Customer Reviews

People / Impossible Dream

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

 

 

It's hard to believe the longevity of the Johnny Mathis recording career which has now spanned fifty-three years with every hope of a new album being released to excite his vast fan-base. However, backtracking to his earlier albums, those with worn out vinyl will welcome the fact Collector's Choice Music has invaded the vaults and selected ten of the best Mathis albums for release on five CD sets with each separate album given its own individual disc - a move that will no doubt suit those who prefer their albums reissued this way.

Following seven successful years with Columbia Records, Johnny moved over to Mercury in 1963 and recorded ten critically acclaimed albums that somehow commercially failed due to poor promotion. Returning to Columbia and owning his Mercury masters enabled Johnny to agree the release of two compilation albums containing some of these undervalued recordings with PEOPLE and THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM sharing a similar formula of songs, with their titles yielding Broadway hits from FUNNY GIRL and MAN OF LA MANCHA respectively whilst trawling a dazzling ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and more upbeat ON A WONDERFUL DAY LIKE TODAY (from THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT - THE SMELL OF THE CROWD).

The silver screen is not forgotten either with a trawl of international box-office winners for I WILL WAIT FOR YOU (from THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG), SOMEWHERE MY LOVE (Theme from DOCTOR ZHIVAGO), STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT (A MAN COULD GET KILLED), plus MOMENT TO MOMENT, THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE (THE SANDPIPER Theme) and MORE (MONDO CANE). Standards include Johnny's superlative and haunting LAURA; heartfelt versions of AUTUMN LEAVES and THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU whilst the then current pop numbers balance the mixture with a slow ballad version of SUNNY and ELUSIVE BUTTERFLY and GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL following similar tempos to other versions plus Johnny's nod towards Lennon & McCarthy provided by the tale of ELEANOR RIGBY.

Collectors' Choice Music always ensure high standards are reached and the presentation of these albums is matched by excellent liner notes for each album and reproduction of original covers, release dates, catalogue numbers and chart positions. Therefore, the complete series of five CD sets is highly recommended.

From the first day I heard Johnny's "Wonderful Wonderful" I was hooked on his wonderful voice. There is no one who can sing a song and make it his OWN like JM. I had all his LP's and needed to replace them all with CDs. This was one of them. A great group of songs by an inimitable singer.

Collector's Choice has made a good job with Sony Music. At last Sony allowed reissue a series of Johnny Mathis' rare albums, some very good, some neglectable.

Albums were issued in twofers containing separate CDs for each album which impacts on very good sound quality.

Program consists of 4 albums from the first Mathis era on Columbia Records, the best part of the story. Great idea to count on twofers which joins 2 collaborations each, one two collaborations with Don Costa and another with two collaborations with Nelson Riddle.

This twofer includes two unnecessary compilation albums on Columbia with material originated in the Global Records masters. Better have issued the original Global albums, mainly the first ones with Don Costa, Allyn Ferguson, Glenn Osser and Lincoln Mayorca. Albums like `Tender is The Night' and `The Sounds of Christmas' with Don Costa, or `The Wonderful World of Make-Believe', The Sweetheart Tree', and `This Is Love' or `Love is Everything' with Glenn Osser are greatly beyond a mere fanatic fan interest, simply top quality top Mathis.

There is a gap in Mathis career when he returned to Columbia after his Global Records times. More worried about getting easy success with commercial hits, he's recorded many cover albums with only a few good material here and there.

Unfortunately, Collector's Choice picked up a good set of CDs from this second Mathis era on Columbia or maybe these albums were the only ones that Sony would have allowed to reissue. These neglectable albums and twofers include `Love is Blue', `Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet', and `Those Were The Days' where you'll find professional Mathis but quite no inspired Mathis.

One exception is certainly the title `Up Up and Away', a great and inspired set with arrangements by the great Glenn Osser, the staff arranger at Columbia Records who made his way working for Mathis and for Tony Bennett. This album is offered in the twofer with the neglectable album `Love Is Blue'.album

Hope that Collector's Choice does not stop trying.

I was very satified with the CDs. I always liked to hear Johnny Mathis back when he started and the selections on the CDs bring back a lot of good memories.

My son checked my Wish List and surprised me with several items from the List for Christmas. I have played the TWO CD's several times and really like the mellow voice of Johnny Mathis. I had forgotten I had this CD set on my Wish List, but I am so very glad I did. What a great Christmas I had!

easy to listen to and nice to hear johnny mathis sing other people songs and to sing them in his own style