Chris Connor - Softly And Swingin'

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:19
Size: 79,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:08) 1. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(4:57) 2. 'Round Midnight
(3:44) 3. Cry Me A River
(4:09) 4. Misty
(3:48) 5. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:55) 6. Fool On The Hill
(3:06) 7. I've Gotta Be Me
(2:29) 8. What The World Needs Now
(2:55) 9. It's All Right With Me
(3:02) 10. Goodbye

Chris Connor has won every conceivable critical and popular accolade in her half century reign as one of the most gifted and distinctive vocalists in jazz history. Born in 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri, Connor studied clarinet, but her career direction was clear at an early age. “I always knew I wanted to be a singer,” she said, “I never wanted to be anything else.” After completing her schooling, she took a secretarial job while commuting on weekends to the University of Missouri to perform with a Stan Kenton-influenced college jazz band. An admirer of Kenton singers Anita O’Day and June Christy, Connor recalls, “I had my sights set on singing with Kenton.”

Frustrated by the lack of vocal musical opportunities in her hometown, Connor pulled up stakes and headed east in 1949. She was hired by Claude Thornhill and spent the next five years touring with his orchestra. Then, while appearing with Jerry Wald’s band, she received the phone call she had been dreaming of. June Christy, Stan Kenton’s current vocalist, had heard Connor on a radio broadcast and recommended her to the orchestra leader, who chose her from dozens of other vocalists eager for the job. “My voice seemed to fit the band,” Connor said, “with that low register like Anita’s and June’s.

Connor’s ten-month stint with Kenton during 1952-53 won her national recognition. Her haunting recording of Joe Greene’s ballad “All About Ronnie” announced the arrival of a fresh new artist. But the years of one-night stands, fast food and interminable bus rides soured Connor’s enthusiasm for life on the road. “By that time, I’d endured about six years of one-nighters and I’d just about had it.” To this day she values the musical training she received with Kenton, especially the skills relating to time, phrasing and “how to come in on exactly the right note while 18 or 20 musicians are playing their parts.”

Determined to forge a career as a solo artist, Connor returned to New York and signed with Bethlehem Records in 1953. Her three albums for that independent label, featuring Ellis Larkins, Herbie Mann, Kai Winding and J.J.Johnson, established her as a major jazz voice. In 1956, she began a six-year association with Atlantic Records that produced a string of chart-topping recordings arranged by Ralph Burns, Al Cohn, Jimmy Jones and Ralph Sharon, showcasing a host of jazz legends - John Lewis, Oscar Pettiford, Lucky Thompson, Phil Woods, Kenny Burrell, Milt Hinton, Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson and, in a particularly memorable pairing, Maynard Ferguson’s big band.

The rock youthquake of the late ’60s and ’70s derailed the careers of many jazz artists, but Connor persisted, performing in clubs, touring Japan and recording for a variety of labels. The early ’80s resurgence of interest in jazz singing revitalized her career, leading to a brace of highly-acclaimed Contemporary CDs. In the ’90s she began to record for the Japanese label Alfa. Connor recorded two CDs with jazz pianist Hank Jones and his trio, “Angel Eyes” and “As Time Goes By.” She then recorded two additional CDs with her own quintet, “My Funny Valentine,” arranged by Richard Rodney Bennett, and “Blue Moon,” a collection of movie songs, arranged by Michael Abene.

The new Millennium brought the timeless singer into yet another recording agreement, signing with the New York based High Note Records in 2000. Her first release, “Haunted Heart,” also arranged by Michael Abene, was released September 2001, and a second CD "I Walk With Music," was released in 2002, also with Michael Abene arranging and producing.

Chris then returned to another Japanese label and recorded "Lullaby Of Birdland" for King Record Co.Ltd, with pianist/arranger David Matthews. It was released in September 2003.

Of her current singing, Connor said, “I haven’t changed my approach, although my voice has become deeper and softer, and I don’t experiment as much. When you’re young, you overplay as a musician and you over-sing as a singer because you’re trying all these ideas, and I was throwing in everything but the kitchen sink. I’ve eliminated a lot of things I used to do. The simpler it is, the better it works for me.” She remains, as critic Larry Kart proclaimed in the Chicago Tribune, “a dominating vocal presence whose music is full of hard-earned wisdom and truth.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/chris-connor/

Personnel: Chris Connor (v), Shungo Sawada (g), Takashi Mizuhashi (b), Hideo Ichikawa (p), George Otsuka (d).

Softly And Swingin'

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Chris Connor - This Is Chris

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:31
Size: 68,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:39) 1. Blame It On My Youth
(2:28) 2. It's All Right With Me
(3:11) 3. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:52) 4. Trouble Is A Man
(3:29) 5. All This And Heaven Too
(2:47) 6. The Thrill Is Gone
(3:29) 7. I Concentrate On You
(1:50) 8. All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart
(2:29) 9. From This Moment On
(4:13) 10. Ridin' High

During 1953-1955, singer Chris Connor recorded regularly for Bethlehem. This reissue LP has her final recordings for the label (before moving up to Atlantic) with such fine sidemen as Herbie Mann (doubling on flute and tenor), pianist Ralph Sharon, guitarist Joe Puma, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Osie Johnson.

The two-trombone team of J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding (which had recently become very popular) is prominent on four of the ten selections. Connor's cool tone, subtle, emotional delivery and haunting voice were perfect for the music of the 1950s. Highlights of this superior set include "The Thrill Is Gone," "Blame It on My Youth," and "I Concentrate on You," but all ten numbers are rewarding. By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-chris-mw0000196885

This Is Chris

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Chris Connor - All About Ronnie: Recordings 1953-55 Vol. 1

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:28
Size: 120,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:45) 1. Blue Silhouette
(2:45) 2. Miser's Serenade (Mad Miser Man)
(2:45) 3. Ask Me
(2:48) 4. Chiquita From Chi-Wah-Wah
(2:17) 5. Ev'rything I Love
(2:56) 6. Indian Summer
(2:52) 7. What Is There To Say?
(2:20) 8. I Hear Music
(2:46) 9. Come Back To Sorrento
(2:45) 10. Why Shouldn't I?
(3:04) 11. Try a Little Tenderness
(2:24) 12. Lullaby of Birdland
(2:59) 13. All About Ronnie
(2:55) 14. Spring Is Here
(2:56) 15. Out Of This World
(2:54) 16. Lush Life
(2:35) 17. A Cottage For Sale
(2:32) 18. How Long Has This Been Going On?

Chris Connor has won every conceivable critical and popular accolade in her half century reign as one of the most gifted and distinctive vocalists in jazz history. Born in 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri, Connor studied clarinet, but her career direction was clear at an early age. “I always knew I wanted to be a singer,” she said, “I never wanted to be anything else.” After completing her schooling, she took a secretarial job while commuting on weekends to the University of Missouri to perform with a Stan Kenton-influenced college jazz band. An admirer of Kenton singers Anita O’Day and June Christy, Connor recalls, “I had my sights set on singing with Kenton.”

Frustrated by the lack of vocal musical opportunities in her hometown, Connor pulled up stakes and headed east in 1949. She was hired by Claude Thornhill and spent the next five years touring with his orchestra. Then, while appearing with Jerry Wald’s band, she received the phone call she had been dreaming of. June Christy, Stan Kenton’s current vocalist, had heard Connor on a radio broadcast and recommended her to the orchestra leader, who chose her from dozens of other vocalists eager for the job. “My voice seemed to fit the band,” Connor said, “with that low register like Anita’s and June’s.

Connor’s ten-month stint with Kenton during 1952-53 won her national recognition. Her haunting recording of Joe Greene’s ballad “All About Ronnie” announced the arrival of a fresh new artist. But the years of one-night stands, fast food and interminable bus rides soured Connor’s enthusiasm for life on the road. “By that time, I’d endured about six years of one-nighters and I’d just about had it.” To this day she values the musical training she received with Kenton, especially the skills relating to time, phrasing and “how to come in on exactly the right note while 18 or 20 musicians are playing their parts.”

