Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Melly

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"The Ultimate Melly," is a generous helping of the recently passed British jazz-blues singer's work. It was cut fairly recently, and his voice is evidently not quite what it once was; nevertheless, it's still a warm, distinctive baritone, with clear enunciation. He was a smooth crooner/balladeer at heart, but he could swing with the best of them, and can most profitably be compared to the American Billy Eckstine. He had a great knowledge of, and love for, some of the American greats: Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, and Billie Holiday, among others.

The album ranges from Dixieland, to trad jazz, to R & B, even rock. Digby Fairweather's Half Dozen accompanies. But there's also a string section. And he's joined by Van Morrison, The Swingle Sisters, Jacqui Dankworth, and John Chilton, his former accompanying bandleader, with a trumpet solo. So there's lots of musical and vocal diversity on this album.

It opens on "Midnight Cannonball;" Van Morrison joins in on it, and they achieve a lot of velocity. Morrison comes back later to harmonize on Bessie Smith's "Backwater Blues." Jacqui Dankworth is in on the Gershwin's amusing "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off," and that bawdy old vaudeville standby, "Big Butter and Egg Man." Melly does one of his own bawdy blues favorites, "Kitchen Man," the jazz fave "Everybody Loves My Baby," and the vaudeville "Mr Gallagher and Mr Shean." He gives us deeply felt takes of Louis Armstrong's "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans," and Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child." Also Hoagy Carmichael's tuneful "Georgia on My Mind." We get several rollicking faves: Johnny Mercer's "Goody Goody," Nat King Cole's "Straighten Up and Fly Right,"and the rock "Trudge." And yet, "As Time Goes By," delivered with a lifetime's experience. And what a lifetime's experience Melly had. If you loved his work, this is a good reminder of his breezily good-natured, enjoyable performances. (I was lucky enough to see him several times at New York's Michael's Pub.) If you're not familiar with him, consider giving it a whirl.