Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
This reissue of an early-'60s collection of movie themes sung by Billy Eckstine is labeled as a jazz CD, which is a bit of a stretch. Although no one should question the jazz credentials in the resumes of the rich-voiced Eckstine, pianist and conductor Bobby Tucker, arranger Billy Byers, or producer Quincy Jones, this is very much an easy listening album. Of the 13 songs, which include a bonus track not on the original release, only a few have become jazz standards, and just one, "On Green Dolphin Street," deserves to be called a jazz arrangement. This is not to knock the music, as it is very listenable, with a solid performance throughout by Eckstine. It is just that the arrangements are very predictable, lacking any significant improvising or solos, awash in strings with a rhythm section that seems on autopilot. While several songs in addition to "On Green Dolphin Street" have become part of a typical jazz singer's repertoire, ("Manhã de Carnival," "Moon River," and "A Felicidade"), the very sappy "Never on Sunday" (with lyrics totally unfit for a male singer, or for anyone for that matter!) and the forgettable "Three Coins in the Fountain" (the theme from the easily bypassed movie of the same name) haven't stood the test of time very well. Billy Eckstine's vocal abilities are never in question, but jazz fans need to know what to expect prior to purchasing this reissue.
© Ken Dryden /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From CA$ 10.83/month
Norman Newell, ComposerLyricist - Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Riz Ortolani, ComposerLyricist - Bobby Tucker, Conductor, Artist - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist - Gaetano Oliviero, ComposerLyricist - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1963 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dimitri Tiomkin, ComposerLyricist - Ned Washington, ComposerLyricist - Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Bobby Tucker, Conductor, Artist - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1962 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, Author - Henry Mancini, Composer - Quincy Jones, Producer - Billy Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Bobby Tucker, Conductor, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Billy Eckstine, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Hal Mooney's Orchestra, Orchestra - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1963 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Billy Towne, Author - Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Manos Hadjidakis, Composer - Bobby Tucker, Conductor, Artist - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1962 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Sammy Fain, ComposerLyricist - Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - P.F. Webster, ComposerLyricist - Bobby Tucker, Conductor, Artist - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1962 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Antonio Maria, Author - Luiz Bonfa, Composer - Bobby Tucker, Conductor, Artist - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1963 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Vinicius De Moraes, Author - António Carlos Jobim, Composer - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist
℗ 1963 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jule Styne, Composer - Sammy Cahn, Author - Bobby Tucker, Conductor, Artist - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1962 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, Author - Henry Mancini, Composer - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist
℗ 1963 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Quincy Jones, Producer - Ned Washington, ComposerLyricist - Pete Rugolo, Producer - Bronislaw Kaper, ComposerLyricist - Hal Mooney, Producer - Bob Shad, Producer - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist - Bobby Tucker and his Orchestra, MainArtist
℗ 1962 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Max Steiner, ComposerLyricist - Mack David, ComposerLyricist - Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Bobby Tucker, Conductor, Artist - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1962 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jack Reardon, Adapter - Jean Broussolle, Author - Orchestra, Orchestra, Artist - Bobby Tucker, Conductor, Artist - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist - SACHA DISTEL, Composer - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1963 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Leonard Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Stephen Sondheim, ComposerLyricist - Billy Eckstine, MainArtist
℗ 1961 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
This reissue of an early-'60s collection of movie themes sung by Billy Eckstine is labeled as a jazz CD, which is a bit of a stretch. Although no one should question the jazz credentials in the resumes of the rich-voiced Eckstine, pianist and conductor Bobby Tucker, arranger Billy Byers, or producer Quincy Jones, this is very much an easy listening album. Of the 13 songs, which include a bonus track not on the original release, only a few have become jazz standards, and just one, "On Green Dolphin Street," deserves to be called a jazz arrangement. This is not to knock the music, as it is very listenable, with a solid performance throughout by Eckstine. It is just that the arrangements are very predictable, lacking any significant improvising or solos, awash in strings with a rhythm section that seems on autopilot. While several songs in addition to "On Green Dolphin Street" have become part of a typical jazz singer's repertoire, ("Manhã de Carnival," "Moon River," and "A Felicidade"), the very sappy "Never on Sunday" (with lyrics totally unfit for a male singer, or for anyone for that matter!) and the forgettable "Three Coins in the Fountain" (the theme from the easily bypassed movie of the same name) haven't stood the test of time very well. Billy Eckstine's vocal abilities are never in question, but jazz fans need to know what to expect prior to purchasing this reissue.
© Ken Dryden /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:40:01
- Main artists: Billy Eckstine
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Verve
- Genre: Jazz
© 2002 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2002 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.