mmilovan Posted January 15, 2004 Report Posted January 15, 2004 transfered from Brownie thread: That 'Helen Sings, Teddy Swings' was recorded by Victor Japan in October 197O in Tokyo. Album details (from The Lord): Helen Merrill, vo, Teddy Wilson, p, Larry Ridley, b, Lenny McBrown, dr. - I Cried for You - Lover Man - I Only Have Eyes for You - East of the Sun - You Better Go Now - I Must Have That Man - Embraceable You Helen Merrill, Wilson, Kunimitsu Inaba, b, Takeshi Inompata, dr. - Summertime - I Cover the Waterfront - Pennies from Heaven Helen Merrill was very popular in Japan and she recorded dozens of albums there. Have not heard the Merrill/Wilson one. jazzbo Posted: Jan 15 2004, 06:41 AM Helen LIVED in Japan a number of years. I wish someone could release all those albums domestically on cd! -------------------- ". . . but you don't have to call me Lonson" mmilovan Posted: Jan 15 2004, 10:44 AM QUOTE (brownie @ Jan 15 2004, 12:59 AM) That 'Helen Sings, Teddy Swings' was recorded by Victor Japan in October 197O in Tokyo. Album details (from The Lord): Helen Merrill, vo, Teddy Wilson, p, Larry Ridley, b, Lenny McBrown, dr. - I Cried for You - Lover Man - I Only Have Eyes for You - East of the Sun - You Better Go Now - I Must Have That Man - Embraceable You Helen Merrill, Wilson, Kunimitsu Inaba, b, Takeshi Inompata, dr. - Summertime - I Cover the Waterfront - Pennies from Heaven Oh man, Hellen, accompanied by Willson (was Larry Ridley, b in Monk's group at that time) and all that standards, probably well recorded! Sounds like a dream! Quote
brownie Posted January 15, 2004 Report Posted January 15, 2004 I've already mentioned on another thread about Helen Merrill that one of my very favorite album of hers is the 'No Tears, No Goodbyes' duo album with Gordon Beck that was made for Owl. Pretty sure this was reissued recently. I'll second Mr. Sangrey with the opinion that the second Gil Evans/Helen Merrill 'Collaboration' was even better than the original one. A rare case of a reinterpretation doing one better on a remarkable original. And I have enjoyed that Helen Merrill/John Lewis date (a Japanese Mercury LP) for years. But I also love Helen Merrill's appearance on 'You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To' and 'Didn't We' on another Japanese Mercury LP 'Billy Eckstine Sings with Benny Carter', a beautiful album which was probably Mr. B's final appearance on a record. Quote
mikeweil Posted January 15, 2004 Report Posted January 15, 2004 Japanese Mercury LP 'Billy Eckstine Sings with Benny Carter', a beautiful album which was probably Mr. B's final appearance on a record. It was, and it was one of Vernel Fournier's last sessions, too. Quote
paul secor Posted January 17, 2004 Report Posted January 17, 2004 transfered from Brownie thread: That 'Helen Sings, Teddy Swings' was recorded by Victor Japan in October 197O in Tokyo. Album details (from The Lord): Helen Merrill, vo, Teddy Wilson, p, Larry Ridley, b, Lenny McBrown, dr. Monk recorded a live album in Japan in October, 1970. The bassist and drummer on 3 tracks were Larry Ridley (listed as "Redley" on the album) and Lennie McBrowne. (The remaining 2 tunes have Monk playing with a Japanese big band.) That may account for Monk's presence at the Merrill/Wilson date. Quote
mmilovan Posted January 18, 2004 Report Posted January 18, 2004 Paul, many thanks for bringing to us those helpful discographical informations. Quote
brownie Posted January 18, 2004 Report Posted January 18, 2004 One more vote (after Alexander) for the EmArcy 'Just Friends' album with Stan Getz (plus Joachim Kuhn, Jean-Francois Jenny Clark and Daniel Humair, plus tracks with pianist Torrie Zito). That was a beauty! Also the 'You've Got A Date With the Blues', originally a rare MetroJazz LP, reissued on CD by Verve several years ago. With Kenny Dorham, Frank Wess, Jerome Richardson, Jimmy Jones, Barry Galbraith, Milt Hinton among the accompanying musicians. Another excellent album. Helen Merrill is impeccable on those. Quote
king ubu Posted January 19, 2004 Report Posted January 19, 2004 brownie, the CD with Getz is quite OOP - in fact I just put an order on amazon.fr (the marketplace prizes on amazon.com are rather ridiculous). I never heard of that other album you mention. OOP, too, I guess! ubu Quote
EKE BBB Posted January 19, 2004 Author Report Posted January 19, 2004 (edited) The price for this one at jazzconnections is ridiculous as well, Flurin: 24,95 USD plus 5,95 USD shipping!!! Edited January 19, 2004 by EKE BBB Quote
king ubu Posted January 19, 2004 Report Posted January 19, 2004 Well, hope that amazon France marketplace seller will materialize! I missed this one while it was in stores here (but I would have payed around 22 Euros for it here, too - regular prize for Universal CDs!) ubu Quote
mikeweil Posted January 19, 2004 Report Posted January 19, 2004 If it was still available, I'd buy the EmArcy box - back then it was beyond me. "I've got a date with the blues" alone would have been worth the price, there was a single CD issue of this that I also missed. Too bad!!! The Getz is fine, one of the albums where Helen's humour is displayed to great effect - they must have had a hell of a time in the studio! Quote
king ubu Posted January 19, 2004 Report Posted January 19, 2004 CDs on its way! It will sure have a nice new home in my collection, next to the other ten or twelve Merrill albums... ubu Quote
