1960s

Chaquito adherents are well aware by now that he has been in Fontana recording operation for over ten years, beginning in the first rhythmic flush of the cha cha cha dawn and continuing ever since with a scintillating LP string of instrumental Latin American pyrotechnics in the modern manner that bears comparison with any produced anywhere else, including Latin America itself. They also know he shows signs of positive response to the name of Johnny Gregory, too, and they realise he is an adept and active gentle-man over a vast range of musical territory from the classics to hit-parading pop, taking in film music, TV music, Gilbert and Sullivan, dance music and jazz between the two poles. But, being Chaquito adherents, they are especially interested when he wears his sombrero, dips his arranging pen in tequila, and scores the exciting Latin entertainment typified by this present selection.

They will realise with agreeable surprise that, as well as eight big band powerhouse tracks, there are four blending a twenty-piece string section and voices in a warmly successful manner. They will recall that strings are a speciality amongst the writing and arranging attainments of the man named Gregory, and they will surely welcome their inclusion in the Chaquito fold as a rewarding innovation.

The big band consists of the usual formidable five-piece rhythm section that is the constant, reliable basis for Chaquito’s musical magnificence, reeds and woodwind, and a brass section augmented by tuba and French horn for additional rich sonority.

This combination opens the proceedings with a turbulent presentation in the style of the Venezuelan joropo of El Mensu, written by the Argentine folk specialist and painter Ramon Ayala. This track packs all the potent Latin punch and ebullience of Chaquito, swinging like a belfry at wedding time. The woodwind and brass share the tune, there is some wild tenor-saxophone and trumpet soloing during the jazz interlude, and the
jumping rhythm section is sparked by some dazzling, rapid-fire timbales drumming from Barry Morgan. Serenata Negra introduces the strings and voices in cha cha cha tempo, with some solo vocal lines from one Miguel Sammes, and more neat timbales work rattling forth from Senor Morgan during the breaks.

Dardanella comes from the old New Orleans jazz bag, but get a baion showcase here as Stu Gordon’s rasping cabasa sets the rhythmic pace. Chaquito gestures respectfully towards New Orleans by means of a straight jazz passage before the chiming brass ring back the baion. A guitar cues in the strings and voices again for the beautiful Song of Orpheus from that memorable “Black Orpheus” movie award winner, and the heavy Chaquito brigade returns with The Gypsy, effectively featuring horn and tuba in its voicings. The first side ends with Steve Race’s outstanding musical tribute to his daughter as the woodwind, celeste, trumpet and cabasa combine to paint a very pretty picture that outdid the composer’s own recorded version at the time.

Ola, Ola, Ola rocks along infectiously, and then Stu Gordon gets up steam to relate the stirring tale of determined effort and its eventual award won by The Little Engine with obbligato “Choo choo choos” from the rest of the boys. The strings and voices make the most of Chaquito’s mambo variant (some say deviant) La Fajanada, complete with jazz piano break, Morgan timbales volleys, and a surprise ending. The Private Ay-ay-ay is a slightly sardonic tribute to all film and TV detectives by Chaquito and West End rumba bandleader Francisco Cavez, giving ritmoleros Jack Peach (drums), Denis Lopez (bongos), Barry Morgan (timbales) and Stu Gordon (maraccas) a chance for some violent exercise, plus some sky-scraping trumpet work from Stan Rodriguez. Tengo Una Esperancita reduces the temperature somewhat, paving the way for that famous number about the Greek lady of joy’s working motto, featuring the strings and voices once more. Another twelve tracks from London’s finest session musicians and Latin specialists, arranged and directed by a truly unique talent. It’s that Chaquito again without doubt.
NIGEL HUNTER

Unable to read or write a single note of music, and living a life of extreme poverty in the immigrant sections of New York City, Berlin started his career in the turbulent world of Tin Pan Alley as a singer in the streets and saloons of the Bowe,. From this he stepped up to work as a song plugger and singing waiter in cafes and restaurants in the downtown areas of the city. His fine lyric, written with a café pianist, earned him royalty of thirty-seven cents.

