Mary Martin, Ella Logan, Plus a Bonus for January

Last month when my transfer setup was down for the count, I went off into the wilds of Internet Archive in search of material to process. I came up with the Christmas 78s found here, and two albums by singers best known for their stage appearances.

Today we have those two sets - Mary Martin in an Album of Cole Porter Songs and Majestic Presents Ella Logan - both remastered for much better sound. And we have another compilation from our friend David Federman themed to this time of year.

January Evenings in Ardmore 2019

David's latest is titled "January Evenings in Ardmore 2019: The Power of Positive Thinking, or Transcendental Medication." For it, he has selected 30 songs ranging from 1914 to 1949. It's a special escapist mix, he tells us: "It is amazing how frequently music of this time lifts spirits." The link is in the comments to this post.

Mary Martin in an Album of Cole Porter Songs

Mary Martin first achieved success in Cole Porter's Leave It to Me! in 1938. She soon became identified with "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," her big number in the second act.

Decca ushered Martin into the studio in early 1940 to inscribe that song and five other Porter numbers, all quite famous with the possible exception of "Katie Went to Haiti," slightly bowdlerized here. It was Martin's first album.

Inside cover of the 78 set

About the time Decca issued the set, Martin was heading to Hollywood for a co-starring role with Bing Crosby in Rhythm on the River. But her biggest successes were on Broadway in years to come - South Pacific, Peter Pan and The Sound of Music.

Decca's sound is fairly good, and Ray Sinatra's backings are workmanlike. Martin is transcendent. I posted two of her LPs in the early days of this blog. They are still available.

Majestic Presents Ella Logan

Ella Logan was not an "overnight success" when she achieved fame in 1947 as a member of the original cast of Finian's Rainbow. Born in Glasgow, she had been a band singer both in England and the US. In the 1930s, there were a few singles for Parlophone in London, and quite a good number for Columbia and Brunswick in the US.

But her first album was made for the small Majestic label in March 1946 - before her Finian's Rainbow stardom. Majestic came up with a odd assortment of material for Logan to warble - everything from "Loch Lomond" to "Give My Regards to Broadway." One notable item is Willard Robison's "Book at My Bedside" (attn: David F.). The sound is OK, as are the backings by Frank De Vol.

Logan only made one more LP on her own - a 1954 Capitol album where she took on songs from Finian's Rainbow. (She also appears on the original cast LP, of course.) Capitol's record appeared on this blog several years ago and is still available.

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Ella Logan

Ella Logan will be forever associated with Finian's Rainbow, having introduced "How Are Things in Glocca Morra" on Broadway in 1947. Logan also recorded most of the songs from that Burton Lane - E.Y. Harburg score in 1954, for this Capitol LP.

Ella Logan and David Wayne

The Glasgow-born Logan was a veteran singer when she came to Broadway. She made her debut in 1930 in London, and was a club singer in the US, even appearing in several films and shows before hitting it big in Finian's Rainbow.

When this Capitol recording session was taking place, Logan was planning to be involved in an animated version of the show, along with such luminaries as Frank Sinatra. That version was never completed (although the songs were recorded), but this, apparently unrelated LP still came out in 1955.

Logan was a very self-assured, but mannered singer. If you like her vocals on the original cast LP, you will be sure to enjoy this album, which is in a similar style. The fussy arrangements are by George Greeley. The sound is excellent.