jazzbo Posted January 19, 2004 Report Posted January 19, 2004 "You've Got a Date With the Blues" is not contained within the box set; it was a Verve not an Emarcy or Mercury date. I'm quite happy that I was able to find the Japanese cd! Quote
king ubu Posted January 19, 2004 Report Posted January 19, 2004 "You've Got a Date With the Blues" is not contained within the box set; it was a Verve not an Emarcy or Mercury date. I'm quite happy that I was able to find the Japanese cd! Lon, this looks like a good one, going from the very few informations AMG gives. How about "Casa Forte"? While it's not her best album, it certainly does include some pretty good stuff, too. I think it has not yet been mentioned. ubu Quote
jazz1 Posted January 20, 2004 Report Posted January 20, 2004 How about "Casa Forte"? While it's not her best album, it certainly does include some pretty good stuff, too. I think it has not yet been mentioned. ubu I do enjoy "Casa Forte" maybe not her best but still better than 95% of jazz vocals produced today. Yes, where are the originals?? the girls with "a sound" everybody seem to sound the same lately. Quote
mikeweil Posted January 20, 2004 Report Posted January 20, 2004 Try this singer for an original - different style, but great, and has paid her dues. Quote
king ubu Posted January 20, 2004 Report Posted January 20, 2004 Try this singer for an original - different style, but great, and has paid her dues. Mike, I never heard her. Can you recommend some of her CDs? Or one of them, as a starter? ubu Quote
jazz1 Posted January 20, 2004 Report Posted January 20, 2004 Try this singer for an original - different style, but great, and has paid her dues. Carla is nice, I own 2 of her cds, but too compare her to Helen or Anita this is a different story. Mind you, I should know better we should not compare, but at the end of the day we all do, when I sit down to listen to music, I make a choice!! Thanks I'll spin Carla tonight!! Quote
mikeweil Posted January 26, 2004 Report Posted January 26, 2004 (edited) Try this singer for an original - different style, but great, and has paid her dues. Carla is nice, I own 2 of her cds, but to compare her to Helen or Anita this is a different story. Mind you, I should know better we should not compare, but at the end of the day we all do, when I sit down to listen to music, I make a choice!! Thanks I'll spin Carla tonight!! Thank God we can make a new choice every time! I love them all, they are all so great, each in their own way, and I love the differences. Nice to hear you like Carla, jazz1! There are sound samples on her website I linked above, I'd recommend the latest two, The Sweetest Sounds and Listen Here. Edited January 26, 2004 by mikeweil Quote
king ubu Posted January 28, 2004 Report Posted January 28, 2004 Got "Just Friends" today! What a beautiful CD! The opening tune is gorgeous! Getz fits in perfectly well. And what is there to be said about guys like Kuhn, Jenny-Clark and Humair... thanks for insisting ubu Quote
jazzbo Posted January 28, 2004 Report Posted January 28, 2004 Today I received "Sings Irving Berlin" from an ebay purchase. Not essential, but very relaxing and mellow. . . . Helen singing is clearly the intent; on this cd release no accompanists are even listed. Sound surprised me; this is a very early cd but rich, relaxed and not at all strident sound. Quote
jazz1 Posted January 28, 2004 Report Posted January 28, 2004 Today I received "Sings Irving Berlin" from an ebay purchase. Not essential, but very relaxing and mellow. . . . I also bought one on Ebay recently, as you said not essential and the sound is pretty good. Helen never made a bad recording but like with everybody else some are better than others. And some of them are just marvellous. Her latest effort "Lilac wine" also with strings has some really nice numbers on it. Lots of feelings from Helen, on of her best effort in recent years. Quote
jazzbo Posted February 25, 2004 Report Posted February 25, 2004 On one site I saw that "Lilaac Wine" is due out in the States next month. .. hope so. Also on ebay right now someone in Japan is selling more than a half a dozen Japan-only cds, mostly of her work when she was living in Japan. Man, I'd love to hear this stuff, but those discs are going to go way out of my price league. What do you think are the odds we'll see domestic cds of those in the next few years. . . . I'd say pretty slim, unfortunately! Quote
couw Posted February 25, 2004 Report Posted February 25, 2004 and that's sad considering the fact that your post is not the only one lamenting that. I bet the market is there. Why was this stuff not released anywhere else anyhow? Quote
jazzbo Posted February 25, 2004 Report Posted February 25, 2004 I don't really understand why Helen's material isn't more widely available. What ever one can find is pretty wonderful stuff, and I've introduced her to persons who never heard of her or heard her and they like her. There is a strong possibility that in this case this is Japan only stuff, and either no one has licensed it or been given a license for this Victor material. I guess that could change, but who does one lobby to change it? Quote
jazzbo Posted February 25, 2004 Report Posted February 25, 2004 I emailed the webmaster (only choice you get) on www.helenmerrill.com to see if he/she has any light to shed on these Victors becoming available. Quote
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