Jo Stafford Albums (19)
'Getting Sentimental Over Tommy Dorsey'
Release Date 1/1/1963
Tracks 11
Label Reprise
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Few vocalists were better poised to toast Tommy Dorsey than Jo Stafford, who spent several years in the great bandleader's ranks and took leads or harmonies on several of his biggest hits. Better yet, this 1963 LP includes charts by a pair of the Dorsey band's best arranging acolytes, Nelson Riddle and Billy May (both of whom spent time in the band), plus four by Benny Carter. Hearing these songs with new charts in superb stereo is a treat for swing fans, and the harmony vocal group in the background sparkles just as brightly as Stafford's group, the Pied Pipers, had with Dorsey. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Jo Stafford's Ballad of the Blues is a concept album showcasing the influence of the blues through a story told in song, primarily in a pop setting with a full orchestra. Accompanied by her husband Paul Weston and his orchestra, along with the backing vocals of the all-male quartet the Starlighters, Stafford explores traditional fare such as "John Henry," spirituals ("Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" and "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen"), standards "Blues in the Night"), jazz classics ("Memphis Blues" and "Lover Man"), along with new compositions featuring music by Weston and lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. The music seamlessly segues from one track to the next, even as the mood changes from pop to jazz and back again. Stafford's delicious alto voice stands the test of time very well throughout the sessions. The CD concludes with an informative 2003 half-hour interview with Jo Stafford that explains in detail the genesis of the original release. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Honey-toned vocalist and former Pied Piper Jo Stafford illuminates a dozen Scottish folk and popular lyrics from the pen of 18th century Scots poet Robert Burns with scores by Alton Rinker and backed by her collaborator and husband, Paul Weston. The formidable confab offers up a unique listening experience that should not be missed by Stafford enthusiasts or lovers of Burns' verse. The ornate arrangements are unquestionably a product of the post-big-band era and very much in line with the sort of sound that jazz singers of the early '50s were evolving their performance style around. The collection suitably commences with the warm, endearing, and affective "My Heart's in the Highlands," setting the pace for the remainder of the contents. Overall, the selections could primarily be considered ballads, with the exception of the jaunty "Bonnie Lad That's Far Away." Stafford's remarkably expressive and supple intonations bring to life familiar titles such as the sweet and tuneful "Green Grow the Rashes, O," the stirringly intimate lament "My Jean," and a definitive reading of the classic "Auld Lang Syne." Removed from the pomp and circumstance of New Year's Eve, the song takes on a further sense of longing and melancholy. The palpably yearning sentiment in "John Anderson, My Jo" is the perfect vehicle for Stafford, as is "Comin' Through the Rye," one of only a handful of traditional melodies that Weston and Rinker astutely crafted to Stafford's rich tonality. The latter additionally stands out for the wispy strings that glide through the heart of the achingly beautiful refrain. For inclined parties, it doesn't get better than Jo Stafford, and Songs of Scotland is evidence of her capacious talents and equally impressive interpretive skills. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
During the immediate postwar years, singer Jo Stafford rose to fame as both a member of Tommy Dorsey's band and as a solo act. Part of a loose sorority of pop-jazz vocalists that also included Kay Starr, June Christy, and Julie London, Stafford excelled at both swingers and ballads using her patented smooth pipes. On this mid-'50s outing, she's joined by accordionist Art Van Damme and His Quintet. Covering a ballad and mid-tempo mix of standards, Stafford especially excels on "Almost Like Being in Love," "One for My Baby," and "But Not for Me." While not in the same league of contemporary work by Christy and London, Once Over Lightly still fits in well with the many cocktail vocal offerings from the '50s. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide
