Customer Reviews

Anita Sings the Most

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All of Anita O'Day's verve's are worth picking up, including this one with Oscar Peterson's combo. Anita glides though a set of jazz standards, they swing smoothly together and as always Miss O'Day improvises and swings. It is always a joy to hear Miss O'Day's scatting and her highly appealing phrasing, with the added pleasure of Oscar Peterson on the keys. This CD reissue of the original lp is highly recommeded as are all of her Verve re-issues. Lastly go and see her live next time you're in California, she often plays the Club Atlas in LA.

As a jazz fan, but not a fan of jazz vocals, I can not recommend this album more highly. Anita is IT! In my opinion she blows away anyone who ever tried to sing a jazz standard. Hipper than Ella, more lyrical than Sarah, Anita had an emotional depth that only Billy could rival. But Billy isn't even in the same hemisphere when it comes to technique. And unlike many of the so-called jazz vocalists, Anita never resorted to gimmicky licks or tricks. But when she scats...look out! This is the real deal -- not the scoobally-doo-bop nonsense too often passed off as "improvisation". Every note rings true with a tone sent from the gods. The gal could SWING! This album is a must for an serious jazz fan and any fan of great singing. Buy it -- or lose out on hearing one of the great artists of the 20th century.

One of my first experiences hearing jazz live was catching Anita O'Day at a small club in Seattle. As little as I understood about the music at the time, it was abundantly clear that she was unhappy with her pianist and that he would have preferred being anywhere but in the company of this snarling prima donna who was holding him up to public humiliation. Years later I heard a musician tell the story about Anita calling "Tea for Two" in one of her typically torrid up-tempos and in the key of A. After the pianist had played the song through, setting up the vocal, Anita suddenly turned to him and said, "Modulate to A flat" (the standard key of the tune).

So why not pair one of the world's most fastidious and demanding singers with the world's greatest living pianist? The concept behind this album was a winner from the start, and its realization is in no way disappointing. Oscar is at his swinging best, and Anita has her choice of tempos, keys, and unique spins on familiar standards. She's at once hot, cool, sexy, cold--as only Anita can be--but she's always the ace musician, in complete, domineering control in her uniquely laid-back, slightly "hung-over" style of elocution.

Not quite as satisfying as Anita's "Pick Yourself Up," this album is nonetheless another of the many rewarding sessions coupling Verve's "house" rhythm section with a jazz star. The greatest delights? The medium-tempo version of "We'll Be Together Again" and the overplayed but not oversung "Stella by Starlight." The biggest disappointment? On the "Rodgers and Hart Songbook" Ella sings the complete and uncensored lyrics to "Bewitched," whereas on this recording Anita sings the straight, cleaned-up, traditional version. Somebody must have switched the envelopes.

The legendary head of Verve, Norman Granz, knew his business, and signing Anita O'Day was no exception. Though this is not her best Verve album ('Time For Two' with Cal Tjader claims this distinction) it is superb. (My favorite track is probably 'Stella By Starlight'; the best rendition of this gorgeous standard that I've ever heard.) Grab this one -- and 'Time For Two'.

Anita O'Day was at her absolute artistic peak in the 50s, and this collaboration with Oscar Peterson stands out as one of her most fully-realized albums, and it's one of the most fun to listen to. Each song is highly concentrated and gets out of the gate at full throttle. Whether uptempo or ballad, every song swings hard-- one expects no less from O'Day or Peterson. The piano playing is technically dazzling, and Peterson's Impressionist ballad work is gorgeous. And O'Day's vocals? Like no other singer working (with the possible exception of Mel Torme, another member of the 50s Cool school). Impeccable rhythmic sense, stunning scatting ability, a true gift of melodic and harmonic re-invention-- she had serious jazz chops (even if she didn't have Sarah Vaughn's operatic technique, she never needed it). The Mach 180 romp through "Them There Eyes" should be required listening for jazz players (singers and instrumentalists)-- a brilliant deconstruction of the old Billie Holiday line, including O'Day trading scat eights with drummer John Poole, a blazing solo from Peterson, and a sense of joy you don't get from other musicians. A true pleasure!!

She can swing better than most and has a wonderful, original voice. One of the best jazz vocalists ever. And unique in many ways (style, melody, tempo, moods etc). The musicians behind Anita? Oscar Peterson is superb on piano, complemented perfectly by his three partners on bass, guitar and drums.
A great album and she belongs in every jazz vocal collection.

Released on Verve in 1956 "The Most ' is a superlative jazz album that showcases O'Day 's sexy and musical voice. Great tracks include Tenderly and Stella. Oscar Peterson Quartet is cookin' on all tracks and Herb Ellis solo on Them There Eyes is a knock out!

Ray Hood

I discovered Anita O'Day late but she has the right combination of swing, verve and general light touch to keep me from changing the CD in my player. I love Ella Fitzgerald and Ella has better pipes but for some reason I get tired of Ella faster than Anita - don't ask me why Anita is more interesting but she is.

It's no wonder this album is often mentioned as one of the best in Anita O'Day's rich and long career; working beautifully with Oscar Peterson classic trio (Herb Ellis-g, Ray Brown-b) plus John Pool on drums, Anita is equally impressive in slower tempos and in her trademark neck-breaking hyper-swinging elloquence...

One of the strength's of this magnificent singer is a strong individuality, ability to make every song a part of her hip and sometimes even sarcastic worldview... Although at first her style might remind you of Ella Fitzgerald, the liberties she takes with tempo and rhythm actually make her closer to Billie Holiday or Betty Carter, the mood she projects with her timbre makes her a distant cousin of Carmen McRae but, make no mistake, she is Anita O'Day, the one and only... With the nifty and versatile fingers of Oscar and the crew behind her, this album shouldn't have gone wrong and I feel it fullfiled its magnificent potential.
I've read somewhere that Anita thought Norman Granz was pushing Ella Fitzgerald too much; if it's true (and it seems to be), it's a pitty since she is Ella's equal (if not superior), but some claim that Anita's demanding character and serious drug habit prevented her from getting some gigs that Ella landed and professionally handled... Nevertheless, Anita has left us a nice recorded legacy as well and "Anita sings the most" is her highest peak I've heard so far...

Anita Sings The Most is pure unadulterated jazz at its finest and is a MUST for all jazz purists and collectors. Anita is at her prime. Her ability to scat on particularly upbeat songs is grand. Oscar Peterson on piano shows originality and precision of individuality in his playing style. Ray Brown is, always, without compare. I found this recording to include some of the best songs from the great composers that really aren't heard as often as they should be today. This recording was excellent in AAD format. Thank you all for your art.