Johnny's First Columbia Album

[Teasing the Korean]

Was wondering if anyone here digs Johnny Mathis's first Columbia album. It has a decidedly jazz bent, with arrangements by Teo Macero and Gil Evans. I wish he would have gone in this direction. What a voice.

[7/4]

I thought this was about Johnny Winter.

dang...

.

[jazzbo]

I like it. I like the two guitars one as well. Those would be the Mathis I DO like. . . . Not that crazy about his voice but he could sing.

[Free For All]

You had me at "Gil Evans".........

[Shawn]

I'm afraid my Grandmother burned me out on Johnny back in the 70's. She was a big fan...I was a little kid who liked Kiss & Queen.

[GA Russell]

I thought this was about Johnny Winter.

dang...

If it had been Sangrey, I wouldn't have been able to guess who it might be. But since it was TTK, I figured right away it was Mathis!

[jazzbo]

At first I thought the Reptet had gotten signed by SONY!

[Stereojack]

I've got the first album, and it's decidedly jazz oriented. Not long after he made it, he hit big with the straight pop tune "Wonderful Wonderful" and realized that greener pastures were elsewhere. Also, although the charts are nice on the first album, I'm not convinced that Johnny is all that convincing as a jazz singer.

[Van Basten II]

I thought this was about Johnny Winter.

dang...

.

I was thinking of Johnny Hallyday

[7/4]

Well, you see...the first two Johnny Winter albums on Columbia are amazing.

Sorry to derail the thread, really I am this time.

[Teasing the Korean]

... I'm not convinced that Johnny is all that convincing as a jazz singer.

I hear you. But I've always felt that there are jazz singers, pop singers, and a bunch of singers between at various points on the spectrum. I think that pop singers with good intonation and a decent sense of swing - when given the right tunes, arrangements, and instrumental settings - can make very good and listenable "jazzy" records, even if they're not purely jazz (however we would define that).

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

... I'm not convinced that Johnny is all that convincing as a jazz singer.

I hear you. But I've always felt that there are jazz singers, pop singers, and a bunch of singers between at various points on the spectrum. I think that pop singers with good intonation and a decent sense of swing - when given the right tunes, arrangements, and instrumental settings - can make very good and listenable "jazzy" records, even if they're not purely jazz (however we would define that).

I agree - and people in that middle ground, like Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, are pretty interesting. But I've never heard that in Johnny Mathis.

MG

[Teasing the Korean]

I agree - and people in that middle ground, like Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, are pretty interesting. But I've never heard that in Johnny Mathis.

MG

He comes off differently on the first album. If you ever have the chance to check it out, it's worth a listen.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I agree - and people in that middle ground, like Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, are pretty interesting. But I've never heard that in Johnny Mathis.

MG

He comes off differently on the first album. If you ever have the chance to check it out, it's worth a listen.

OK - what's it look like?

MG

[Teasing the Korean]

http://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Mathis/dp/B00...814&sr=1-95

I have seen a different cover for the LP also. Both are titled "Johnny Mathis."

[jazzbo]

Well, you see...the first two Johnny Winter albums on Columbia are amazing.

Sorry to derail the thread, really I am this time.

You're absolutely right. For some reason I always reached for that third (and final) lp side of the second one.

[Teasing the Korean]

I never knew Jonathan Winters recorded for Columbia.

[Stereojack]

http://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Mathis/dp/B00...814&sr=1-95

I have seen a different cover for the LP also. Both are titled "Johnny Mathis."

That is the second cover. Original cover looks like this:

[Ted O'Reilly]

I once heard that the first pianist he worked with as a pro, in San Francisco I think, was Don Ewell. Mathis' manager thought a solid accompanist would help settle down a nervous young man. Certainly adds credence to the jazz flavour...

(Maybe Don himself told me? It was 40 years ago, so....)

[ValerieB]

i was a crazed Mathis fan in the '50s and '60s. in fact, i was completely devastated when almost all my Mathis lp's were stolen from my 5th floor walk-up in the East Village in the early '60s!! never thought of him with much potential for jazz though.

Edited May 7, 2008 by ValerieB

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

http://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Mathis/dp/B00...814&sr=1-95

I have seen a different cover for the LP also. Both are titled "Johnny Mathis."

I see - thanks TTK. A very different tracklist from what I expected.

MG

[medjuck]

I bought this because of Gil Evans. But that was 30 years after I bought my first Mathis Lp: the soundtrack to my teen age make out sessions.

IIRC he was discovered by George Avakian who was in San Francisco to sign Dave Brubeck.