Customer Reviews

Sings Folk Songs

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Frances Faye was one of the greatest jazz entertainers of all time. Faye has a marvelous voice (tho not the greatest voice in jazz) but it is her delivery and style that make her shine as an entertainer. Her voice has a rough quality like Billie Holiday is an aquired taste for some. But unlike Billie, Frances brings the room up, even in this, her most subdued album. Her sound is very sophisticated and this album has some real gems. Faye's version of Clementine is the best ever recorded even better than Bobby Darin's wonderful cut. This album is fun.

I got turned on to Frances Faye back in the 60's when I read about her in the now defunct "Stereo Revies." I bought the LP many moons ago; but the sound was not very good. This CD is a revelation. The sound quality is outstanding, and Frances Faye comes across in her outrageous saloon-singer glory. I like this CD! Frances Faye may not be for everybody; but if you like a gal who can get down and dirty, this Mama is for you.

She swings on "skip to my lou" and makes it fresh as a daisy. The mournful original lyrics to "greensleeves" (not "what child is this?") are gorgeously rendered. And who but Frances Faye could take a revolutionary war era song and make it sound like a 40s cabaret song? Topping it all off are the dramatic story-songs of "Frankie and Johnny" and "John Henry" which she hammers out with her powerhouse persona and flawless phrasing. Not your standard album of standards, and probably not for everyone, but those with complex palettes will savor it.

Frances Faye's studio work, especially with Bethlehem Records, was innovative & ground-breaking. She had the ability to turn plain, ordinary songs into swinging masterpieces. Listening to the outtakes on this CD, one can tell that she had a great rapport with her musicians & kept them in stitches. She was an A-One comic & a musical genius. Her approach to piano playing rivalled that of Jerry Lee Lewis for roughness & toughness! There is more material on vinyl that cries out to be issued on CD. Hopefully, other recordings will follow!

Famous - or notorious - Frances Faye was husky-voiced cabaret performer from 1950s who recorded some really good albums for "Betlehem",the company that also had some first-rate jazz talents under its roof (Mel Tormé,Chris Connor,Johnny Hartman,Bobby Troup and Carmen McRae amongst others) in fact for me "Betlehem" was right up there with "Verve" so everything with "Betlehem" sticker immediately gets my attention and is usualy high-class guaranteed good listening.
Since this was recorded in 1957. it preceeds folk-boom of 1960s and have not much with music of Joan Baez or say Bob Dylan,we are talking about ultra-cool "Betlehem" after all. The idea was to collect traditional folk songs and than give them sassy Frances Faye stamp with big brassy orchestra behind already bold vocalist.Nobody could acuse Faye of being shrinking violet,she was commanding performer not far removed from kind of attitude Carmen McRae would have decades later. Russell García arrangements are old-fashioned fun,some really good jazz cats are in the studio as well and only occasional vocal choir spoils impression but that gives this album stamp of its time and its not bad in itself. Faye can be over-powering sometimes - she does sound like somebody who smoked and drank and lived the life - but suprises with unexpected vulnerability on balllads ("Go 'way from my window", "Greensleves" or the best of all "Oif'n Pripitchik") and the whole effect is very good althought slightly off-beat album. If you expect folk troubadour album or Jo Stafford gently crooning traditional folk songs,look further,this is big bad mama swinging her way through folk standards.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, This CD has to be the best rerecorded album I have ever purchased. Frances Faye was bringing enlightning music to the public at a time whenJazz was at it's peek. The accompaniement with Russ Garcia is fabulous & very appropriate for the "Folk Songs" compositions. I have come to one conclusion, your marketing endevor is great. Thanks again.

Best Regards
Richard Hartman
Houston, Texas