MAXINE SULLIVAN - 1937-1938 {CC, 963} (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The basic and pleasing vocals of Maxine Sullivan are quite enjoyable. This CD has her first 23 recordings, including three songs originally released under pianist Claude Thornhill's name; Thornhill (who helped discover the singer) is on all of the selections. The original version of "Loch Lomond" is among the highlights and became a huge hit, leading to Sullivan's lightly swinging renditions of other folk songs such as "Darling Nellie Gray" and "Dark Eyes." Joined by such fine musicians as trumpeters Manny Klein, Frank Newton, Charlie Shavers and Bobby Hackett (all of whom are heard from briefly), along with the future members of the John Kirby Sextet, Maxine Sullivan is heard throughout in her early prime (she was 26-27 years old during this period). Recommended. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Stop! You're Breaking My Heart 2:36 
Ted Koehler / Burton Lane
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill & His Orchestra
2    Gone With the Wind 2:45   
Herbert Magidson / Allie Wrubel
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
3     Loch Lomond 2:53 
Traditional
4    I'm Coming Virginia 2:21  
Will Marion Cook / Donald Heywood
5    Annie Laurie 2:38   
Alicia Ann Scott (Lady John Scott)
6    Blue Skies 2:59  
Irving Berlin
7    Don't Save Your Love (For a Rainy Day) 2:31   
Chick Bullock / Harold Spina
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
8    Easy to Love 2:58  
Cole Porter
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
9    The Folks Who Live on the Hill 2:58  
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
10    Darling Nellie Gray 2:55   
W.C. Handy
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
11    Nice Work If You Can Get It 2:49  
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
12    It's Wonderful 2:53  
Mitchell Parish / Stuff Smith / Robert Wells
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
13    Dark Eyes 2:40   
Traditional
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
14    A Brown Bird Singing 2:40 
Royden Barrie / Hayden Wood
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
15    You Went to My Head 2:38 
Buddy Bernier / Bob Emmerich
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
16    Moments Like This 3:00   
Burton Lane / Frank Loesser
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
17    Please Be Kind 3:10 
Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
18    It Was a Lover and His Lass 3:10   
Thomas Morley / William Shakespeare
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
19    Dark Eyes 3:02     
Traditional
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
20    Spring Is Here 3:12   
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
21    Down the Old Ox Road 2:19  
Sam Coslow / Arthur Johnston
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
22    St. Louis Blues 3:18  
W.C. Handy
Maxine Sullivan feat: Claude Thornhill
23    L' Amour Toujours l'Amour 2:47

MAXINE SULLIVAN - 1938-1941 {CC, 991} (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although not as essential as the first Classics Maxine Sullivan CD, this set has its strong moments too. Sullivan was always a simple and subtle singer who swung lightly and mostly stuck to the melody while uplifting the themes with her intelligent expressiveness. The first eight selections on this disc find her joined by the John Kirby Sextet on such numbers as a remake of "Loch Lomond," "St. Louis Blues" and "My Ideal." The two numbers from March 19, 1942 ("Beside the River Clyde" and "How Do I Know It's Real") list the singer as again being joined by Kirby's Sextet but the backup group is clearly larger and using slightly different instrumentation. Sullivan is also heard backed by a rhythm section and strings on four selections, on two numbers apiece with the Teddy Wilson Quintet and Benny Carter's Orchestra (the young tenor Dexter Gordon has a solo on "Looking for a Boy"), and performing six tunes (including several remakes) with strings, the prominent harp of Laura Newell, a rhythm section, and clarinetist Hank D'Amico. The 1944-46 titles have also been reissued by Tono, although the 1941-42 selections with Kirby have long been scarce. In her early to mid-'30s at the time, Maxine Sullivan sounds both youthful and mature during her interpretations, very much in prime form. by Scott Yanow  
Tracklist:
1 Loch Lomond 2:43
Traditional
2 Just Like a Gypsy 2:35
Nora Bayes
3 My Blue Heaven 3:00
Walter Donaldson / George A. Whiting
4 St. Louis Blues 2:56
W.C. Handy
5 Kentucky Babe 3:19
Richard Buck / Adam Geibel
6 My Curly Headed Baby 3:10
7 When Your Lover Has Gone 2:39
Einar A. Swan
8 My Ideal 2:19
Newell Chase / Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting
9 Beside the River Clyde 2:35
10 How Do I Know It's Real? 2:25
Lester Lee / Jerry Seelen / Dan Shapiro
11 Behavin' Myself for You 2:55
12 I Carry the Torch for You 2:50
Joe Davis
13 The Story of Our Love Affair 2:49
Joe Davis
14 Confession Is Good for the Soul 2:55
Joe Davis
15 Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye 3:02
Cole Porter
Maxine Sullivan feat: Teddy Wilson
16 This Heart of Mine 3:05
Arthur Freed / Harry Warren
Maxine Sullivan feat: Teddy Wilson
17 I'm the Caring Kind 2:46
Benny Carter
Maxine Sullivan feat: Benny Carter & His Orchestra
18 Looking for a Boy 2:50
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Maxine Sullivan feat: Benny Carter
19 Mad About the Boy 2:54
Noël Coward
Maxine Sullivan feat: New Friends Of Rhythm
20 If I Had a Blue Ribbon Bow 2:44
Traditional
Maxine Sullivan feat: New Friends Of Rhythm
21 I Must Have That Man! 2:52
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
Maxine Sullivan feat: New Friends Of Rhythm
22 Loch Lomond 2:37
Traditional
Maxine Sullivan feat: New Friends Of Rhythm
23 I Can't Get Started 2:48
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin
Maxine Sullivan feat: New Friends Of Rhythm
24 Jackie Boy 2:52
Traditional
Maxine Sullivan feat: New Friends Of Rhythm