duaneiac

Absolutely agree! A good case in point is one of their non-hit album tracks, "Check Out Time". Definitely not an easy song to sing. It's such a beautiful arrangement for a song every one must have known wasn't going to be Top 40 hit material. This has some great lyric writing by Hal David -- entire feature length films have been made which included less storyline and dramatic development than this. In fact, that is kind of how I view this song, that Mr. Bacharach wrote a lush film score to accompany Mr. David's short film script, a feature for a talented young actress, Ms. Warwick, who definitely gives the lyrics "feeling, meaning, soul". Whether you consider that to be art or craftsmanship doesn't matter -- that's just a beautiful piece of work! Just this year I bought The Arista Recordings (1979 - 1994) CD boxed set. The material from those years is variable. I had the Cole Porter album at one time and recall it being dreadful, but I will give it another shot. She got to had some real hits again in those years and got to work with some great talents like the Gibb Brothers, Luther Vandross and Mr. B. once again. One of my favorite lesser known tracks from those years is this Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager song. Ms. Warwick has been a favorite of mine ever since I was a kid in the 1960's and even though the one time I saw her perform in concert was pretty disappointing, she remains a favorite today. Before Silicon Valley came along, she was the only reason any one had ever heard of my adopted hometown! Happy Birthday, Dionne Warwick!

Disc 4 and disc 3, of 4. Nice to revisit this set which includes so many of my favorite performers. The stand out track for me this time out -- "Viva Tirado"! Man, it's actually been years since I last heard that one. I loved hearing it again so much, I played it three times through!

Nice one! I'm surprised it took this long for some one to remember that classic cover. It totally slipped my mind.

My CD copy just arrived in the mail today and I'm giving it a listen right now.

The CD says that is band boy Joe Mason loading up the car, so technically not a musician, but . . .

Disc 1 of 2.

A compilation CD of holiday related tracks spanning 1954-1970. Eight of the tracks are sung in French.

A 1956 concert in San Bernardino. 12 of the 17 tracks are Bill Holman arrangements. Bill Perkins, Lennie Niehaus and Carl Fontana were among the primary soloists and Curtis Counce and Mel Lewis were in the rhythm section. Audio quality is okay, if less robust than one might hope with this band.

Obviously then, you never bought this

One of Arbors Records' most amateurish CD covers: