Search - Oscar Peterson, Fred Astaire :: Complete Norman Granz Sessions

S'Marvelous

The Quiet Reviewer | San Diego, CA | 09/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally, Fred Astaire's 1952 recordings with Oscar Peterson and Jazz at the Philharmonic are back in print. One wonders why Verve has ever let these go out of their catalogue and why a Spanish record company are the currently the only people with the good sense to issue these--but it is probably a better idea just to buy the album.



Astaire may not have had a voice for the ages, but the man certainly knew his way around a lyric. He imbues these classic numbers with an honest sensitivity and panache that often make these chesnuts sound completely brand-new. (Which makes sense, given the number that were originally for him.) The small jazz combo backing was something unique in Astaire's recording career: gone are the deliciously overblown Hollywood orchestrations, replaced with Oscar Peterson's elegant piano playing and some inspired solos by the two horns, Charlie Shavers and Flip Phillips.



All the tracks on this album are stellar, but the four standouts (in my mind) are "Puttin' on the Ritz," "Dancing in the Dark," "Night and Day," and "Lady Be Good": on these, the interaction between Astaire and combo creates some of the most inspired readings of these numbers ever. This album also demonstrates Astaire's absolute genius as a dancer: lots of people have sung the blues extremely well, but who else could actually manage to tap-dance a blues and convey the same passion as Bessie Smith or Jimmy Rushing without singing a single note?



The one minor caveat a listener might have with this album is that the remastering job seems to be uneven: some tracks have a pretty silent background, while there is audible tape hiss on others. This may be a problem with the source material, since the tracks on Verve's domestic compilations like "Fred Astaire's Finest Hour" suffer the same problems.



Still, this album should be on the CD rack of every person who has even a passing interest in the repertory of American songs. Astaire was the best thing ever to happen to the musical film, and he's still one of the best thing ever to happen to the record industry. This is, quite simply, great stuff."

Don't Judge a Book by It's Cover!

Christopher Bales | Terre Haute, IN | 04/28/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, first of all, I am a jazz musician and I know what most serious jazz fans will think when they see this: Fred Astaire + Jazz = More Norman Granz 40s/50s exploitations of classic jazz artists. Now, I love the old films with Astaire and always found them to be very entertaining. However, the thought of him recording with one of the greatest jazz pianists in the history of the genre was very offsetting. However what this set presents is the original Verve LP set "The Fred Astaire Story" plus bonus tracks. Although the LP set received little recognition at the time, it contained a lengthy and warmly performed set of jazz standards performed in a jazz setting, by the man who introduced them all.



The thing that perhaps appeals to me most about this is the casualness of the setting. Astaire sings not like a colossus the likes of Sinatra, but more like an every-day man who is singing to his girl. The performers are Charlie Shavers (tpt), Flip Phillips (tnr. sax), Oscar Peterson (p), Ray Brown (b), and Alvin Stoller (d). The performances are warm and easy listen to, with a special emphasis on the lyrics of the song, not lengthy solos. Many of the cuts are under 4 minutes with little or no solos. However the band plays marvelously and provides an intimate background for many of the romantic songs that Astaire delivers.



The sound quality is excellent on this set, especially considering the 1954 production dates. Now some might argue that the older Verve releases have superior quality, less tape hiss, and louder bass. While this is true, what is lacking in those older releases of the material is the high range which is edited to eliminate the tape hiss. The music is more than listenable, and if there is not enough bass for you, adjust the eq.



I cannot say anything else except this: If you like Fred Astaire, Oscar Peterson, or some easy-listening early 1950's jazz with some of the best players of the day, do not hesitate in buying this set.

"

Wonderful

Bill Staley | Santa Monica, CA USA | 11/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These are not the movie versions, but 1952 recordings. Mellow jazz readings. Great phrasing and singing, a sense of fun and humor comes through clearly. These recordings will cheer you up. The bits of speaking add to it. Very nice musicianship. Nice production.





This import is the same as 2-CD The Astaire Story, but this has a couple more instrumentals."