Julie

Julie London made the folks at the Liberty label rich with more than 25 albums, exclusive of compilations, cut over a period of 1955 to 1969. Usually put into a torch song setting, this release allows London to shed that garment and become jazzy. The reason, of course, is the presence of the invaluable Jimmy Rowles, who did the charts, played piano, and led an orchestra of top-flight but unidentified musicians. Unidentified or not, that could well be Don Fagerquist's muted trumpet on "Midnight Sun" and other cuts and either Ted Nash or Bob Cooper on tenor on "Somebody Loves Me." That the producer is Bobby Troup also helped to assure that this session would be a swinging affair. The arrangements let London's vocals take on a different demeanor. Instead of being sultry, she becomes dazzling and sparkling. She also becomes more adept at phrasing and timing and takes a risk or two in the tradition of a jazz singer. Listen to her coax the lyrics along on "(Back Home Again In) Indiana." You'll rarely hear her on other albums take the kind of up-the-scale flyer she uses as the coda to this tune. One might argue London made only one other album that comes close to the jazz sensation that radiates from this record. That's the record featuring the small group recordings she made with the duos of Barney Kessel and Ray Leatherford and Howard Roberts and Red Mitchell, respectively, compiled on Julie Is Her Name, Vols. 1 and 2. ~ Dave Nathan