Here's the final installment in our tribute to the late Jo Stafford, presenting some of her less well-known recordings.
Stafford often was teamed with fellow Capitol artist Gordon MacRae, and you only need to listen to the first song here to understand why. It is Wunderbar, and wonderful it is.
Too bad there aren't more duets here; but the other items are split between the two, with one allotted to a chorus accompanied by arranger Paul Weston.
This album represents their version of the songs from the then-current Broadway musical Kiss Me Kate.
As often happened in the transition among formats in the late 1940s, these songs were issued in three formats - 78 rpm album, 45 rpm box, and 10-inch LP. This post is from an unplayed, old store-stock 45 box. I had prepared this for the blog thinking that it had been unreissued since its 1949 appearance, but I see it has just come out on CD.
I believe that this cover was created by the eminent designer Saul Bass early in his career. It is signed "Bass," it has some of the hallmarks of his later style, and he was active as an art director in Los Angeles when this design was produced.
LINK
4 comments:
I didn't want this nice post to go sans comment, particularly since the score is one of my favorites.
I'm one of those guys who often says they don't particularly like film Musicals. But when I stop to think about them, to go over great titles like Singin' in the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Show Boat, The Band Wagon, Meet Me in St. Louis and all those remarkable Busby Berkeley concoctions....well, I realize I'm full of it.
I found two Kiss Me Kate albums in my dad's collection as a kid, one from Broadway, the other from the film, and I listened to both for years. I even conned a girlfriend in high school into co-performing the "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" number at a talent benefit, and she hasn't spoken to me since. :-)
Great share, mate. Your blog brings me a lot of pleasure.
Chris,
Thanks so much for your note, and right back at ya - comments like yours give ME a lot of pleasure!
Possible to get a re-up?
A more recent transfer of this set is available here:
https://mega.co.nz/#!LIVmkIAD!SMPydavzZ677W5I5n5HyeyVztEAkwP1QQL917SW7_MI
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