14/04/2013

With spring finally looking as though it's upon us, Russell dares to celebrate with a little 'Spring Cleaning', courtesy of Rebecca Kilgore and The John Sheridan Dream Band. Then, a consignment of new releases from a Devizes-based distributor, Discovery records, provides him with a handful of choice items this week: On the Jackpot label, is a re-release of Tony Bennett's first LP, from which we hear 'My Baby Just Cares For Me' and, after Connie Boswell's sombre 'Say It Isn't So' recorded in 1932 with Victor Young's orchestra, comes Ethel Ennis and 'Say It Ain't So, Joe', freshly re-released on Fresh Sound.

A post-script to our recent Mitchell Parish tribute brings Johnny Hartman and his version of the Parish-Malneck-Signorelli classic, 'Stairway To The Stars'. Russell follows this with another new re-release - this time on the Hoo Doo label - it's Ray Charles and 'I Can't Stop Loving You' from his 1962 album 'Modern Sounds In Country And Western Volume 2'. Two duet curios have caught Russell's attention this week: Peter Lind-Hayes and wife Mary Healy's 'Crazy Mixed-Up Song' and 'The Thinking Mens' Hill-Billies' - Homer and Jethro - with their take on Frank Loesser's 'Baby It's Cold Outside'. Russell pays a belated tribute to the late Dorothy Carless, spotlighting her work with The Squadronaires. There's a memento of 'The Boy Friend' whose first night occurred exactly 60 years ago; a mystery concerning the authorship of The Mills Brothers' 'Sweeter Than Sugar' and bringing the show towards its final furlong are Johnny Mercer with 'The Thousand Islands Song', Kay Starr and 'I've Changed My Mind A Thousand Times' and finally Mel Tormé - 'Isn't It Romantic'.