JO STAFFORD: FOUR CLASSIC ALBUMS (STARRING JO STAFFORD / AUTUMN IN NEW YORK / SWINGIN’ DOWN BROADWAY / JO + JAZZ) (2CD) AVID JAZZ

AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Jo Stafford, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details
“Starring Jo Stafford”; “Autumn In New York”; “Swingin’ Down Broadway” and “Jo + Jazz’”
Was she pop, was she easy listening or was she jazz? In the days when our latest recruit to the AVID Jazz vocalist hall of fame was singing, genres didn’t seem quite so important. She was just a great singer! We think our lady could sing even the proverbial telephone directory and it would sound wonderful. For this release, however, we have chosen four of Jo Stafford’s more jazz/big band influenced albums to highlight her prodigious talents. Our selection will take you on a journey from the lush arrangements and orchestrations by husband Paul Weston from the 1950s with “Starring” and “Autumn In New York” to the Broadway hits of “Swingin’ Down Broadway” (these days difficult to find on CD) and on to the truly jazz inflected and under-rated and under-appreciated at the time, “Jo + Jazz” set from 1960. Just a look at some of the fine jazz musicians on board for this recording will tell you that Jo Stafford was considered a seriously great singer by the jazz world. On Jo + Jazz you will hear the likes of Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Conte Candoli, Ray Nance, Russ Freeman, Mel Lewis and Shelly Manne as well as the fine arrangements and orchestrations of Johnny Mandel.

CD1
1-12: ‘Starring Jo Stafford’
1. Serenade Of The Bells
2. On The Alamo
3. No Other Love
4. Red River Valley
5. Ivy
6. Fools Rush In
7. A Sunday Kind Of Love
8. The Gentleman Is A Dope
9. Symphony
10. Tumbling Tumbleweeds
11. You Keep Coming Back Like A Song
12. Day By Day
13-24: ‘Autumn In New York’
13. Autumn In New York
14. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
15. Haunted Heart
16. If I Loved You
17. In The Still Of The Night
18. Some Enchanted Evening
19. Just One Of Those Things
20. Almost Like Being In Love
21. Make Believe
22. Through The Years
23. The Best Things In Life Are Free
24. Sometimes I’m Happy

CD2
1-12: ‘Swingin’ Down Broadway’
1. Anything Goes
2. The Gentleman Is A Dope
3. I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good)
4. Old Devil Moon
5. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home
6. Tomorrow Mountain
7. Love For Sale
8. Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe
9. How High The Moon
10. Speak Low
11. It Never Entered My Mind
12. Taking A Chance On Love
13-24: ‘Jo + Jazz’
13. Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don’t Tease Me)
14. For You
15. Midnight Sun
16. You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
17. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
18. I Didn’t Know About You
19. What Can I Say After I Say I’m Sorry
20. Dream Of You
21. Imagination
22. S’posin’
23. Day Dream
24. I’ve Got The World On A String