When Love Goes Wrong

Performer: Various Artists
Producer: Dick Katz; Hy Weiss; Norman Granz; Richard Seidel; Shirley Horn; Tony Scott; Bob Shad; Bob Thiele; Bobby Scott
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Includes liner notes by Harvey Pekar. Personnel: Shirley Horn (vocals, piano); Chet Baker , Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank D'Rone, Helen Merrill, Little Jimmy Scott, Johnny Hartman, Mel Torm�, Arthur Prysock, Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstine, Sarah Vaughan, Beverly Kenney (vocals); Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel, Barry Galbraith, Mundell Lowe, Wally Richardson (guitar); Zane Zacharoff (flute, reeds, tenor saxophone); Tony Scott (clarinet); Dave Pell, Matty Matlock, Med Flory, Babe Russin, Bill Perkins, Bud Shank (woodwinds); Ed Freeman (alto saxophone); Bob Hardaway, Bob Robinson , Paul Quinichette (tenor saxophone); Joe Koch (baritone saxophone); Clyde Reasinger, Manny Klein, Dick Collins, Don Fagerquist, Frank Beach, John Best , Harry "Sweets" Edison, Jack Sheldon, Marion Childers, Pete Candoli, Roy Hargrove, Tom Reeves, Charlie Shavers (trumpet); Richard Perissi, Vincent DeRosa (French horn); Dick Noel, Ariella Perlman, William Schaefer, Frank Rosolino, George Roberts , Eddie Kusby, Roger White (trombone); Juan Tizol (valve trombone); John Kitzmiller (tuba); Ellis Larkins (piano, celesta); Dick Katz, Hank Jones , Ike Carpenter, Jimmy Rowles, Marty Paich, Paul Smith , Wynton Kelly, Stan Free, Bobby Scott, Bobby Tucker (piano); Roger "Ram" Ramirez (organ); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Alvin Stoller, Shelly Manne (marimba, drums, percussion); Lenny McBrowne, Dick Stanton, Al Foster, Osie Johnson, Ed Shaughnessy (drums). Liner Note Author: Harvey Pekar. Recording information: A&R Studios, New York, NY (01/25/1950-12/05/1997); Capitol tudios, Hollywood, CA (01/25/1950-12/05/1997); Clinton Recording Studios, New York, NY (01/25/1950-12/05/1997); Fine Sound, New York, NY (01/25/1950-12/05/1997); Los Angeles, CA (01/25/1950-12/05/1997); Radio Records, Hollywood, CA (01/25/1950-12/05/1997); Universal Studios, Chicago, IL (01/25/1950-12/05/1997); Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (01/25/1950-12/05/1997); WOR Studio 3, New York, NY (01/25/1950-12/05/1997). Directors: Ike Carpenter; Stan Free. Arrangers: Hal Mooney; Marty Paich; Paul Weston; Shirley Horn; Tony Scott ; Bobby Scott. Bill Maher (as in Politically Incorrect) once stated that marriage is a lot like communism--it sounds great on paper, but in reality, it doesn't work. That's a very cynical view of romance; some marriages do work, and they work well. But at the same, one can certainly understand where Maher is coming from--half of American marriages, after all, end in divorce, and many couples never even make it to the alter. Those unsuccessful relationships are the focus of When Love Goes Wrong: Songs for the Broken-Hearted, a thoughtfully assembled collection of vocal jazz and torch singing that spans 1950-1997. The front cover boasts an illustration that recalls the classic film noir and pulp fiction of the `30s, `40s and `50s--an attractive blonde who just blew away her lover is led away in handcuffs, while a hat-wearing hard-boiled detective (� la Dana Andrews' character in Laura) nonchalantly puffs away on a cigarette. It's the perfect cover for a compilation that paints a dark, troubled picture of romance thanks to melancholy performances by heavyweights like Dinah Washington on "I'm a Fool to Want You," Chet Baker on "Born to Be Blue" and Jimmy Scott on "Everybody's Somebody's Fool". Shirley Horn's soulful version of "I Fall in Love Too Easily" is from 1997, although the rest of the selections are from the `50s and `60s. If one wanted to nit-pick, it would be easy to complain about the fact that Verve doesn't include any versions of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" (one of the darkest jazz pearls ever written). Also, Verve should have provided Billie Holiday's original 1946 recording of "Good Morning Heartache" instead of the 1956 version that opens this CD--Lady Day sounded a lot better in 1946. Nonetheless, this generally rewarding, if imperfect, compilation is enthusiastically recommended to anyone who craves expressive, heartfelt torch singing. ~ Alex Henderson

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