Customer Reviews

Up Up & Away/Love is Blue

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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When Johnny Mathis returned to Columbia Records, after a short move to Mercury Records, these two records were the first he recorded. "Up, Up and Away" contains one of my favorite all-time songs, "Misty Roses", written by the late Tim Hardin, and in fact, one of the earliest cover versions of this most beautiful song. Robert Mersey's arrangement really conveys the aching beauty of the music and lyric, just listen and be carried away by it's georgous melody, a classic Johhny Mathis song if there ever was one. The title song was a big hit for the Fifth Dimension and here this version is light and breezy, almost Brazilian in its arrangement, just wonderful.
Welcome back to Columbia, Mr. Mathis.
"Love Is Blue" is a joy for those Bacharach & David fans as it contains four of their compositions: "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", "I Say A Little Prayer", "The Look of Love" and "Walk on By". Johnny Mathis really does know talent when he hears it! "Walk On By" truly rivals Dionne Warwick's great recording: it adheres closely to Burt Bacharach's arrangement for Ms. Warwick, but yet Johnny Mathis manages to make it his own just using the magic of his voice. And, of course, the arrangement by Robert Mersey, truly an unsung hero in the history of the career of Johnny Mathis, surely doesn't hurt. Hits of the day include "Venus", "Moon River", "Never My Love" and "By the time I Get to Phoenix."
These two early recordings are a complete joy for all Johnny Mathis fans, so enjoy, and listen to just what an artist Johnny Mathis is.

This CD gives us all the songs from two of Johnny Mathis' record albums entitled "Up, Up and Away" and "Love Is Blue." Johnny sounds great on this CD; he does a fine job of delivering these songs like the pro he always was and still remains! The quality of the sound on this CD is excellent and I like the way that artwork, too.

The set of songs opens with Johnny singing beautifully on "Up, Up and Away;" he opens up and uses a great deal of his vocal range--and he never lets go of a single superfluous note! The backup singers make the number very solid--not that Johnny really needed them, but they do sound good anyway. "The More I See You" sparkles brighter than silver and gold when Johnny handles it with so much panache; this is a fine highlight of the first CD. "The Morningside of the Mountain" is very well done and the flute adds to the musical arrangement. Johnny's excellent diction also enhances his performance. "I Won't Cry Anymore" is a most poignant ballad that Johnny aces seemingly effortlessly--of course, we know it really wasn't all that easy. Johnny's talent always carried him through.

"Far above Cayuga's Waters" features Johnny squarely front and center--which is right where he belongs! I love it. "Misty Roses" is just perfect when Johnny sings it; this music is all THAT good. "I Thought of You Last Night" gets the royal treatment from Johnny Mathis when he sings it faultlessly; and that's grand. I also like "When I Look in Your Eyes" at the end of the first CD.

The second CD continues the great numbers. "Love Is Blue" is a number many people will recognize even if they don't remember the title of this ballad; Johnny delivers this masterfully and it's a fine highlight of the second CD. The music fits perfectly with Johnny's vocals although wisely the musicians never try to steal the show from Johnny--he has the spotlight just as he deserves to have it! "I Say A Little Prayer" is a number I first heard sung by Dionne Warwick; and I would like to think that Dionne would certainly approve of Johnny's rendition of this ballad. "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" laves nothing to be desired; Johnny Mathis does this wonderfully and I enjoy every minute of it. "The Look of Love" is another special tune in Johnny's capable hands; and I also like "Here, There and Everywhere." Johnny does this to perfection--and beyond!

"Never My Love" has a splendid musical arrangement to complement Johnny's vocals; and there's yet another gem in ""Walk on By." Johnny performs "Venus" and a reprise of "Love Is Blue" very well; and it leaves me wanting more.

Johnny Mathis remains a giant superstar with a voice as smooth as silk; his incredible talent makes him one of the exceptionally rare modern day crooners. I highly recommend this album.

It's hard to believe the longevity of the Johnny Mathis recording career 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 two-disc sets with each album given its own individual disc - a decision that will delight collectors who prefer such separation.

