and lightly swung. Accompanied by a large orchestra from Czechoslovakia that is arranged by Torrie Zito, Merrill interprets all of the material at a slow dreamy tempo. The results are subtle, quietly emotional, and atmospheric. The only real change of pace is Marian McPartland's instrumental "Portrait of Helen Merrill." Otherwise all of the music is taken at the same slow tempo and in a similar mood. Despite the lack of variety, this quiet outing grows in interest with each listen. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Lilac Wine 4:54
James Alan Shelton
2 Wild Is the Wind 4:26
Dimitri Tiomkin / Ned Washington
3 Pierre 5:24
Barbara
4 Something I Dreamed Last Night 6:15
Sammy Fain / Herbert Magidson / Jack Yellen
5 Love Me Tender/How Sweet You Are 5:33
Frank Loesser / Vera Matson / Elvis Presley / Arthur Schwartz
6 The Island 5:00
Ivan Lins
7 One More Walk Around the Garden 4:34
Burton Lane / Alan Jay Lerner
8 Portrait of Helen Merrill 5:36
Marion McPartland
9 You 3:21
Colin Greenwood / Phil Selway / Thom Yorke
Credits :
Arranged By – Torrie Zito
Double Bass – George Mraz (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Electric Piano – Torrie Zito (tracks: 3, 5, 6)
Guitar – Alan Merrill (tracks: 9)
Keyboards – Torrie Zito (tracks: 9)
Orchestra – 32 Piece Orchestra (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Piano – Torrie Zito (tracks: 4)
Trumpet – Lew Soloff (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 9)
Vocals – Alan Merrill (tracks: 9), Helen Merrill (tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
HELEN MERRILL - The Helen Merrill-Dick Katz Sessions (2008) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless
This Mosaic compilation pairs two long unavailable sessions for Milestone by vocalist Helen Merrill with pianist Dick Katz, both of which are magical meetings. Merrill is just like another one of the instrumentalists on each date, improvising and conveying her emotions without overdoing it. The first nine selections are from the 1965 LP The Feeling Is Mutual, with guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Ron Carter, cornetist Thad Jones, and either Pete La Roca or Arnie Wise on drums. Most of the initial album focuses on standards, highlighted by a poignant take of "Here's That Rainy Day" and a subtle arrangement of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain." In addition to familiar songs, the musicians tackled Alec Wilder's bittersweet ballad "The Winter of My Discontent" and Hoagy Carmichael's loping "Baltimore Oriole," both of which were new to all of them, with Merrill and company delivering effective interpretations. Songs from A Shade of Difference feature similar personnel, adding flautist Hubert Laws, while alto saxophonist Gary Bartz appears on Ornette Coleman's dissonant"Lonely Woman," with Richard Davis and Elvin Jones subbing in the rhythm section. Merrill's cool, bluesy interpretation of "I Want a Little Boy" contrasts with her breezy performance of "Never Will I Marry." An oddity: Marian McPartland mentions "Looking for a Boy" in her liner notes, though that song is nowhere to be found in this compilation. Perhaps the song was omitted for time reasons, but there is no explanation in the CD credits. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1 You're My Thrill 3:17
Written-By – Jay Gorney, Sidney Clare
2 It Don't Mean A Thing 4:59
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
3 Here's That Rainy Day 2:40
Written-By – Jimmy Van Heusen And Johnny Burke
4 Baltimore Oriole 4:49
Written-By – Hoagy Carmichael, Paul Francis Webster
5 Don't Explain 2:38
Written-By – Billie Holiday, Paul Francis Webster
6 What Is This Thing Called Love? 3:41
Written-By – Cole Porter
7 The Winter Of My Discontent 6:01
Written-By – Alec Wilder, Ben Ross Berenberg
8 Day Dream 5:13
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, John Latouche
9 Deep In A Dream 3:14
Written-By – Eddie Delange, Jimmy Van Heusen
10 Lonely Woman 3:19
Written-By – Margo Guryan, Ornette Coleman
11 While We're Young 4:13
Written-By – Alec Wilder, Morty Palitz, William Engvick
12 Never Will I Marry 5:29
Written-By – Frank Loesser
13 I Should Care 2:25
Written-By – Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn
14 A Lady Must Live 3:51
Written-By – Rodgers & Hart
15 Looking For A Boy 2:51
Written-By – Billy Moll, Murray Mencher
16 Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most 4:47
Written-By – Fran Landesman, Tommy Wolf
17 My Funny Valentine 6:39
Written-By – Rodgers & Hart
18 Lover Come Back To Me 5:01
Written-By – Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg
19 Where Do You Go? 2:23
Written-By – Alec Wilder, Arnold Sundgaard
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Gary Bartz (tracks: 10)
Bass – Richard Davis (2) (tracks: 10), Ron Carter (tracks: 1 to 9, 11 to 19)
Cornet – Thad Jones (tracks: 1 to 10)
Drums – Arnie Wise (tracks: 1 to 9), Elvin Jones (tracks: 10 to 16, 18), Pete LaRoca* (tracks: 1 to 9)
Flugelhorn – Thad Jones (tracks: 10 to 19)
Flute – Hubert Laws (tracks: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19)
Guitar – Jim Hall (tracks: 1 to 16, 18, 19)
Piano – Dick Katz (tracks: 1 to 10, 12 to 16, 18)
Producer – Orrin Keepnews
