Search - Johnny Mathis :: I'll Buy You a Star

A Little Mathis/Riddle Magic

William A. Brimmer Jr. | CT | 07/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of those nice surprizes I wasn't expecting. Many of the Mathis cd's I own (cannot have too many) I previously enjoyed on vinyl. "I'll Buy You a Star" wasn't one of them. However, when I heard 3 cuts on the 4 cd "Personal Collection", I knew it was time to pick up this gem from 1961. Yes, the ballads come off better than the swing numbers (only 4 of the 16 tracks are uptempo). But "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street" is a terrific number, and anyone who has the Mathis cd "Rythmns of Broadway"(released 6 months before this album was recorded) knows that John can cook up a storm. Of the ballads, Mr. Riddle was on the money with each one, the standouts include "Love Look Away", "Stairway To The Stars" and the gentle "Magic Garden". Mr.M.was still a few years away from his experimental years at Mercury, but you can tell that he was starting to stretch himself (and succeeding) with different titles and interpretations. Mr. Riddle was right there to help him along."

Mathis and Riddle

Marc Flanagan | Santa Monica, Ca. | 08/04/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I love this album. The ballads are lush with Nelson Riddle charts and Johnny is in fine voice performing a terrific line up of songs. I read the Nelson Riddle book and he expressed dissapointment with the results of their collaboration, but I find it to be, cut for cut, one of Johnny's best. You still can't beat "Johnny Mathis Greatest Hits", but that is a compilation album. Sample the recording of "Stairway To The Stars" and you will understand why I find, "I'll Buy You A Star" a great listening experience."

Superb!

Marc Flanagan | 04/13/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Another in a long line of exquisite albums by the Vocal Master, but how could he sound so wonderful and wise and wondrous at the age of 24? The breath control displayed on "Stairway..." and "Warm and Willing" is amazing. Coupled with the arrangements by Nelson Riddle (who usually arranged for Sinatra and Nat King Cole, among others), I find Johnny's singing, and the entire album, a fabulous experience."