Customer Reviews

About the Blues

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...and this is a marvelous album by the smouldering La London. All "Blues" themed compositions (many by Arthur Hamilton), done up in great arrangements by Russell Garcia. We didn't need 2 takes of "The Meaning of the Blues", which are similar sounding - why didn't they treat us to her rare recording of "I'll Cry Tomorrow"? The extra track, "Dark" is magical and haunting -- deliciously eerie.
Now, can we have the "Julie" album with Jimmie Rowles?

Julie London is the picture of class and elegance, and sounds so refined yet sensious! Even jazz critic Scott Yanow gave this a good review on the Allmusic guide. This is a great cd with arrangemets by Russ Garcia(of Fantastica: music fro mouter space), his arrangements are PURRFECT for Miss London. A greta set!

Much as I like to newer Jazz chantueses, Diana Krall, Cassandra Wilson, Jane Monheit, Patricia Barber, they really can't hold a candle to Julie London. He voice oozes pure, hot, sticky .... She makes you feel the blues.

Yeah, I'd like to hear her with a smaller combo, but this is a great album with a large orchestra. Some clever songs I'd never heard before.

And a good price too.

I grew up during the 1950s listening to Julie sing the blues on my father's hi-fi, while admiring those album covers. Until the release of this remastered album on CD in 2002, the only copies available were badly scratched albums, if you could find one. Most of her albums were recorded for Liberty, but Capital Jazz acquired the rights and master for this gem. You could say this album is "blues noir". These tracks were recorded between 1956 and 1957. Stereo was not yet prevalent in recording, and sadly this is a mono disc. One can only imagine what it would sound like in digitally remastered Stereo! Nevertheless, this is a must have. The liner notes to the album were written by James Gavin, author of the biography on Chet Baker, and make great reading while you are listening to Julie sing About the Blues.

If one were to write a complete overview spaning Julie London's entire career, 'About the Blues' would stand in the Top 5 of her best albums.

Not only does it have a film-noir-type feel to it, but is so haunting, and makes you feel as if you were walking alone at night, it's kinda cold out, and you're looking behind your back to see if any other life form is of existancee.

I bought this cd for my mother for her birthday, myself born in 81' having no idea who Julie London is usually listen to heavy metal but I do like a little blues and jazz but don't know much about it other than the stuff from the 50's and 60's usually sounded better than the new r&b mix fluff, after hearing this cd I was amazed it's kinda like everything I ever looked for in jazz albums but never heard, so I'm buying a copy for myself now and probably some more Julie London cd's soon.

Late night music is what Julie London's voice was suited to and the blues are the epitome of late night music, so this matching should work... and most of what's here does in that addictively, wonderfully sultry way that was her trademark. But the real reason that this is one of her stand-out CDs is "Dark", a superbly atmospheric, hauntingly eerie song that, as far as I can find, isn't on any of her compilations and is in fact a "bonus track" on this updated edition of "About the Blues". Dark it is, maybe too dark to sit comfortably with her other work - but it's also an unforgettably brilliant track that ranks up there with her very best.

Here is Julie London's fondly-remembered 1957 album 'About the Blues', crisply remastered by the good people at Blue Note Records. Next to her 1960 album Around Midnight, this is probably my favourite London platter. Ms Julie always sounded at her best with this kind of laid-back, sensual jazz and blues material, and she doesn't disappoint here.

Numbers like "Basin Street Blues", "Meaning of the Blues", "Shadow Woman" (totally CLASSIC London), and "Invitation to the Blues" are all given solid readings. While London didn't have the kind of vocal finesse to rival a June Christy or a Kay Starr, she compensated by knowing how to use her personality and acting in order to inhabit the material (under the direction/arrangement of Russ Garcia).

This reissue also contains the 45" single version for "Meaning of the Blues", plus "Dark" (where London is accompanied by the Spencer Hagen Orchestra).

[Blue Note Records 7243 5 38695 2 6]

"About the Blues" is a stunning album, Julie's fourth and her step out of being an intimate novelty, a whisperer, into being a full-bodied singer and a jazz singer at that. The songs are terrific, Russ Garcia's arrangements intriguing and Julie is seductive, persuasive and hypnotic. As with all Julie covers, the art is magnificent--she was such a beauty. In real life, off the album covers, Julie was a stay-at-home, a voracious reader and a devoted wife and mom. She was much beloved by the jazz musicians in Los Angeles for being very hip and very congenial. They considered her an excellent musician, too. She sold zillions of records for Liberty. The add tracks are a revelation, singles practically no one has heard until now that fit perfectly in with the album.

I had forgotten how warm and mellow Julie London's voice was. Having listened to her sing, and having watched her in a few movies when I was very young, I appreciate her music more than ever. It was such a pleasure re-discovering her with this album. The songs are classic blues numbers that can be enjoyed while sitting in front of the fireplace, driving a distance in a car, or, my favorite, while indulging in a hot bubble bath on a cold winter's evening. Try it.