What Are You Listening To? October 2019

Frances Faye - Sings Folk Songs (Bethlehem 1957)

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Where is Michaelben now that I need him? :confused: Hands down, he's the biggest Frances Faye fan I know.

This is quite a remarkable album. How on earth did a Jewish lesbian singer wind up cutting "Clementine" and "John Henry" cabaret style? Ace arranger Russ Garcia assembled a crackerjack jazz ensemble with the likes of Maynard Ferguson, Mel Lewis, Frank Rosolino and Herbie Harper for these sessions in Hollywood during February and March of 1957. The results are dazzling. Bobby Darin's scat version of "Clementine" three years later owed a whole lot to the one Frances waxed here. Just listen....


:5.0: on the Sam-O-Meter. Faux folk for sassy swingers.

Buying Tip: look for the 1999 CD version on Avenue Jazz. It has five bonus tracks with lots of studio chatter.
 
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