The Complete Gershwin Songbooks [Box]

Performer: George Gershwin
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: THE COMPLETE GERSHWIN SONGBOOKS is a box set of three compilation records originally released between 1992 and 1995: 'S WONDERFUL: THE GERSHWIN SONGBOOK (Verve 513 928), 'S MARVELOUS: THE GERSHWIN SONGBOOK (Verve 521 568) and 'S PARADISE: THE GERSHWIN SONGBOOK (Verve 525 361). Each is available separately. 'S WONDERFUL: THE GERSHWIN SONGBOOK recorded between 1952 and 1987. Includes liner notes by James Isaacs. All songs composed by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin except "I Loves You, Porgy", "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York" and "Summertime" (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin/Dubose Heyward). 'S MARVELOUS: THE GERSHWIN SONGBOOK producers: Norman Granz (tracks 2, 4-5, 7-9, 14); Miriam Cutler, Ron Berinstein (track 3); Hy Weiss (track 12); Johnny Mandel (track 13); Bob Shad (track 15); Paulo Jobim, Jacques Morelenbaum (track 16). Compilation producer: Michael Lang. Recorded between 1952 and 1992. Includes liner notes by Neil Tesser. All songs written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin except "A Woman Is A Sometime Thing" (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin/DuBose Heyward). 'S PARADISE: THE GERSHWIN SONGBOOK (THE INSTRUMENTALS) producers: Creed Taylor (tracks 2, 6, 8); Norman Granz (tracks 3-5, 12-13, 15); Richard E. Lyons (track 7); Helen Keane (track 9); Nat Hentoff (track 11); Bob Shad (track 14); Heindorf (track 16). Recorded between 1951 and 1968. Includes liner notes by Phil Bailey. All music composed by George Gershwin and/or Ira Gershwin except "Somebody Loves Me," (George Gershwin/B.G. DeSylva/Ballard McDonald) "My Man's Gone Now" and "I Loves You, Porgy" (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin/DuBose Heyward). The Complete Gershwin Songbooks collects three discs also released separately: 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, and 'S Paradise. The first two discs include the greatest vocalists Verve had to offer, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Anita O'Day, Shirley Horn, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Bing Crosby, Joe Williams, Fred Astaire, and even Antonio Carlos Jobim. Obviously, the songs are all classics and the versions presented are quite legendary themselves. The third disc in the set includes instrumental versions of Gershwin standards (by Bill Evans, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz, Clifford Brown, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson) that focus on the composer's stunning gift of melody and harmonic interplay -- just as the vocalists' versions highlight his lyrical prowess. Not all the versions are definitive, but The Complete Gershwin Songbooks includes many treats for fans of classic traditional pop. ~ John Bush

Widely regarded as one of the finest songwriters and composers of the 20th century, George Gershwin began his career playing piano in vaudeville, recording piano rolls, and working in Tin Pan Alley, where he wrote his first hit, "Swanee," in 1919. Collaborating with his brother, Ira (who wrote lyrics for much of his music), he created the Broadway musical LADY BE GOOD in 1924, which yielded the soon-to-be standards "Fascinating Rhythm" and the title song. That same year saw the release of Gershwin's first major orchestral work, RHAPSODY IN BLUE, in concerto form--designed to present jazz as "serious" music akin to classical. Between 1925 and 1933, he wrote at least 12 new works for Broadway, including FUNNY FACE and GIRL CRAZY (which included the classic "I Got Rhythm"). His 1935 opera, PORGY AND BESS, successfully fused elements of classical, show tunes, and African American forms, and proved to be one of the composer's greatest achievements. Gershwin wrote numerous other orchestral pieces, works for solo piano, and compositions for stage and film, but his career was cut suddenly short when he died of a brain tumor in 1937.

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