Determined to forge a career as a solo artist, Connor returned to New York and signed with Bethlehem Records in 1953. Her three albums for that independent label, featuring Ellis Larkins, Herbie Mann, Kai Winding and J.J.Johnson, established her as a major jazz voice. In 1956, she began a six-year association with Atlantic Records that produced a string of chart-topping recordings arranged by Ralph Burns, Al Cohn, Jimmy Jones and Ralph Sharon, showcasing a host of jazz legends - John Lewis, Oscar Pettiford, Lucky Thompson, Phil Woods, Kenny Burrell, Milt Hinton, Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson and, in a particularly memorable pairing, Maynard Ferguson’s big band.

The rock youthquake of the late ’60s and ’70s derailed the careers of many jazz artists, but Connor persisted, performing in clubs, touring Japan and recording for a variety of labels. The early ’80s resurgence of interest in jazz singing revitalized her career, leading to a brace of highly-acclaimed Contemporary CDs. In the ’90s she began to record for the Japanese label Alfa. Connor recorded two CDs with jazz pianist Hank Jones and his trio, “Angel Eyes” and “As Time Goes By.” She then recorded two additional CDs with her own quintet, “My Funny Valentine,” arranged by Richard Rodney Bennett, and “Blue Moon,” a collection of movie songs, arranged by Michael Abene.

The new Millennium brought the timeless singer into yet another recording agreement, signing with the New York based High Note Records in 2000. Her first release, “Haunted Heart,” also arranged by Michael Abene, was released September 2001, and a second CD "I Walk With Music," was released in 2002, also with Michael Abene arranging and producing.

Chris then returned to another Japanese label and recorded "Lullaby Of Birdland" for King Record Co.Ltd, with pianist/arranger David Matthews. It was released in September 2003.

Of her current singing, Connor said, “I haven’t changed my approach, although my voice has become deeper and softer, and I don’t experiment as much. When you’re young, you overplay as a musician and you over-sing as a singer because you’re trying all these ideas, and I was throwing in everything but the kitchen sink. I’ve eliminated a lot of things I used to do. The simpler it is, the better it works for me.” She remains, as critic Larry Kart proclaimed in the Chicago Tribune, “a dominating vocal presence whose music is full of hard-earned wisdom and truth.”
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/chris-connor/

All About Ronnie: Recordings 1953-55 Vol. 1

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Chris Connor - Chris

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1956/2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:53
Size: 79,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:01) 1. All About Ronnie
(2:47) 2. Miser's Serenade
(2:19) 3. Everything I Love
(2:58) 4. Indian Summer
(2:21) 5. I Hear Music
(2:47) 6. Come Back To Sorrento
(2:57) 7. Out Of This World
(2:56) 8. Lush Life
(2:31) 9. From This Moment On
(3:26) 10. A Good Man Is A Seldom Thing
(2:36) 11. Don't Wait Up For Me
(3:11) 12. In Other Words

Chris Connor has won every conceivable critical and popular accolade in her half century reign as one of the most gifted and distinctive vocalists in jazz history. Born in 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri, Connor studied clarinet, but her career direction was clear at an early age. “I always knew I wanted to be a singer,” she said, “I never wanted to be anything else.” After completing her schooling, she took a secretarial job while commuting on weekends to the University of Missouri to perform with a Stan Kenton-influenced college jazz band. An admirer of Kenton singers Anita O’Day and June Christy, Connor recalls, “I had my sights set on singing with Kenton.”

Frustrated by the lack of vocal musical opportunities in her hometown, Connor pulled up stakes and headed east in 1949. She was hired by Claude Thornhill and spent the next five years touring with his orchestra. Then, while appearing with Jerry Wald’s band, she received the phone call she had been dreaming of. June Christy, Stan Kenton’s current vocalist, had heard Connor on a radio broadcast and recommended her to the orchestra leader, who chose her from dozens of other vocalists eager for the job. “My voice seemed to fit the band,” Connor said, “with that low register like Anita’s and June’s.

