Search - Connee Boswell :: Heart & Soul

Precious Music From A Neglected Master

06/19/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Connie Boswell is my favorite female singer of jazz and classic pop. It's a combination of that sweet Louisiana accent, the soft and silky voice, and her brilliant ability to both croon and swing masterfully. Connie (aka "Connee") had an ability, Like Sinatra and Holiday, to find the true meaning of a lyric, whether joyous, tragic, or romantic, and convey it to the listener with utter sincerity and empathy. One can't help but detect an inherent goodness in Connie, which gives her music all the more warmth and charm. Ella Fitzgerald always cited Connie as her main influence, Irving Berlin called her the best ballad singer in the business, and she is still revered by fans and critics alike. Critic Will Friedwald gives Connie serious praise in his book, Jazz Singing. For many, myself included, Connie's voice is nothing short of magical.



This disc is a nifty compilation covering the years 1932-42. The sound quality is very good, and the choice of tunes diverse, from the swingin' joy of "Me Minus You," to the honest hurtin' of "They Can't Take That Away From Me," to the sweet lullaby, "Little Man You've Had A Busy Day." While there are a couple of numbers which are fairly bland and commercial, Connie's voice goes a long way in making those few acceptable. In fact it is surprising that, working under the suffocating grip of commercial-minded Decca Records chief Jack Kapp, Connie was able to maintain such high artistic integrity and record the many fine standards that she did.



There are not many Connie solo collections out there, but the ones that do exist are all good, and each has some great material that the others don't. Some other good ones are "Moonlight And Roses" on Flare records (which nicely offers a high concentration of Connie's jazzier recordings), "Deep In A Dream" on Harlequin, and the awesome double disc set from Jasmine(priced as a single disc), "They Can't Take These Songs Away From Me." Be aware that Connie changed the spelling of her first name to "Connee" midway through her career, and many places have her listed as two different people, so always try both spellings to see what's available.



For a totally different kind of fun check out Connie with her two sisters, collectively known as the Boswell sisters. This innovative jazz vocal group of the 20s and 30s sang impossibly tight harmonies backed by some of the best hot jazz musicians of the time. Connie, aside from being the lead vocalist, was also a multi-instrumentalist and crafted many of the groups complex arrangements.



For more about Connie Boswell and The Boswell Sisters, check out this great site:



bozzies.com



Have fun!"

Easy to listen to - My favourite

10/08/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was introduced to Connee Boswell by a zazz/blues freak in Melbourne Australia. Bought the disc and it is now my favourite. It is music that everyone likes. My mother (80 years old) still taps her toes as she remembers her youth. Music like this isn't easy to find, - but I will just have to keep looking"

Connee Boswell - Heart and Soul

U. Neumann | Taunusstein, Germany | 02/15/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Marvellous songs - but since the recordings are respectively old, the sound quality is not the best, sadly enough. But "Heart and Soul" is one of my all time favourites .... So the CD is worth buying."