( Kansas City, October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006)
Das grandes cantoras, Anita O'Day é a quem tem a voz mais sexy, na minha opinião ...
Esse é meu disco favorito dela, onde é acompanhada pelo quarteto do genial Oscar Peterson
Adoro "Old Devil Moon", que é mais conhecida pela versão de Chet Baker, mas na interpretação de O'Day é um arraso !!!!!
Cada vez que escuto esse CD coloco o player no repeat e fico escutando por horas ...
Anita O'Day – vocals
Oscar Peterson – piano
Herb Ellis – guitar
Ray Brown – double bass
John Poole – drums
Milt Holland – drums
The reasons I think this 1957 gem is one of her best are her backing ensemble, choice of songs and the session's white hot energy.
Backing Ensemble: Many of Anita's mid-50s albums for Verve, starting with her (and the label's) inaugural 'Anita' released in 1955, were backed by larger ensembles. Orchestras, actually. This one featured the original Oscar Peterson line-up (Oscar on piano, Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar), plus Anita's favorite drummer and decades-long companion and partner-in-crime, John Poole. Milt Holland, an extraordinary multi-instrumentalist, added percussion on some tracks.
Choice of Songs: From the first medley, S'Wonderful/They Can't Take That Away From Me, Anita proves that she can sing at blazing fast tempos, then downshift into a slower tempo seamlessly and smoothly. Oscar's own penchant for fast tempos that would bedevil most drummers and bassists for decades, was unable to shake her. Even on Them There Eyes - performed at a tempo that would have left any other vocalist in the dust - Anita is right there with Oscar every note. Her tempo range is incredible, as evidenced by her beautiful rendition of Bewitched (one of my all time favorite songs and one by which I judge a vocalist's ability to sing a ballad.)
My only complaint is the album is too short. By 1957 standards it was about the right length for an LP, but by today's standards it will leave you wanting more. Of course, Anita and Oscar Peterson (and the other musicians) energetic performance on the album may have something to do with that too.
Mike Tarrani
