Search - June Christy :: Duet

A stormy, treacherous masterwork

Ben Glenn | The nation's capital | 11/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Stan Kenton and June Christy's DUET collaboration remains by far the most "difficult" album among Christy's top-notch Capitol recordings. While George Shearing was pairing up with other Capitol vocalists to produce satiny, slightly "cocktail hour" duet albums with the likes of Nat Cole and Peggy Lee, DUET finds Christy and her mentor Kenton in a series of jarring yet deeply-felt standards marked by their starkly contrasting instruments. Christy's sturdy-yet-vulnerable vocals nearly bounce off Kenton's complex, thick and often thunderous wall of chords. At the same time, the two are not battling it out, but instead somehow manage to produce a harrowing yet gorgeous set of beautifully realized songs. Like a late-career painting by Rembrandt -- dark, pschologically inward, intellectually challenging and ultimately deeply satisfying -- Stan Kenton and June Christy's DUET is a voice-and-piano masterwork that rewards increasingly with each listen."

Historic album

Ben Glenn | 06/02/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"June and Stan started this album the same day she recorded four new songs for "Something Cool" to expand the album from a 10-incher to 12-incher. For this C.D. edition Capitol has used an alternate shot from the cover session and added tracks recorded for but not used on the original L.P. After this C.D. appeared nearly a half dozen more tracks were discovered and they have been issued as part of other June Christy C.D.s. Maybe one day everything can be gathered and this C.D. reissued complete. Stanley's declarative, almost pounding style as a pianist is contrasted here by Christy's impassioned vocals. On every song she is a master storyteller, persuasive jazz stylist and above all an intelligent interpreter of lyrics. This is such a literate piece of work, but one which is also totally engaging from start to finish. It has stood the test of time remarkably. I bought it when it came out and today it sounds just as fresh and venturesome as at the beginning. Stan and June adored each other as people and musicians; Stan was so very proud of Shirley Luster scoring a number one record in her first outing with the band and then going on to make many more hits but also become one of the tiptop jazz singers of all time (though she thought she basically was a pop singer with jazz flavorings...the truth being she could sing anything--and Capitol did give her almost everything imaginable to record as singles--and make it sound remarkable). In person, June was strikingly pretty--her photos never did her justice--and a totally engaging personality. In the'50s when most recording artists in interviews sounded addled she was always honest and incisive. As were all her fabulous records. It is so rewarding to witness her rediscovery by younger generations. Did you know she is one of Capitol's top-selling artists today, an artist whose entire catalogue is being released on C.D., after nearly three decades when "Something Cool" the L.P. was all you could get by her? I'm sure she would have found it all most pleasing and rewarding. As is this landmark collaboration."

Cool Jazz's Greatest Female Vocalist with a Decent Pianist

Ben Glenn | 11/16/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well I looked for this record from 1972 until I finally bought a Japanese reissue in 1985 in Greenwich Village. I have approximately 30 other Christy albums and I live in the small midwestern city she was born in. So no surprise I like the lady. This particular collection has her singing with Stan Kenton playing the piano. The renditions are extremely etched. People always talk about Sinatra's phrasing (well, he was the best) but June really evokes heart and soul on these songs. Special place in the heart: Angel Eyes. Heartbreaker: Lonely Woman. A good place to start on Christy. Not as pop as "Something Cool," not as much fun as "The Misty Miss Christy. But Shirley Luster sure could croon. Classic jazz, even if she was a white girl."