Search - Joni James :: Sings Songs By Victor Young

Truly Unusual

Jim Andrews | Chicago, Illinois USA | 10/24/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Joni James in her Victor Young/Frank Loesser album (later rereleased as "My Foolish Heart") moved for the first time from gorgeous love songs backed with gigantic orchestral arrangements to more intimate jazz turf, with a variety of moods and tempos and a 13-man cocktail hour type group accompanying her. The results are delicious and she reveals a freer, more swinging side. The Kern/Warren album is a different story, with James singing with an incredible string-and-horn choir, her voice arranged way, way up in the heavens. She sounds like she can barely make it emotionally through some of the songs (get the smelling salts before you listen to "Why Was I Born"). It's like you're hearing two totally different singers on this one, both unforgettable. By the way the Young/Loesser album intriguingly presents the songs not in their order on the original LP but in their order on the component 7-inch 45 rpm EP release, in our opinion far the superior program."

Pretty stuff.

Allen Bardin | Columbia, SC United States | 07/23/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Victor Young-penned tracks have great arrangements that sound like they were written for Lee Wiley. (Is that Charlie Shavers I hear noodling around in there?) Joni James' records can be stunningly beautiful -- or train wrecks. No major accidents here & very pretty overall. Joni worked best in a higher register, and faltered only when trying to get too low! (The reading of "Stella By Starlight" brings this point home.) Her "Why Was I Born" is pure Helen Morgan, and rivals the great torch singer's version. This disc compiles two of her best 50s LPs & is great fireside/cocktail listening."