Search - Paul Weston :: Life in Music

The Omnipresent Mr. Weston

T. Holland | 05/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the late 1930s through the 1950s, it seemed that Paul Weston was everywhere. He arranged for Tommy Dorsey, then worked with Johnny Mercer and his crew when they founded Captitol Records. He was an arranger and accompanist for many of the top vocalists of the period - Mercer, Jo Stafford (whom he married), Doris Day, Frankie Laine, Lee Wiley, Judy Garland and so forth. He also had the huge hit recording of Johnny Mercer's "Dream" with The Pied Pipers.



Weston was a very intelligent musician. His orchestral recordings (whether alone or with other artists) have a solid rhythmic feel and a jazz inclination. Although often identified as "mood music", his output was never syrupy or overly lush. He was something of a composer, and his "Crescent City Suite" (a tone poem in honor of the City of New Orleans) is included in this set, and is well worth the price of the set alone.



If you want a virtual time trip back to the popular music scene of the era, this set is for you. Production quality and sound is great. All in all, presentation is top-notch and far better than one might expect from a "budget" CD set.



A word of warning: The Jonathan and Darlene Edwards sides that are included here were very big sellers in their day. From a technical point of view, hearing Weston and Jo Stafford mangle the standards of the American Popular Songbook is brilliant. However, listening to them now is an acquired taste, and is somewhat cringeworthy. But you have to be very good to sound that bad.



Overall, a well-selected, well-produced set that has many highlights. If you listen to this set, you'll hear songs you haven't heard in years, and you'll be constantly reminded how often Paul Weston was in the picture during the time."