Connor’s ten-month stint with Kenton during 1952-53 won her national recognition. Her haunting recording of Joe Greene’s ballad “All About Ronnie” announced the arrival of a fresh new artist. But the years of one-night stands, fast food and interminable bus rides soured Connor’s enthusiasm for life on the road. “By that time, I’d endured about six years of one-nighters and I’d just about had it.” To this day she values the musical training she received with Kenton, especially the skills relating to time, phrasing and “how to come in on exactly the right note while 18 or 20 musicians are playing their parts.”

Determined to forge a career as a solo artist, Connor returned to New York and signed with Bethlehem Records in 1953. Her three albums for that independent label, featuring Ellis Larkins, Herbie Mann, Kai Winding and J.J.Johnson, established her as a major jazz voice. In 1956, she began a six-year association with Atlantic Records that produced a string of chart-topping recordings arranged by Ralph Burns, Al Cohn, Jimmy Jones and Ralph Sharon, showcasing a host of jazz legends - John Lewis, Oscar Pettiford, Lucky Thompson, Phil Woods, Kenny Burrell, Milt Hinton, Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson and, in a particularly memorable pairing, Maynard Ferguson’s big band.

The rock youthquake of the late ’60s and ’70s derailed the careers of many jazz artists, but Connor persisted, performing in clubs, touring Japan and recording for a variety of labels. The early ’80s resurgence of interest in jazz singing revitalized her career, leading to a brace of highly-acclaimed Contemporary CDs. In the ’90s she began to record for the Japanese label Alfa. Connor recorded two CDs with jazz pianist Hank Jones and his trio, “Angel Eyes” and “As Time Goes By.” She then recorded two additional CDs with her own quintet, “My Funny Valentine,” arranged by Richard Rodney Bennett, and “Blue Moon,” a collection of movie songs, arranged by Michael Abene.

The new Millennium brought the timeless singer into yet another recording agreement, signing with the New York based High Note Records in 2000. Her first release, “Haunted Heart,” also arranged by Michael Abene, was released September 2001, and a second CD "I Walk With Music," was released in 2002, also with Michael Abene arranging and producing.

Chris then returned to another Japanese label and recorded "Lullaby Of Birdland" for King Record Co.Ltd, with pianist/arranger David Matthews. It was released in September 2003.

Of her current singing, Connor said, “I haven’t changed my approach, although my voice has become deeper and softer, and I don’t experiment as much. When you’re young, you overplay as a musician and you over-sing as a singer because you’re trying all these ideas, and I was throwing in everything but the kitchen sink. I’ve eliminated a lot of things I used to do. The simpler it is, the better it works for me.” She remains, as critic Larry Kart proclaimed in the Chicago Tribune, “a dominating vocal presence whose music is full of hard-earned wisdom and truth".
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/chris-connor/

Chris

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Chris Connor - The Rich Sound Of Chris Connor

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1967/2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:19
Size: 163,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:18) 1. Jeepers Creepers!
(2:39) 2. If I Should Lose You
(2:40) 3. And The Bull Walked Around, Olay!
(2:50) 4. All About Ronnie
(2:42) 5. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(3:25) 6. Where Flamingos Fly
(2:44) 7. Miser's Serenade
(2:44) 8. Ask Me
(2:47) 9. Chiquita From Chi-Wah-Wah
(2:43) 10. Blue Silhouette
(2:16) 11. Everything I Love
(2:18) 12. Gone With The Wind
(2:32) 13. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(2:27) 14. Stella By Starlight
(2:23) 15. Lullaby Of Birdland
(2:20) 16. I Hear Music
(2:55) 17. Out Of This World
(2:54) 18. Lush Life
(2:29) 19. From This Moment On
(3:07) 20. In Other Words
(2:35) 21. A Cottage For Sale
(2:53) 22. Spring Is Here
(2:56) 23. Indian Summer
(2:32) 24. Goodbye