Success, however, came early. Installed as a staff lyricist with a leading Tin Pan Alley music publishing house, Berlin quickly established himself as one of that frantic industry’s top writers of words to other composer’s melodies. By 1910, he was already in demand and even appeared in a Shubert Broadway revue performing his own songs.

It was purely by chance that Berlin started composing music to the words of his songs. A lyric lie had submitted to a publisher was thought to be complete with music. Not wishing to lose the sale, Berlin quickly wrote a melody. It was accepted and published. The success of this first effort opened the door to his career as a composer of music as well as lyrics.

In 1910, Berlin wrote a hit that solidly established him as one of Tin Pan Alley’s leading composers. Alexander’s Rag-time Band not only popularized the vogue for “rag.,” but later inspired a major motion picture.

In 1912, Berlin’s first wife died suddenly, shortly after their honeymoon. His intense sense of loss was expressed in the first of his poignant ballads, When I Lost You, heard in this album. It was this deep personal involvement in his so, that, throughout his career, produced the great series of haunting ballads that have become standard repertoire the world over. Creator during World War I of the still legendary all-soldier revue, “Yip Yip Yaphank,” Berlin emerged from the war years a major composer for the musical stage.

Between 1921 and 1924, he wrote the book, music and lyrics for four editions of the “Music Box Revue.” What’ll I Do and All Alone, in this album, are from these productions, still remembered as the most sophisticated and dazzling of the Twenties. In 1927, he wrote the songs for Florenz Ziegfeld’s “Follies” followed by two collaborations with Moss Hart: 1932, “Face the Music,” and 1933, “As Thousands Cheer.”

Again, in this period, Berlin’s personal expression in his ballads produced some of his greatest song success.. ‘Following his stormy romance with Ellin Mackay, whose father, head of the Postal Telegraph Company, objected to the marriage, Berlin wrote Always and Remember, heard in this album.

Also included are other great Berlin hits of the later Twenties: Because I Love You, 1926; Russian Lullaby, 1927; and The Song Is Ended,1927.

In the 1930s began what might be considered the “modern” period of Berlin’s songwriting. Writing for a succession of smash hit Broadway musicals and Hollywood Boss, Berlin produced a virtual catalog of fabulous modern songs. Poignant and heartwarming, they were at the same time sophisticated and knowledgeable commentaries on the love antics and situations of Twentieth Century hoiho sapiens. From the 1930 Broadway show, “Reaching for the Moon,” came the song by the same name. From “Annie Get Your Gun,” 1946, Berlin’s biggest box office success-a show which ran over a thousand performances and ranks even today as one of the biggest touring and summer-musical favorites-came The Girl That I Marry; from “Miss Liberty,” 1949, starring Eddie Albert, came Lets Take an Old Fashioned Walk and (Just One Way to Say) I Love You-all heard in this album.

These were also the years of the Broadway hit “Call Me Madam” and of Berlin’s great film musicals-only two of which were “Top lint,” 1933, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and “Holiday Inn,” 1942, with Astaire and Bing Crosby. Still at the peak of his profession at age 74, Berlin rang up the curtain on his latest Broadway musical, “Mr. President,” in the fall of 1962. Its opening occasioned no surprise. America and the world theater audience simply expected from Irving Berlin another landmark in the his-tory of its musical theater and more of the wonderful so, that have brightened almost half a cent, of modern life.

© 1962, Radio Corporation of Ame

The mood created so beautifully here re-calls those albums, and makes it more certain than ever that. George Shearing turns America’s lights down low.

George’s popularity undoubtedly stems from the urbane sophistication and taste which mark his music, together with his wealth of musical ideas. For when he suggests a mood—like this satiny-textured one—the result is an adventure in listening as well as feeling, dancing as well as romancing. The pattern of his mood-weaving in this album comes from his arrangements, orchestrated and conducted by Billy May, which treat strings as a smart, lyric background for the Quintet. This creative interplay produces a fabric of many delicately-shaded mood colors. Dreamy Star Dust. glowing Midnight Sun, casual Here’s What I’m Here For, bright / Like to Recognize the Tune, Latin Bolero #3—all come together in a lush “Satin Affair!’ And each in its own way is singularly Shearing.