UP, UP AND AWAY is a song I recall being used for a UK bread commercial but Jimmy Webb's optimistic light-as-air confection means much more when given the Mathis treatment, with its uplifting lilt heralding a lovely selection of dreamy ballads. Amongst them are three gems from the Leslie Bricusse score from the ambitious but ultimately elephantine movie DOCTOR DOLITTLE (1967). It's fortunate WHERE ARE THE WORDS?, AT THE CROSSROADS and WHEN I LOOK IN YOUR EYES escaped movie boredom to be embraced by Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis Jn and more latterly Diana Krall amongst those who appreciated their worth, so having Johnny also record them is a bonus. He also looks back at standards THE MORE I SEE YOU, I WON'T CRY ANYMORE and I THOUGHT OF YOU LAST NIGHT and takes contemporary stock of Tim Hardin's MISTY ROSES, with the Tommy Edwards hit THE MORNINGSIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN ensuring further ballad delicacies. However, the star track for me was FAR ABOVE CAYUGA'S WATERS - a real lake - and the official song of Cornell College - adapted with Sammy Cahn lyrics for Johnny to swoop and soar ever so smoothly forward aided by a lovely chorus and orchestral underscoring by Glann Osser who with just one exception provides similar backing throughout this 1967 released album.

The following year LOVE IS BLUE was released and offered Mathis "covers" of mostly contemporary hits written by prominent song writers, with choices obviously adapted to reflect Johnny's vocal style. Naturally the popular songs of Bacharach/David headed the list with I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER, WALK ON BY, DON'T GO BREAKIN' MY HEART and that CASINO ROYALE song THE LOOK OF LOVE providing ideal choices. Jimmy Webb's BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX and the Lennon/McCartney opus, HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE give perfect support, leaving the Mercer/Mancini Oscar-winning MOON RIVER to prove Sixties ballads still provided hit parade material. The album's title song was originally a Eurovison entry that deservedly became a world-wide success with Johnny'e version perfectly geared to the concept of the album.

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.

As a Johnny Mathis fan I was very glad when Collectors' Choice Music released this CD and the other companion 4. Naturally I bought all 5. Johnny Mathis can cover an song so excellently that you might even prefer his version more than the original. I wish they would release the entire 1970s catalogue as he did some very excellent albums during that period e.g. Mathis Is; Me & Mrs Jones; Song Sung Blue;Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me; Close to you; When will I see you again; Feelings; Mathis Magic; I only have eyes for you; Killing me softly to name a few.

I own both albums, and now this wonderful CD. I have been a Johnny Mathis fan since I was 12 (I am now 45) and he is still my hero. Listening to these two albums you'll come to find that this is a more mature Mathis vocals; but make no mistakes he still delivers a song with power and much tenderness when needed. He is truly a living legend,

I owned both of these albums on vinyl and wore out "Up, Up and Away." Listening to these recordings after 40+ years is very interesting and merely proves that my taste hasn't changed.
Honestly, "Up, Up and Away" sounds like it possibly could be a Mercury recording (would have been #11). The care taken in the arrangements (10 of the 11 by Glenn Osser) and John M's obvious enthusiasm plus an outstanding slection of titles is reminicent of his 3 years with mercury. "Love is Blue" is an excellent album as well but a somewhat different one as it covers the current top middle of the road hits of the 1967-68 time
period. The lone exceptions being the fabulous recordings of "Moon River" and "Venus."
Robert Mersey was a true talent and his production values on both discs are terrific.

This CD is one of several recently issued CDs containing superb recordings by Johnny Mathis that have been for some reason left in the vault for the past three decades. These CDs each contain two vinyl albums that have never before been issued in CD form.

Mathis in top form on these CDs. If you like his early classical performances such as "Chances Are" and "It's Not For Me to Say," you will love these recordings. He covers a lot of Burt Bacharach's songs in these CDs, and on the second disk in this set, his version of "Venus" trumps Frankie Avalon's. If you like Johnny's pure voice from the early days of his career, you will love these recordings.

This twofer contains the great album 'Up Up and Away' and just this deserves recognition. Arrangements by Glenn Osser, a brilliant bossa nova on the title song and a brilliant 'The More I See You' with verse. A bunch of beautiful songs more and the lush performance as usual from Mathis.

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.

Another 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.