Chris Connor (November 8, 1927 - August 29, 2009) was an American jazz singer known for her distinctive style and expression. Born in Kansas City, her father was an eminent musician and Chris soon studied and became proficient in the clarinet. Chris joined the "Snowflakes", a vocal group of Claude Thornhill's band, and moved on to become Stan Kenton's lead singer. She recorded for Bethlehem records originally and then began a long association with Atlantic records. Her trademark songs are well known to most people familiar with jazz of the 50s and 60s; among them are "Lullaby of Birdland" and "All about Ronnie."
https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/chris-connor

The Rich Sound Of Chris Connor

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Chris Connor - Chris Craft

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:42
Size: 88,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:18)  1. Moonlight in Vermont
(2:15)  2. Blow, Gabriel, Blow
(3:40)  3. Here Lies Love
(3:05)  4. Be a Clown
(3:57)  5. Good for Nothin' (But Love)
(2:45)  6. On the First Warm Day
(2:11)  7. Chinatown My Chinatown
(2:44)  8. One Love Affair
(3:25)  9. The Night We Called It a Day
(2:02) 10. Johnny One Note
(3:54) 11. Lover Man
(4:20) 12. Be My All

Along with June Christy, Helen O'Connell, and Julie London, Chris Connor epitomized cool jazz singing in the 1950s. Influenced by Anita O'Day, the torchy, smoky singer wasn't one for aggression. Like Chet Baker on the trumpet or Paul Desmond and Lee Konitz on alto sax, she used subtlety and restraint to their maximum advantage. At the University of Missouri, Connor (who had studied clarinet at an early age) sang with a Stan Kentonish big band led by trombonist Bob Brookmeyer before leaving her native Kansas City for New York in 1947. Quite appropriately, she was featured in the lyrical pianist Claude Thornhill's orchestra in the early '50s. After leaving Thornhill, Connor was hired by Kenton at Christy's recommendation, and her ten-month association with him in 1952-1953 resulted in the hit "All About Ronnie." Connor debuted as a solo artist in 1953, recording three albums for Bethlehem before moving to Atlantic in 1955 and recording 12.

Connor reached the height of her popularity in the 1950s, when she delivered her celebrated versions of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" and George Shearing's "Lullaby of Broadway," and recorded such excellent albums as The Rich Sound of Chris Connor and Lullabies of Birdland for Bethlehem and Chris Craft and Ballads of the Sad Cafe for Atlantic. Connor made a poor career move in 1962, the year she left Atlantic and signed with a label her manager was starting, FM Records  Connor had recorded only two albums for FM when they folded. Connor's recording career was rejuvenated in the 1970s, and she went on to record for Progressive, Stash, and Contemporary in the '70s and '80s. Connor maintained a devoted following in the 1990s and continued to tour internationally.By Alex Henderson
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chris-connor-mn0000776337/biography

Personnel:  Chris Connor - vocals; Stan Free - piano, arranger;  Mundell Lowe - guitar;  Ed Shaughnessy - drums

Chris Craft

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Chris Connor - Chris Connor (Hd Remastered)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1956/2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:46
Size: 94,9 MB
Art: Front

(1:54)  1. I Get a Kick out of You
(3:17)  2. Something to Live For
(3:11)  3. Get out of Town
(3:51)  4. Where Are You?
(2:18)  5. Anything Goes
(3:28)  6. When the Wind Was Green
(3:47)  7. He Was Too Good to Me
(2:51)  8. You Make Me Feel so Young
(3:50)  9. Everytime
(2:32) 10. Way out There
(2:47) 11. My April Heart
(2:14) 12. Almost Like Being in Love
(2:04) 13. Circus (Bonus Track)
(2:35) 14. Flying Home (Bonus Track)

Stunningly repackaged, remastered, and featuring new liner notes by leading jazz writers, the Warner Jazz Masters Series includes best sellers as well as rare, sought-after gems. The first jazz vocal LP ever released on Atlantic Records, Chris Connor's self-titled album is one of her best (among considerable competition). Connor's coarse, throaty tone, sweet phrasing, and unerring rhythm were peaking during the late '50s, and the results are delightful tweaks of the standards "Anything Goes" and "Almost Like Being in Love." With similarly excellent results, Connor also transforms a couple of Sinatra's evergreens: "I Get a Kick Out of You," taken at breakneck pace with a small group including pianist John Lewis, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and drummer Connie Kay; "Where Are You"; and "You Make Me Feel So Young," with a ten-piece featuring tenor Zoot Sims and bassist Milt Hinton.
By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Connor-Chris/dp/B0009QQ6I0

Chris Connor (Hd Remastered)

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Chris Connor - New Again

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:02
Size: 99,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. Dearly Beloved
(4:12)  2. Down In Brazil
(3:49)  3. I Never Meant To Hurt You
(3:18)  4. Love Locked Out
(5:42)  5. Astaire Medley
(3:08)  6. Mad About The Boy
(4:19)  7. Antonio's Song
(4:14)  8. I Wish I'd Met You
(5:03)  9. My Foolish Heart
(6:04) 10. Jukebox Medley

The follow-up album to Chris Connor's Classic is similar in the moods it covers, the style of music and the instrumentation. Michael Abene and Richard Rodney Bennett split the keyboard duties, trumpeter Claudio Roditi and Bill Kirchner (on various reeds) have some short solos, and flutist Dave Valentin makes a couple of guest appearances. Connor, at 59, still had a powerful and haunting voice, as she shows on "Dearly Beloved," "My Foolish Heart," and even on a couple of medleys (one of Fred Astaire tunes and the other a "Jukebox Medley"). Listeners should acquire a good sampling of Chris Connor's 1950s recordings first, but her two Contemporary CDs have their value too. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-again-mw0000200370

Personnel:  Vocals – Chris Connor;  Acoustic Bass – Michael Moore;  Drums – Buddy Williams; Flute – Dave Valentin; Keyboards – Michael Abene, Richard Rodney Bennett; Percussion – Sammy Figueroa; Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Bill Kirschner; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Claudio Roditi

New Again

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Chris Connor - Haunted Heart

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:40
Size: 89,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:29) 1. By Myself
(5:26) 2. Haunted Heart
(3:32) 3. Snowfall
(3:25) 4. But Not for Me
(4:39) 5. Stairway to the Stars
(3:24) 6. Key Largo
(4:13) 7. Only the Lonely
(4:07) 8. Day in Day Out
(3:12) 9. I Wished on the Moon
(3:09) 10. Drinking Again

There is always a moment of trepidation when a jazz legend produces a new record after an absence of several years; a fear that what is will diminish the memory of what was. Thankfully, that is not the case with Haunted Heart, Chris Connor’s wonderful new CD on the HighNote label.

Vocally, the 73-year old singer sounds far younger than her chronological age. Ms. Connor’s voice has dropped noticeably in pitch over the last 30 years. However, she has compensated for the loss of her top notes with superb control over a warm and evocative lower register. Whereas in the 1950s and 1960s, she seemed to attack her material, Ms. Connor now sings from a calm, focused center. The tense energy of her youth has given way to a quiet confidence.

Pianist Mike Abene has drawn on his decades long association with Ms. Connor to craft smart, uncluttered arrangements that play to her strengths. Drummer Dennis Mackrel’s sure touch keeps the rhythm section humming along while Ingrid Jensen on trumpet and flugelhorn and Bill Easley on reeds prove to be much more than special guest soloists. Whether it’s playing unison passages, filling in behind the vocalist or taking extended solos, both Ms. Jensen and Mr. Easley fully integrate themselves into the ensemble. Ms. Jensen, in particular, displays exquisite tonal control and a truly distinctive voice.

However, Ms.Connor’s vast experience is the fulcrum on which Haunted Heart is balanced. The disc opens with a defiantly up-tempo “By Myself” that finds the singer’s formidable command of time undiminished. Nowhere is her lower register better showcased than on “Snowfall,” a composition by her old boss, pianist and bandleader, Claude Thornhill. Ms. Connor shapes the piece as a tone poem with her rich low notes juxtaposed against Mr. Easley’s fluid flute lines. “Day In, Day Out” and Benny Carter’s “Key Largo” (erroneously attributed to Schwartz & Dietz in the CD booklet) have been in Ms. Connor’s “book” for years, but her performances here show no signs of simply going through the motions.

Ms. Connor’s engagement with the material comes through most powerfully on the ballads. Without the use of any discernable dramatic devices, she sharpens the edges on lyrics, and, bypassing sentimentality, uses them to cut away at real emotions. “Haunted Heart” and “Only the Lonely” are masterpieces of unaffected communication. “Stairway to the Stars” and Johnny Mercer and Doris Tauber’s too-rarely heard gem “Drinking Again” are nearly as great.

Haunted Heart is probably Chris Connor’s finest album since 1986’s Classic. It is a compelling and deeply satisfying record by a singer who long ago earned her place in the pantheon of great jazz singers.By Mathew Bahl https://www.allaboutjazz.com/haunted-heart-chris-connor-review-by-mathew-bahl

Personnel: Chris Connor: vocals; Mike Abene: piano and arranger; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet and flugelhorn; Bill Easley: tenor saxophone and flute; Dennis Mackrel: drums; Chip Jackson: bass; Steve Laspina: bass.

Haunted Heart

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Chris Connor - I Miss You So

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:19
Size: 72,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:28)  1. I Miss You So
(2:56)  2. Go Away From My Window
(2:19)  3. Trust In Me
(2:41)  4. Past The Age Of Inocence
(2:45)  5. Time Out For Tears
(2:41)  6. I Love You Yes I Do
(2:23)  7. My Heart Is Full Of You
(2:28)  8. My Ideal
(2:53)  9. Mixed Emotions
(2:21) 10. They All Laughed
(2:39) 11. Speak Low
(2:41) 12. Radar Blues

Chris Connor was in her musical prime during the 1950s, but this long-out-of-print LP was a misfire. Essentially a middle-of-the-road pop date, Connor is backed by a string orchestra with voices arranged by Ray Ellis. The jazz content is quite low, even on "My Ideal" and "Speak Low"; only "They All Laughed" swings much. Most of the other numbers were current pop tunes that have been mostly forgotten in the decades since. All of the dozen songs are under three minutes long, and Connor never really gets away from the generally weak melodies. 

A rather forgettable effort, weighed down by Ellis' dull arrangements and a distracting vocal group. In 2001, I Miss You So was reissued on CD as part of the two-fer I Miss You So/Witchcraft. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-miss-you-so-mw0000883696

I Miss You So

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Chris Connor - Sings Ballads Of The Sad Cafe

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:46
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. These Foolish Things
(3:14)  2. Bargain Day
(3:48)  3. The End Of A Love Affair
(3:30)  4. Glad To Be Unhappy
(5:00)  5. Ballad Of The Sad Cafe
(4:23)  6. Good Morning Heartache
(4:27)  7. Something I Dreamed Last Night
(4:51)  8. Lilac Wine
(4:52)  9. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

Chris Connor uses several different musical settings for this album of torch songs, but the main distinction is between the arrangements that employ strings, such as "The End of a Love Affair," and those that use horns, such as "Bargain Day." The backgrounds color Connor's vocal interpretations, and she often interacts with the musicians, notably with flautist Eddy Jaspar in "These Foolish Things," a virtual duet. But her primary goal is to render the lyrics with a combination of precision and emotional distance. In this sense, the heart of the album is "Glad to Be Unhappy," which Connor begins by singing the rarely heard introductory verse, then gives musical coloration to by varying the notes at the end of each line. The listener is not meant to believe the emotions the lyrics describe, but rather to savor them along with the singer. Charles DeForest's "Ballad of the Sad Café," which takes nothing but its title from Carson McCullers' popular 1951 novella, is nevertheless literary in its descriptions of lonely people, and Connor, again through note alteration, gives it a reading that puts it at a further emotional remove. The trick, of course, is that the singer's posture puts her in an even darker position than that of the songwriters; at least they are still feeling something, while she seems to be so far from love that she is denying all feeling. And in that denial, her torch burns all the brighter. ~ William Rulhmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/sings-ballads-of-the-sad-cafe-mw0000478244  

