Customer Reviews

Falling In Love Is Wonderful

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

 

 

Finally, this great lost LP is now on CD, and everyone can hear the artistry that is Jimmy Scott. It's a tragedy that due to tangled legal issues, "Falling In Love Is Wonderful" was quickly pulled in 1963 shortly after it's initial release. ... Jimmy's career was frustrated by this, and so one of the greatest jazz vocal LPs became something of a Holy Grail for those discriminating listeners determined to find a rare copy in music stores or online. But now all the legal issues are resolved and everyone can enjoy this remarkable record on CD. To think of the lost opportunities to Scott's career could make one weep. And to listen to Scott's mesmerizing vocals could bring a tear to one's eye on classic tracks like "They Say It's Wonderful" and "Someone To Watch Over Me". I can't recommend this CD enough!

This album has the best back-story of all of Jimmy Scott's albums: Ray Charles plucks Scott from a downward career slide and gives him a first-class orchestral pop treatment--only to see the evil Herman Lubinsky (Savoy Records' owner) ruin the whole thing with a threatened lawsuit (the record was pulled from the racks).

(Context: In the 1950s, Jimmy Scott evidently carelessly signed all manner of contracts put before him by Lubinsky; Joel Dorn has called Lubinsky "a hemorrhoid of a human...whom even the worst record business golems of the era shunned.")

Okay, so all of that is interesting, and the album does hold up. But does it surpass his first two Warner Bros. records, or his Atlantic sessions from 1969 and 1972 (scattered over "Lost and Found" and "The Source")? In my opinion, no, it doesn't surpass those works. Scott isn't allowed to stretch out quite as fully here (most of the tracks clock in at 3:30-4:00), and the orchestral arrangements aren't quite as tasty as the sonic divans created for his subsequent pop masterpieces. This record is one of his best, make no mistake, but not the holy grail of legend, the greatest thing he ever did.

So start with the first two on Warner Bros. and the Atlantic Records stuff, and then get this record, the Savoy stuff, his recent series on Milestone, and the Decca sides. Then choose very carefully among what's left--there are a couple of sessions that aren't worth purchasing.

BTW, the liner notes hint that Ray Charles (who, to be fair, put out a lot of cash and time to make this record happen in the first place) was acting a little Lubinsky-like after Scott's ship finally came in in the early 1990s:

"Only one question remains: Why did the producer [Charles] wait so long to finally release the record? After all, when Lubinsky died in 1985, the threat of lawsuits died along with him.

"Timing is everything," says Brother Ray. "And right now, it's Jimmy Scott's time."

Ray allowed Rhino handmade a limited domestic release which carried premium price around the time that David Ritz's authorized biography came out. Now one must pay import prices to get this album. The indignities never end...

Ray Charles wanted to highlight Jimmy Scott's ballad ability, and he does here. What keeps this CD from being rated 5 stars is that there is not much variation in tempi. Otherwise, Scott's ability to get inside a ballad and make it his own is exemplary. The title cut, for example, is the most moving version of this song I have ever heard and I think is the strongest cut. Charles' piano complements and, in fact, comments a bit on the lyrics and there is some great byplay between the vocalist and pianist. The stereo mix is a bit extreme (The mono mix might present a more coherent image, but you might lose Charles' piano, by himself, out in the left channel).

This is thoroughly enjoyable and it's great to see it re-released.

Sad that this album is not as well known as it should be. Little Jimmy Scott has influence artists such as Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson, and the great Dinah Washington.

I've even heard stories about people leaving a snub nose Thirty-Eight on the original Album (If you are lucky enough to find and/or see one). I went to a repast where there was a room full of people talking about one thing or another. Well I was telling some of people about my record business, and started passing out some of my business cards when the owner of the house got pis*ed off about me handing out Business Cards to everybody BUT him!!! When I finally gave him a card he said "Hmmmmmmm what kind of records/music do you find?" I told him "All kinds", "Who's your favorite artist?", he replied "Little Jimmy Scott", so I said "You should have the one Ray Charles produced", he said "Ray Charles NEVER did ANYTHING with Jimmy Scott!!!, If you EVER find such a album...let me know!!!"

Well a couple of years went by (REMEMBER it was a short lived Compact Disc on Rhino Handmade Series)...It resurfaced again as a Import. Of course I remembered the guy saying if I ever found a copy....Well I did! Upon playing TWO (2) TRACKS to a friend, that friend INSTANTLY wanted THREE (3) copies! And before I knew it three more friends wanted copies...and it hasn't stopped yet!!! I must say THERE IS NOT A BAD TRACK TO BE FOUND!
I'm not even gonna try to name even ONE! This is a no brainer...FIND IT! BUY IT! And really HEAR why 'FALLING IN LOVE IS WONDERFUL'...TRULY WONDERFUL From start to finish!!!

Oh! There is something else you might want to take notes on...Arrangements are handled by Marty Paich & Gerald Wilson, also featured on Piano is Ray Charles himself (In a setting that would make the hair on your neck stand up!), Add that up with Jimmy's outstanding vocals (Even HE said it was his best album EVER made)...This FLOWS (Especially if you are a romantic). DETAILED/EXPANDED Liner Notes by Billy Vera (and others) which will give you a FULL DETAILED STORY about the Album! the Artist! And more!!! The sad part about it all is that this
album ('Originally' pressed on Vinyl) was pulled from the shelves, radio stations, upon being released (Not even a Month good)...And we had to wait damn near 35 (Thirty-Five) years for it to FINALLY see the light of day...AGAIN! Don't fool around and miss out when the Import versions disappear, god knows how long you'll have to wait...AGAIN!