Several bloggers have been drawing attention to the work of the great singer David Allyn, and this is my small contribution to the effort.
Allyn, who I believe is still active, began as a band singer, with Jack Teagarden and the legendary Boyd Raeburn ensemble. Although he is renowned among vocal aficionados as a ballad singer (with a beautiful voice and infinite sensitivity), he has always been associated with jazz as well. These two records, from the early and middle years of his career, concentrate on ballads.
The later item is a non-LP single he made for Warner Bros. circa 1959. (He was spelling his name "Allen" rather than "Allyn" at the time.) Allen/Allyn co-wrote the A-side above with another Allen, the prolific comedian/musician Steve Allen. The B side is an obscurity called Here's the Way It Is.
The earlier single below is from about 1945, and features tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson (a Raeburn colleague) on Snowbound. Penthouse Serenade, which Allyn also recorded later in his career, is the flip side. Some of you may already have this single from Bill Reed's blog The People vs. Dr. Chilledair; but I did want to share it here because it is a favorite of mine.
LINK
19 comments:
Hey, great find Buster! I have another unposted Allyn LP to rip/post and will do so shortly. (YOUR'S SINCERELY with Bill Holman arrangements)
Very interesting way of singing. Reminds me of the Eberl(y-e) Bros. I prefered the 78rpm.
Thank you for posting this.
BTW, I love yr website.
@ Ravel,
Thanks for the comment. Allyn is usually compared to Dick Haymes. Interestingly, Haymes' earliest records sound to me like he was inspired by the Eberle/y brothers!
Please keep in mind that David Allyn was recording with Jack Teagarden as early as 1940. So the question of influence is debatable. Allyn (or is it Allen?) was a true original. I'm just glad that you and Bill Reed are espousing him.
By the way, Naxos in England has reissued many of the great MGM claissical LPs of the 1950s, including the Saint Vartan Sumphony. Only trouble is they can't be exported to America because of our draconian copyright laws. You can't even download the albums. Someone fly over to England quick and bring these CDs back and share them with the rest of us who have pined for these albums for decades.
I managed David Allyn in the 1990's and booked him at the Red Blazer too quite often with his big band. I also managed Dick Haymes Jr. David is his own man. The comparison between Haymes and Allyn can be best explained in the word of Dick Haymes himself. "You don't sound like me, we just have the same honest approach to singing" Haymes goes way back. He was singing with Johnny Johnson and Bunny Berigan in 1936-37.
Rick,
Thanks for your most interesting comment. I couldn't agree more that they both have a very honest approach to singing. Both are among my favorites.
Thanks for your wonderful music. Oddly enough, Dick Haymes Jr had a wonderful voice, sort of reminiscent of his dad, but a slightly lighter tone baritone. He used to tour with Frank Jr, but in my opinion had the greater talent. Dick composed music as well. David Allyn is still with us but in his 90's. I call him from time to time but like anyone at his stage in life, he has his good days and his not so good days. God Bless him for all the great singing he did. Did you know he was the one that was supposed to do the original Love With The Proper Stranger theme song instead of Jack Jones? As a matter of fact, he was the one that got Jack the gig when David was unable to use his version because of a technicality. The movie studio wouldn't use a singer who wasn't part of a major label at that time!
Rick - Fascinating, proving once again that life revolves around publicity. I haven't heard Dick Jr., but Frank Jr. doesn't have great pipes; have to agree on that one. Make sure to tell David Allyn that there are many of us who are his avid admirers.
If I can get a hold of David any time soon, I will be sure to let him know. Hey, sorry for the confusion. My name is actually Paul Cammarata. I used the haymes email address thus the Rick name on the posts. Sorry for the confusion. As far as Dick Haymes Jr. goes, he had many tv appearances in the early 1960's. I have on of them, he was on Merv Griffin's play your hunch, 19 years old, first real public appearance. I also produced his only demo recording in 1990-91, only 4 songs, but well sung with arrangements by Frank Griffith, a later arranger with the David Allyn big band at the Red Blazer in 1990's. You should have seen who came to see him back then, good friend Johnny Mandel, Steve Allyn, Annie Ross, John Hendrix, even Tony Bennet checked the place out but couldn't find the proper privacy since it was such an intimate place. I have some video of some of those nights. Wow, how time flies. I have to tell you, I met him as a fan, then got involved with the business end of music just to get him a gig, LOL. Thank God I now make a living at computers. I even got Dick Haymes JR. on a cross country big band tour in 1992. Did you ever hear of the Dick Haymes society?
Hi Paul - I have heard of it, yes, but have never been a member.
I have known Roger Dooner and Tee Dooley, the US reps of the Dick Haymes society for about 20 years. I can't believe some of the air checks and rare stuff Roger has been able to uncover and release on his ballad label. Haymes had a number of good movies, particularly to hear him sing on. I recently found a copy of All Ashore and Cruisin Down the River. Haymes sounds like a cross between his Capitol sound and Decca sound, playing and singing on a few numbers. Of course you know about the 2 masterpiece lp's he made for Capitol.
Indeed - and one or two superb singles as well.
Wow, good memory on that one. Actually, he did a few really good Billy May tracks. I spoke with Billy May back when I was managing Haymes Jr. He didn't remember doing the singles with Haymes. I sent him a cassette with some of those tracks long before they came out on cd. One of those songs was written by Bob Haymes. There was Love Is A Great Big Nothing, Never Get Enough of You, C'es La Vie. I also remember Two Different Worlds and Now At Last (written by Bob Haymes)
Thznk you for David Allyn, became a big fan not long ago...I have the 'Snowbound' track on a Lucky Thompson cd, but the other one is new to me...Bought me recently some Boyd Raeburn airshots with some Allyn features on it...This guy is so cool.
Always wondered if he was regarded as a jazzsinger or more as a popsinger.
Although for me he's "classified" in the first group. Such an excellent sense of time...
j.
Hi all. I have some really bad news. David Allyn is sick with cancer and it has spread. They are giving him 1-3 months to live. It would be great if we can contact him to give us our wishes. Here is his contact information:david allyn c/oSeaCrest retirement center room 310 588 ocean avenue west haven,ct.06516
Paul,
VERY sorry to hear that.
Hi, a brief update. David has been moved the the VA Hospital in West Haven CT for 24/7 care.
By any chance, do you have the soundtrack to Kiss Her Goodbye? It featured Johnny Richards but David Allyn sings the title song. I know it may have been out on CD a while back. Thanks
Paul - I don't have it, but it seems to be available online here:
http://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Her-Goodbye/dp/B00631WSI2/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1402241120&sr=1-1&keywords=kiss+her+goodbye
Post a Comment