Producer, Arranged By – Dick Katz
Vocals – Helen Merrill
Monday, August 24, 2020
JOHN LEWIS / HELEN MERRILL - Django (1977-2011) HQCD / RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Tracklist:
1 Django 5:08
2 I Didn't Know What Time It Was 4:12
3 Angel Eyes 4:59
4 Close Your Eyes 3:19
5 Alone Together 2:54
6 Yesterdays 4:47
7 The Singer 4:31
8 How Long Has This Been Going On? 5:09
9 Mad About The Boy 5:08
Credits:
Bass – Richard Davis
Drums – Connie Kay
Flute – Hubert Laws
Piano – John Lewis
Vocals – Helen Merrill
Friday, August 7, 2020
HELEN MERRILL - Helen Merrill with Strings (1955-2005) APE (image+.cue), lossless
Helen Merrill recorded her well-received, self-titled debut with Clifford Brown for the Emarcy label in 1954. Her second album, 1955's HELEN MERRILL WITH STRINGS, was the Chicago-based label's attempt to enhance her commercial appeal with full-string arrangments, shorter songs, and a highly romantic concept. While Merrill ultimately bucked the commercial orientation, WITH STRINGS is an unmitigated artistic success. The strings are tastefully scored, the songs are classics or soon to be ("Anything Goes," "Wait Till You See Him," "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year"), and Merrill's delivery is by turns emotional, haunting, and highly musical. Highlights are "When I Fall In Love," where she outdoes Doris Day at her own romantic game, and the exotic opener, "Lilac Wine," which competes with Eartha Kitt's as the definitive version. by Richard Mortifoglio
Tracklist:
1 Lilac Wine 4:26
Written-By – J. Shelton
2 Anything Goes 3:07
Written-By – C. Porter
3 Mountain High, Valley Low 3:02
Lyrics By – B. D. Haningen Music By – R. Scott
4 Beautiful Love 3:15
Lyrics By – H. Gillespie Music By – E. Vanalstyne, V. Young, W. King
5 Comes Love 3:03
Lyrics By – C. Tobias, S. H. Stept Music By – L. Brown
6 End Of A Love Affair 3:29
Written-By – E.C. Redding
7 When I Fall In Love 3:22
Lyrics By – E. Heyman Music By – V. Young
8 The Masquerade Is Over 4:03
Lyrics By – H. Magidson Music By – A. Wrubel
9 Just You, Just Me 3:35
Lyrics By – R. W. Klages Music By – J. Greer
10 Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year 3:51
Written-By – F. Loesser
11 You Won't Forget Me 3:10
Lyrics By – Goel*Music By – Spielman
12 Wait Till You See Him 3:22
Lyrics By – L. Hart Music By – R. Rodgers
Credits:
Bass – Milt Hinton
Conductor [Orchestra], Arranged By – Richard Hayman
Drums – Sol Gubin
Guitar – Barry Galbraith
Piano – Hank Jones
Vocals – Helen Merrill
#1,10,11 : Recorded in New York, October 21, 1955
#3,4,6,7,9 : Recorded in New York, October 22, 1955
#2,5,8,12 : Recorded in New York, October 24, 1955
Thursday, June 4, 2020
HELEN MERRILL - Dream of You (1956-1988) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
One thing that set Helen Merrill apart from other '50s jazz singers was her acutely dramatic vocal style. Her earnest phrasing, elongated notes, and incandescent tone might even strike the contemporary listener as qualities more appropriate for the Broadway stage than a jazz club. On 1955's Dream of You, though, Merrill found reconciliation, sounding both melodramatic and swinging within Gil Evans' darkly spacious, yet economical arrangements. Suitably, torchy ballads are prominent. On the somewhat grandiose side there's "Where Flamingos Fly" and "I'm a Fool to Want You," which find Merrill in a pensive mood amidst a variety of tempo and timbre shifts. More subdued ground is covered on "I've Never Seen" and "He Was Too Good to Me." Briskly swinging numbers like "People Will Say We're in Love," "By Myself," and "You're Lucky to Me" balance the program and feature the demure, yet fluid delivery Merrill favored on fast numbers. What is most impressive on this date is a group of sultry, medium tempo numbers including "Anyplace I Lay My Hat Is Home," "Just a Lucky So and So," and in particular "A New Town Is a Blue Town." The programmatic quality of Merrill's coyly sensual voice and Evans' slightly askew, bubbling reeds and languid rhythm conjure up dramatic, balmy southern scenes á la Tennessee Williams. In the picturesque arrangements one also hears the seeds of Evans' own future collaborations with Miles Davis. Even though her collaborations with Clifford Brown and others are great recordings, this one with Gil Evans shows off more of Merrill's expressive vocal talents, due in no small part to the sympathetic and urbane arrangements. by Stephen Cook
Tracklist:
1 People Will Say We're In Love 2:34
Written-By – O. Hammerstein II, R. Rodgers
2 By Myself 3:23
Written-By – A. Schwartz, H. Dietz
3 Anyplace I Hang My Hat Is Home 4:10
Written-By – Arlen, Mercer
4 I've Never Seen 3:30
Written-By – Marcotte, D. Cochran
5 He Was Too Good To Me 3:01
Written-By – L. Hart, R. Rodgers
6 A New Town Is A Blue Town 3:09
Written-By – J. Ross, R. Adler
7 You're Lucky To Me 3:26
Written-By – A. Razaf, E. Blake
8 Where Flamingos Fly 2:44
Written-By – E. Thea, H. Courlander, J. Brooks
9 Dream Of You 2:54
Written-By – S. Oliver
10 I'm A Fool To Want You 4:07
Written-By – F. Sinatra, J. Wolf, J. S. Harron
11 I'm Just A Lucky So And So 3:08
Written-By – D. Ellington, M. David
12 Troubled Waters 3:14
Written-By – A. Johnston, S. Coslow
Credits:
