Johnny Hartman - I Just Dropped By To Say Hello CD

(English version of this review is after below Turkish one)

Bu adamın inanılmaz bir sesi var. Eğer Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole tarzı seslerin hayranıysanız bu listeye kesinlikle Johnny Hartman'ı ekleyin derim. Halen anlayamam neden Hartman yukarda bahsi geçen sesler kadar ünlü olamamıştır. Tek bildiğim, bu zatın duymuş olduğum en mükemmel,zengin, romantik seslerden birine sahip olduğudur. Aslında kendisinin nasıl bir ses olduğunu kelimelerle anlatmak oldukça zor, bence sadece dinleyin ve kendiniz karar verin.

Eğer Hartman'ı John Coltrane ile yaptığı albüm (diğer bir harika eser) beğendiyseniz, o zaman bu albüme de bayılacaksınız. Hartman pek öyle büyük kitlelere ulaşamamış olsa da çalışmaları caz dünyasında büyük saygı görmüştür

Bu albümde Coltrane ve ekibiyle çalışmamış olsa da burada da ekip iyi  Illinois Jacquet (tenor saks), Milt Hinton (bas), Elvin Jones (davul), Jimmy Hall and Kenny Burrell (gitarlar) ve millet inanın bana Hartman ile bu ekip muhteşem bir iş yapmışlar.

Bu albüm o ışıkları olabildiğince kısıp elinize şarap kadehinizi alıp arkanıza yaslanıp dinlenebileceğiniz ya da daha iyisi kız arkadaşınız ya da eşinizle başbaşa dinleyebileceğiniz bir çalışma. İlk parça Charade başlasın bunu anlayacaksınız. Yine "In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning" dinlediğim bu şarkının en iyi versiyonu diyebilirim. Old Blue Eyes da alıp götürüyor. İyisi mi siz bu güzel caz albümünü alıp dinleyin.

Altta/below I Just Dropped By To Say Hello...




Track listing/Parçalar:

"Charade (from Charade)" (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer) – 2:38
"In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" (Bob Hilliard, David Mann) – 2:49
"A Sleepin' Bee" (Harold Arlen, Truman Capote) – 2:15
"Don't You Know I Care (Or Don't You Care to Know)" (Mack David, Duke Ellington) – 4:14
"Kiss & Run" (Rene Denoncin, William Engvick, Jack Ledru) – 3:35
"If I'm Lucky" (Eddie DeLange, Josef Myrow) – 2:52
"I Just Dropped by to Say Hello" (Sid Feller, Rick Ward) – 4:10
"Stairway to the Stars" (Matty Malneck, Mitchell Parish, Frank Signorelli) – 3:09
"Our Time" (Stanley Glick, Johnny Hartman) – 3:00
"Don't Call It Love" (Ronnell Bright) – 2:07
"How Sweet It Is to Be in Love" (George Cardini, Danny DiMinno) – 2:20

Tracks 1, 6 recorded on October 9, 1963; the remainder on October 17, 1963. [

Musicians/Müzisyenler:

Johnny Hartman - vocals
Illinois Jacquet - tenor saxophone
Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall - guitar
Hank Jones - piano
Milt Hinton - double bass
Elvin Jones - drums

Below/altta In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning...


English Version:

This man had some kind of voice! If you are a fan of Frank, Nat, Mel, Tony, etc... then add this guy to that short list of greats. How this man never became as famous as the foursome mentioned above I will never know. All I do know is this - this guy had one of the most beautiful, rich, romantic voices I have ever heard. It is very difficult, if not nearly impossible to express in words how wonderful of a singer this man was. Just listen to him and see for yourself.

If you loved him on the Coltrane album (another great album) then you will love this one almost just as much (that recording still is my favorite of all-time). Johnny may not have been that popular with the masses, but his work is very highly respected and adored by everyone in the jazz world - critics, musicians, and fans alike.

He may not have Coltrane, Tyner, and Garrison backing him up on this one, however the cats he does have aren't too shabby - Illinois Jacquet (tenor sax), Milt Hinton (bass), Elvin Jones (once again on the drums), Jimmy Hall and Kenny Burrell (on guitars). And believe me folks, Johnny and the gang all sound flawless.

This is one of those recordings that you want to dim the lights down real low, pour yourself a glass of wine, sit back and reeeeeeeelax. Or better yet, grab your gal and let the music help take the two of you to the promised land. As soon as the first song (Charade) comes on, you will see what I'm talking about.  Also, his version of "In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning" is one of the greatest I have ever heard and may even trump Old Blue Eyes himself (which is almost sacrilege for an Italian-American like myself to say!). However, you will just have to see for yourself.

Below/Altta Charade (from Charade)....