Jazz Singer

Performer: Rosemary Clooney
Artist: The Ray Charles Singers; Billy Strayhorn; Percy Faith; Clark Terry; Benny Goodman; Duke Ellington
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel: Rosemary Clooney (vocals); Duke Ellington (arranger, piano); Martin Berman, Gene Cipriano, Ted Nash (saxophone); Willie Cook, Ray Nance, Clark Terry, Cat Anderson (trumpet); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Milton Weiser (violin); Sidney Brecher (viola); Raoul Sims (cello); Billy Strayhorn, Dick Hyman (piano); Mundell Lowe, Tony Rizzi (guitar); Jimmy Woode (bass); Sam Woodyard, Alvin Stoller, Bobby Donaldson (drums); The Paramount Studio Orchestra, Nelson Riddle Orchestra, The Hi-Lo's, Ray Charles Singers. Producers: Irwin Townsend, Paul Weston, Mitch Miller. Compilation producers: Michael Feinstein, Didier C. Deutsch. Recorded between 1951 and 1957. Includes liner notes by Michael Feinstein. Rosemary Clooney often worked with arrangers who stressed the pop or cabaret aspects of her singing. Of course, she was also a superb jazz vocalist, and, when paired with artists such as pianist/composer Duke Ellington and clarinetist Benny Goodman, her musical gift shone even brighter. The serene, melancholy "Memories of You" underscores the affinity shared between Clooney and the Goodman trio. This track begins with Goodman's unembellished reading of the tune. However, when Clooney sings, Goodman and pianist Teddy Wilson answer her with virtuosic countermelodies. On this selection, Clooney sings in a lower key, which adds an extra dose of sultriness to the proceedings. Another significant track is "I'm Checkin' Out, Goombye," which showcases the triple threat of Clooney, Ellington, and Goodman. On this tune, Ellington's arrangement sparkles with rich colors and textures, Goodman's solo is light and whimsical, and Clooney's voice is articulate yet carefree.

An iconic American vocalist, Rosemary Clooney often blurred the line between pop and jazz, occasionally even venturing into country and international styles. She started out as a singer with the Tony Pastor band in the 1940s, and her solo career started taking off at the end of the decade. Under the stewardship of Mitch Miller, she had numerous novelty-oriented '50s hits, but later on she dedicated herself to more serious, jazzier work, making some of her finest albums, like 1956's BLUE ROSE. Clooney was also active in films and TV (for a time she had her own television show), and continued performing and recording tirelessly until her death in 2002.

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