Search - Connie Haines :: Tribute to Helen Morgan

A nice reissue of a good vocal LP

01/30/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"One of Connie Haines(formarly Tommy Dorsey's band vocalist) few Lp's, recorded in the mid 50's. Although she isn't too much of a jazz singer she has an appealing enough voice and is certianly a jazz influenced singer. This is a nice reissue of a good lp. Definately difinitive of 50's pop vocal albums. And origional album cover artwork and liner notes definately a plus."

A Great Tribute PLUS!

Lady June | 09/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This singer utterly amazes me. Having heard several song tributes to Helen Morgan,including the very wonderful ones by Gogi Grant and Polly Bergen, this album is by far the Sine Qua Non. Miss Haines is stunningly brilliant, bringing life and fresh vitality to the songs of this era. She sings the songs of la Morgan in a compellingly dramatic,but not so tragic style. Her voice is warm,highly fluid and possesses a benign sensuality and optimistic lilt that is often lacking in even the greatest and most renowned torch singers. The strings in the background add just the right touch. A must for ardent admirers of the femme fatales of the '20's and '30's."

Connie Haines Sings A Tribute To Helen Morgan

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 04/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Connie Haines Sings A Tribute To Helen Morgan has some fantastic ballads on it; and this tribute to Helen Morgan would have made Helen proud and rather touched! Connie's very sweet voice sounds as clear as a bell; she never sounded better. The quality of the sound on this CD is excellent and I really like that artwork as well.



The album opens with Connie Haines singing a previously unreleased version on CD of "Why Was I Born" by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern. "Why Was I Born" from the show Sweet Adeline has Connie singing this to perfection; her excellent diction bolsters her performance and she never lets go of a superfluous note! The music that goes along with her vocals fits in perfectly without ever stealing the spotlight from Connie--great! "They Didn't Believe Me" sports a fine piano arrangement; Connie coos this with a great deal of feeling and that's grand. "They Didn't Believe Me" is easily a major highlight of this CD; and I think you'll like it very much. Connie pulls this off without a hitch. In addition, there's also "Broken Hearted;" "Broken Hearted" has a more lush musical arrangement and Connie belts this out--it goes right out of the ballpark and Connie Haines is truly in her natural element. I love it!



"Make Believe" from Show Boat shines brighter than silver and gold combined when Connie sings this in such a special way; I think Connie's rendition is one of the best I've ever heard of "Make Believe." "Mean To Me" is another wonderful tune that Connie Haines infuses with a lot of energy; she delivers this with panache and the horn work along with the piano complements her vocals brilliantly. "Mean To Me" is a masterpiece in Connie's capable hands.



"Can't Help Lovin' That Man" from Show Boat is heavenly when Connie sings this so very well; her voice is able to convey all the subtle nuances of the lyrics to this classic show tune. "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" is a show tune that you won't forget anytime soon after you hear Connie Haines sing it--it's all THAT good. Moreover, "More Than You Know" uses the strings to great advantage; and listen for a marvelous rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight" from the movie Swing Time. "The Way You Look Tonight" gets a very electric, spirited treatment by Connie and the musicians. Connie practically sounds operatic as she belts this out with all her might and the lush arrangement works wonders for this song.



"Bill" is a stunner; and the album closes with another version of "Why Was I Born." This second version of "Why Was I Born" gets a lush arrangement and Connie never falters.



Connie Haines wasn't called The Nightingale From Savannah for nothing; she could handle a tune much, much better than most of them ever could! This CD is great for fans of Connie; and people who liked the songs performed by Helen Morgan will want this album. It's also a fine CD for people who enjoy show tunes.



Great job, Connie!

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