Search - Mildred Bailey :: Rockin Chair Lady (1931-1950)

A fine compilation...

ab | ca | 01/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the only domesticly available Bailey CD's, showcases her style through the yaers from the late 20's to the ealry 50's. All of her recordings are well worth hearing and owning."

A Revelation: She Knows

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 06/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Prior to this collection, Mildred Bailey was a shadowy musical presence from the past for me--a skilled performer with an overly sweet voice devoted to lightweight interpretations of standards and blues. The first tune, "Willow Tree," did little to challenge my assumption, the radiant, high-pitched timbre almost belying the world-weary content of the song's lyrics. But with each new song in this 20-track anthology, the emotion and pathos become increasingly unmistakable in the singer's developing story. "Wrap Your Troubles" and "Sometimes I'm Happy," for example, contain sub-texts of unrest and despair, not so much depressing as provocative in their evocation of tragic resonances beneath the song's surface. Some present-day listeners may find this music dated, but to my ears these are timeless performances, expressing a sentiment that forces reconsideration of the meaning of the word "melodrama." Each of these little lyrics is a timeless musical drama as sung by M.B. Moreover, these performances are testimony to a lady who knows and truly can sing the blues.There's also an impressive, thoughtful demonstration of wordless vocalese ("scat," if you will). Listen to her "clarinet" solo on "Blues in My Heart" and her Satchmo "trumpet" solo on "Sleepy Time." They're not the least bit contrived or extraneous but as valid and moving as a trumpet solo by Pops himself.The only slight (very) downsides are some orchestral interludes that are not only dated but bland."

Mildred Bailey was always very special

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 03/22/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mildred Bailey was quite a jazz singer and it's great to find CDs with lots of songs all performed by her! This is a must-have for Mildred Bailey fans and people who enjoy early jazz will want this as well. The quality of the sound is very good and I like that artwork, too.



"Willow Tree" has Mildred singing with "Her Alley Cats;" and she never skips a beat! Mildred handles complex tempo and key changes like a pro which she always was; and that's grand. "Honeysuckle Rose" gets a royal jazzy treatment from Mildred who sings this to perfection--and beyond! The changes in the arrangement make this a decidedly jazzy tune and Mildred makes it shine even brighter with her sophisticated phrasing. "Squeeze Me" is very well done and I also like "Down-Hearted Blues" which also features Mildred's "Alley Cats."



"When It's Sleepy Time Down South" features Mildred in her natural element; and "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" gets a special arrangement to make it jazzy in just the very special way that only Mildred Bailey could perform it. "Georgia on My Mind" shines brighter than silver and gold when Mildred sings it with panache; and that music accompanying Mildred just couldn't be better. "Rockin' Chair" gets a passionate treatment from Mildred who never lets go of a single superfluous note as she delivers this faultlessly; and "Ev'rything Depends on You" is splendid in Mildred's capable hands.



"Lover, Come Back to Me" is very easy on the ear while "All Too Soon" has Mildred squarely in the spotlight which is quite all right by me! "All Too Soon" makes good use of the piano, too. "More Than You Know" is heavenly; and the album closes with Mildred Bailey singing "Cry, Cry, Cry" and "Blue Prelude." Terrific!



Mildred Bailey shared so much of her unique talent with us during her career and lifetime; and this album more than amply proves she had a very special gift. Yes, there are a few embarrassingly dated lyrics; but to delete some of the songs here would be to deny that this type of prejudice ever existed; and in addition Mildred was anything but prejudiced against African-Americans. This is even a fine CD for people just discovering Mildred's incredible talent; if you like early jazz you won't be disappointed."