Customer Reviews

Think Well of Me

5 star:		(3)
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I agree strongly with the previous reviewer, this is one of Jack Teagardens better recordings. I do want to let people know that this CD can be downloaded from the Verve website for under fifteen dollars. I was shocked to see the price being asked, however the price being asked elswhere is even much higher than what is being asked here. Verve has begun to release, via download, many of their previously out of print titles. The quality is very good, as good as most CD's.

Jack Teagarden's 1962 album Think Well of Me is one of the most beautiful traditional jazz albums of the 1960s. Teagarden alternates between his endearing, amazingly warm singing to let loose on some great trombone solos. His singing has a sort of rough-hewn quality, kind of like Louis Armstrong, except smoother and warmer. This album happens to feature strings, which gives the album a sort of pleasant gloss; they work quite well and don't overpower the musicians. I would say that his singing is actually better here than on his classic 1930s sessions, because time had given it a quality of wisdom and grace.
The best aspect of this album, though, is probably that it features almost exclusively (10 out of 11 tracks) the work of composer Willard Robison, a friend of Robison's. I was familiar with most of the songs featured here (especially Don't Smoke in Bed, which is a masterpiece), but I had never known that were all by the same composer until I examined the discographical information for this disc. Robison has all of the best qualities of a Hoagy Carmichael or a Walter Donaldson and is undeservedly obscure. Almost of this man's compositions have wistful, rural themes and several of these chestnuts are established jazz standards. Although I will always have a place for Mildred Bailey's versions, many of Teagarden's renditions come close to being definitive. Special mention must be made, though, of "A Cottage for Sale". The strings are really well arranged on that particular tune, and contribute more than on the other selections. The song is capable of rendering you teary-eyed quite easily, with its mournful lyrics and gorgeous melody; it's the kind of tune that was designed especially for a performer like Jack Teagarden.

It's surprising that this is, as far as I know, Teagarden's only recording with strings. It is almost totally successful, since Robison's songs are striking but little known, the arrangers, Russ Case and Bob Brookmeyer, have been skilkful, Tea is in excellent form instrumentally and vocally, and Don Goldie's trumpet adds to the flavour very effectively. I was particularly struck by the instrumental version of the song "I'm a fool about my mama", not the most appealing title but a truly marvellous melody. A search of Tom Lord's Jazz Discography reveals the interesting fact that this is the only recording of this song listed.

A remarkable album which should be better known - and which Verve should reissue.