Monday, September 23, 2013

Paula Castle - Lost Love

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 24:10
Size: 55.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1955/2004/2013
Art: Front

[1:53] 1. Mountain Greenery
[3:18] 2. Lost Love
[2:22] 3. I'm Shooting High
[3:52] 4. Yesterday's Gardenias
[4:36] 5. Here I Am In Love Again
[2:43] 6. Love Is A One Way Street
[2:59] 7. Why Can't I
[2:24] 8. You Don't Know What Love Is

With the release of Paula Castle's Lost Love (c. 1955) by the Verse Music Group—which recently acquired the Bethlehem Records catalog—we're presented with something of a mystery. Castle's voice was leather-glove warm and elegantly sensuous—with hip phrasing and a credible range reminiscent of Sarah Vaughan's. And Lost Love by any measure is a superb recording. Songs dwell thematically on love lost and found.

But there's a subtext. This would be Castle's first 10-inch LP—and her last, according to Lord's Jazz Discography. Little is known about Castle or what became of her after this album was released—though we may have a clue.

The band here is equally mysterious. Beyond flutist Sam Most, the rest of the quartet's members aren't exactly household jazz names. Bassist Chet Amsterdam would have a lengthy career as a sideman, but Lost Love was the last known recording for pianist Ronnie Selbey and drummer Herbie Wasserman (d), who became journeymen players.

But back to Castle. She began her recording career in February 1949 with bassist Chubby Jackson. The New Yorker called her recording of All Wrong (made with Jackson that month) "a slow ballad with a foolish lyric" but "interestingly worked out by the musicians and well sung by Paula Castle." ~Marc Myers

Lost Love

1 comment:

  1. One of my all-time essentials - I have the two-fer cd with Audrey Morris of this album, as well as 2 other tunes including the 1949 tune referenced, and a track from 1950 with Joe Roland. The cover picture is Audrey Morris BTW - if you search youtube, you can find a vid with Paula, title is My friend Paula Castle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6stjJa76LU
    Great album everyone should have!!!! Fantastic choice.

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