Charlie Ventura with Jackie & Roy and Buddy Stewart

I wanted to pay homage to the great jazz singer Jackie Cain, who died this week, by presenting a selection of her recordings, starting with some early efforts in the studio with Charlie Ventura.

Her four sides on this LP date from 1948, when Cain was 20. She had already formed what would become a lifelong duo with her soon-to-be husband, pianist and singer Roy Kral.

By the time Jackie & Roy joined him, Ventura had enjoyed a certain amount of success with Gene Krupa and as a combo leader recording for Black & White, Crystalette and, starting in 1947, National.

Jackie Cain and Charlie Ventura

Although this 10-inch LP from the early 50s appeared on Mercury's EmArcy label, its contents were drawn from National masters that Mercury had leased or acquired following the smaller label's demise.

The LP's back cover identifies a group comprising Charlie Shavers (tp), Bill Harris (tb), Ventura (ts), Ralph Burns (p), Bill DeArango (g), Chubby Jackson (b), and Dave Tough (d), but that lineup actually only appears on two songs - "Synthesis" and "Stop 'n' Go," from March 1947.

The ensemble for "Pennies for Heaven", from September 1947, is Kai Winding (tb), Ventura (ts), Lou Stein (p), Bob Carter (b), and Shelly Manne (d).

Kai Winding, Buddy Stewart,
Charlie Ventura

"Synthesis" and "Pennies from Heaven" feature the exceptional vocalist Buddy Stewart, who was equally adept at bop and ballads. Stewart died in a car accident in 1950 before reaching his considerable potential.

Jackie & Roy came on board for an October 1948 session that resulted in "Euphoria," "F.Y.I.," "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles," and "Gone with the Wind," a solo feature for Cain, as well as the instrumental "If I Had You." The personnel for the 1948 dates is a little murky, but includes trombonist Bennie Green.

1949 ad

Ventura styled his band as playing "bop for the people," and several of these numbers are bop-flavored. Sometimes this involves adding "ba-doo-da-la-lee-bop" frills to an old tune like "Blowing Bubbles," and sometimes it is more substantive, such as in "Euphoria." Ventura had a swing-based style that was more like Illinois Jacquet than Charlie Parker, but he was a fluid player with a full tone and considerable energy.

Jackie & Roy's appearances with Ventura brought them to public notice, starting a highly regarded career lasting until Kral's 2002 death.

The sound from these National masters is reasonably good. More from Jackie & Roy to come.

Boots Mussulli, Conte Candoli, Jackie Cain, Charlie Ventura, Roy Kral