Lee Wiley

[Claude Schlouch]

Hi,

I'm curious to know if there are readers who know this great singer. I would like that they contact me.

Thanks in advance!

Claude

[Pete C]

I absolutely love her, especially the songbooks & "Night in Manhattan" period. Lots of her stuff is available these days. What else do you have to say about her.

& are you familiar with Barbara Lea? She's still around, and was a sort of protegee of Lee Wiley.

[medjuck]

Sure. I've got about 5 cds of her work. Especially like the songbooks and "Manhatten".

[Dr. Rat]

Oh yeah, I know and like Lee Wiley. I like Night in Manhattan, but also her songbooks (I think she was one of the first to do standards songbooks and her recordings with Condon).

I drop one of her tunes in occasionally on the air, and it seems like half the time I'll get a call form someone who wants to know who that is.

Of course she isn't, but she has a sound that's almost tentative, which is very winning.

[jazzbo]

I've grown to really love her. I sure do "remember" her!

Wouldn't you have liked to have spent a few nights out on the town with Lee and Bunny Berigan?

[brownie]

Forget about Berigan, I would have taken Ms. Wiley by herself. Love her singing.

I started loving her records a few years ago. Great fan of her now. I sure do remember her.

[jazzbo]

[BruceH]

KNOW about her?? I love her work! I've just got four of the songbooks, but they are soooooo good. Originally had them on vinyl, more recently picked them up on CD. Maybe not the most technically impressive singer of all time, but there is something very winning about her style. (BTW, one of her performances, "Looking At You," was used in the movie LA Confidential.)

[Pete C]

  BruceH said:

I've just got four of the songbooks, but they are soooooo good.

I'm assuming you mean the Gershwin, Porter, Rodgers & Arlen.

You absolutely must hear Night in Manhattan, then.

And now it's available along with the Berlin & Youmans Columbia songbooks, a later R&H date, and a few other tidbits on a 2-cd set from Jazz Factory, The Complete Fifties Studio Masters.

The LP of A Night in Manhattan had the contents of the 10-inch version, plus several tracks from the Berlin & Youmans projects, which may have never made it beyond 10". I think this set was the first time all that material was released on CD.

Also on the set is a 1965 date with Joe Bushkin as accompanist, and she still sounded fine.

I also have several discs of airchecks, some with alternate versions of the Night in Manhattan repertoire.

[danasgoodstuff]

You can count me among the admirers of Lee W., even though all I have is an LP of Night In Manhatten and an odd appearance on part of a Jess Stacey date on Commadore (I think that's right).

[Harold_Z]

Count me in too. Big eyes for Lee - great stuff. The big gap in my holdings in regards to Lee are the RCA stuff from the 50s.

Think she was into Ethel Waters?

[Pete C]

  WNMC said:

Of course she isn't, but she has a sound that's almost tentative, which is very winning.

Interesting observation. With all the discussion on the Miles thread, I'm starting to see some similarities I've never thought of--and realizing why Lee Wiley may appeal in much the same way as Shirley Horn.

[Pete C]

  Harold_Z said:

Count me in too. Big eyes for Lee - great stuff. The big gap in my holdings in regards to Lee are the RCA stuff from the 50s.

Think she was into Ethel Waters?

I'd bet she was into Ethel Waters.

As far as the RCA material goes, West of the Moon is good, but it doesn't get to me as much as A Night in Manhattan or the songbooks. I haven't heard A TOuch of the Blues.

So, do the Wiley fans who've weighed in know Barbara Lea?

[Harold_Z]

Not enough Barbara Lea. I did see her sit in with Marty Grosz one night about 15 years ago and enjoyed her and DID dig the Lee influence. I should probably seek out some recordings by her. I do have a very little bit on record.

[LAL]

Always look forward to Ms Wiley taking the spotlight (not often enough) on Eddie Condon's Town Hall Concerts.

[Pete C]

This thread got me to do some listening and searching and I found something really interesting:

Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre - Something About Lee Wiley

First Aired October 11, 1963

Guest Stars: Piper Laurie (as Lee Wiley) Claude Rains (as Mr. Fare) Steven Hill (as Ruben Fare) Alfred Ryder (as Paul Eastlake) Ruth White (as Mama)

Synopsis

The story of jazz singer Lee Wiley, her failed marriage to bandleader Jess Stacy.

Notes

Director Sydney Pollack received an Emmy nomination for this episode.

Now I have to see if the Museum of Television and Radio has it.

[BruceH]

  Pete C said:

  BruceH said:

I've just got four of the songbooks, but they are soooooo good.

I'm assuming you mean the Gershwin, Porter, Rodgers & Arlen.

You absolutely must hear Night in Manhattan, then.

And now it's available along with the Berlin & Youmans Columbia songbooks, a later R&H date, and a few other tidbits on a 2-cd set from Jazz Factory, The Complete Fifties Studio Masters.

The LP of A Night in Manhattan had the contents of the 10-inch version, plus several tracks from the Berlin & Youmans projects, which may have never made it beyond 10". I think this set was the first time all that material was released on CD.

Also on the set is a 1965 date with Joe Bushkin as accompanist, and she still sounded fine.

I also have several discs of airchecks, some with alternate versions of the Night in Manhattan repertoire.

You assume correctly sir. Thanks for the recommendation---I'll keep my eyes open for Night In Manhattan!