JAZZY SELECTIONS: Recalls Those Kenton Days - June Christy

 For almost 10 years, June Christy's impeccable vocal stylings were the perfect recipe for success of the Stan Kenton band's modern jazz arrangements. Thanks to Pete Rugolo and Bob Cooper’s brilliant collaborations, Christy soon became the star attraction of the group. After her stint with the Kenton band, she went on to produce a string of very pleasing solo LPs. Recorded after her classic Something Cool and The Misty Miss Christy, slightly updated Christy-Kenton favorites like "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin," "Across the Alley from the Alamo," and "Lonesome Road” sound outstanding in new High Fidelity, and I still have my old 78s to compare! It should be noted here that June outlasted all other Kenton vocalists as she knew what was expected, which was nothing less that musical perfection by every musician on every song. Veteran Kenton arranger Pete Rugolo handles the charts and conducts a large group of Kenton alumni including June’s husband, Bob Cooper on tenor sax, drummer Shelly Manne, and trombonists Milt Bernhardt and Frank Rosolino. Other jazz sit-ins such as guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Red Callender, trumpeter Russ Freeman, and saxophonist Paul Horn round out the studio Kenton band.

The overall package is crisp, with the usual Kenton “bite” yet calming with June’s sparkling recreations. Outstanding tracks for me are the aforementioned “Lonesome Road”, “A Hundred Years From Today” and “It’s A Pity to Say Goodnight”. While virtually every track is a very pleasant trip down memory lane,  June Christy Recalls Those Kenton Days is a near perfect addition to your Kenton/Christy library. It is available on CD and appears on many auction sites on vinyl for a reasonable price as well.

Recording 8/10-Rugolo captured the Kenton sound in the Capitol tradition, a bit less studio reverb would have made it a 10.

Performance 9/10-June proves that she still had a passion for her early Kenton days and her voice is as fresh as it was 10 years prior.

Overall 9/10-It left me wanting more, I would have liked 2 more tracks to make it the average Capitol LP of 12 tracks and I would have highly recommended June recreate “I Never Thought I’d Sing the Blues” that I have on an old World War II V-Disc by her and the Kenton band. That being said, find it, buy it, enjoy it!