- Perdido (Instrumental)
- Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
- I Could Have Danced All Night
- Just One Of Those Things
- I Get A Kick Out Of You
- At Long Last Love
- Willow Weep For Me
- I've Got You Under My Skin
- Moonlight In Vermont
- The Lady Is A Tramp
- Sinatra Speaks
- Angel Eyes
- Come Fly With Me
- All The Way
- Dancing In The Dark
- One For My Baby
- All Of Me
- On The Road To Mandalay
- Night And Day
Red Norvo - vibraphone
Jerry Dodgion - flute, alto saxophone
Bill Miller - piano
Jimmy Wyble - guitar
Red Wooten - bass
John Markham - drums
Frank Sinatra - vocals
Recorded on March and April, 1959 at the Melbourne Stadium, Australia
Long the favorite of collectors, who have cherished their bootlegged
copies of the concert for years, Frank Sinatra with the Red Norvo
Quintet -- Live in Australia 1959 was finally released officially in
1997, nearly 40 years after the concert was given. In many ways, the
wait was actually positive, because Sinatra's loose, swinging
performance is a startling revelation after years of being submerged in
the Rat Pack mythology. Even on his swing records from the late '50s, he
never cut loose quite as freely as he does here. Norvo's quintet swings
gracefully and Sinatra uses it as a cue to deliver one of the wildest
performances he has ever recorded -- he frequently took liberties with
lyrics while on stage, but never has he twisted melodies and phrasings
into something this new and vibrant. The set list remains familiar, but
the versions are fresh and surprising -- "Night and Day," where the song
is unrecognizable until a couple of minutes into the song, is only the
most extreme example. And the disc isn't just for the hardcore fan, even
with its bootleg origins and poor sound quality -- it's an album that
proves what a brave, versatile, skilled singer Sinatra was. It's an
astonishing performance.
(by Stephen Thomas Erlewine from allmusic.com)
Red Norvo was an unusual star during the swing era, playing jazz
xylophone. After he switched to vibes in 1943, Norvo had a quieter yet
no-less fluent style than Lionel Hampton. Although no match for Hampton
popularity-wise, Norvo and his wife, singer Mildred Bailey, did become
known as "Mr. and Mrs. Swing."
Red Norvo had a long and interesting career. He started on marimba when he was 14 and soon switched to xylophone. Active in vaudeville in the late '20s as a tap dancer, Norvo joined Paul Whiteman's orchestra in the early '30s (meeting and marrying Mildred Bailey). He recorded some extraordinary sides in the early to mid-'30s that showed off his virtuosity and imagination; two numbers (the atmospheric "Dance of the Octopus" and "In a Mist") had Benny Goodman playing bass clarinet, remarkably. Norvo led his own band during 1936-1944 which, with its Eddie Sauter arrangements (particularly in the early days), had a unique ensemble sound that made it possible for one to hear the leader's xylophone. In 1944, Norvo (who by then had switched permanently to vibes) broke up his band and joined Benny Goodman's Sextet. Through recordings and appearances, he showed that his style was quite adaptable and open to bop. Norvo welcomed Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie to a 1945 record date, was part of Woody Herman's riotous first Herd in 1946, and recorded with Stan Hasselgard in 1948. At the beginning of the 1950s, Norvo put together an unusual trio with guitarist Tal Farlow (later Jimmy Raney) and bassist Charles Mingus (later Red Mitchell). The light yet often speedy unisons and telepathic interplay by the musicians was quite memorable. Norvo led larger groups later in the decade, had reunions with Benny Goodman, and made many fine recordings. The 1960s found Red Norvo adopting a lower profile after he had a serious ear operation in 1961. He worked with the Newport All-Stars later in the decade, and from the mid-'70s to the mid-'80s was once again quite active, making several excellent recordings. However, his hearing eventually worsened and a serious stroke put Red Norvo out of action altogether after 55 years of music. He died on April 6, 1999, at the age of 91.
Red Norvo had a long and interesting career. He started on marimba when he was 14 and soon switched to xylophone. Active in vaudeville in the late '20s as a tap dancer, Norvo joined Paul Whiteman's orchestra in the early '30s (meeting and marrying Mildred Bailey). He recorded some extraordinary sides in the early to mid-'30s that showed off his virtuosity and imagination; two numbers (the atmospheric "Dance of the Octopus" and "In a Mist") had Benny Goodman playing bass clarinet, remarkably. Norvo led his own band during 1936-1944 which, with its Eddie Sauter arrangements (particularly in the early days), had a unique ensemble sound that made it possible for one to hear the leader's xylophone. In 1944, Norvo (who by then had switched permanently to vibes) broke up his band and joined Benny Goodman's Sextet. Through recordings and appearances, he showed that his style was quite adaptable and open to bop. Norvo welcomed Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie to a 1945 record date, was part of Woody Herman's riotous first Herd in 1946, and recorded with Stan Hasselgard in 1948. At the beginning of the 1950s, Norvo put together an unusual trio with guitarist Tal Farlow (later Jimmy Raney) and bassist Charles Mingus (later Red Mitchell). The light yet often speedy unisons and telepathic interplay by the musicians was quite memorable. Norvo led larger groups later in the decade, had reunions with Benny Goodman, and made many fine recordings. The 1960s found Red Norvo adopting a lower profile after he had a serious ear operation in 1961. He worked with the Newport All-Stars later in the decade, and from the mid-'70s to the mid-'80s was once again quite active, making several excellent recordings. However, his hearing eventually worsened and a serious stroke put Red Norvo out of action altogether after 55 years of music. He died on April 6, 1999, at the age of 91.
(by Scott Yanow from allmusic.com)
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Great review/writeup. Thanks for the share.
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