Personnel:  Vocals – Chris Connor; Alto Saxophone – Marshall Royal, Phil Woods; Baritone Saxophone – Charlie Fowlkes; Bass – Don Payne, Eddie Jones; Cello [Violoncello] – Dave Soyer, Maurice Brown; Conductor, Arranged By – Ralph Sharon; Drums – Billy Exiner, Ed Shaughnessy, Sonny Payne; Flute – Bobby Jaspar; Guitar – Barry Galbraith, Freddie Green, Kenny Burrell; Piano – Stan Free ; Reeds [Saxes] – Bobby Jaspar, Jerry Sanfino, Morton Lewis, Stan Webb, Steve Perlow Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster, Seldon Powell; Trombone – Al Grey, Eddie Bert, Frank Rehak, Dick Hixon, Wayne Andre,  Willie Dennis; Trumpet – Donald Byrd, Ernie Royal, Harry Edison, Joe Newman, Snooky Young; Viola – Dave Markowitz, Isadore Zir; Violin – Gene Orloff, George Ockner, Harry Katzman, Harry Melnikoff, Harry Urbont, Leo Kruczek, Mac Ceppos, Ray Free, Sam Rand, Sylvan Shulman, Tosha Samaroff;

Sings Ballads Of The Sad Cafe

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Chris Connor - Lilac Wine

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 100:35
Size: 231,3 MB
Art: Front

( 3:36)  1. These Foolish Things
( 3:16)  2. Bargain Day
( 3:52)  3. The End of a Love Affair
( 3:35)  4. Glad to Be Happy
( 5:09)  5. Ballad of the Sad Café
( 4:26)  6. Good Morning Heartache
(66:43)  7. Something I Dreamed of Last Night
( 4:57)  8. Lilac Wine
( 5:00)  9. One for My Baby

Along with June Christy, Helen O'Connell, and Julie London, Chris Connor epitomized cool jazz singing in the 1950s. Influenced by Anita O'Day, the torchy, smoky singer wasn't one for aggression. Like Chet Baker on the trumpet or Paul Desmond and Lee Konitz on alto sax, she used subtlety and restraint to their maximum advantage. At the University of Missouri, Connor (who had studied clarinet at an early age) sang with a Stan Kentonish big band led by trombonist Bob Brookmeyer before leaving her native Kansas City for New York in 1947. Quite appropriately, she was featured in the lyrical pianist Claude Thornhill's orchestra in the early '50s. After leaving Thornhill, Connor was hired by Kenton at Christy's recommendation, and her ten-month association with him in 1952-1953 resulted in the hit "All About Ronnie." Connor debuted as a solo artist in 1953, recording three albums for Bethlehem before moving to Atlantic in 1955 and recording 12. Connor reached the height of her popularity in the 1950s, when she delivered her celebrated versions of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" and George Shearing's "Lullaby of Broadway," and recorded such excellent albums as The Rich Sound of Chris Connor and Lullabies of Birdland for Bethlehem and Chris Craft and Ballads of the Sad Cafe for Atlantic. Connor made a poor career move in 1962, the year she left Atlantic and signed with a label her manager was starting, FM Records Connor had recorded only two albums for FM when they folded. Connor's recording career was rejuvenated in the 1970s, and she went on to record for Progressive, Stash, and Contemporary in the '70s and '80s. Connor maintained a devoted following in the 1990s and continued to tour internationally. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chris-connor-mn0000776337/biography

Lilac Wine

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Chris Connor - Lullabys Of Birdland (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 21:52

Size: 50.1 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 1986/2014

Art: Front

[2:13] 1. I Hear Music

[2:54] 2. What Is There To Say

[2:43] 3. Come Back To Sorrento

[2:43] 4. Just One Of Those Things (From Jubilee ) Why Shouldn't I

[2:22] 5. Lullaby Of Birdland

[3:02] 6. Try A Little Tenderness

[2:57] 7. All About Ronnie

[2:54] 8. Spring Is Here

Chris Connor is a consummate actress with a song, and her musicianship and vocal range give new meanings to some familiar tunes, which include selections by George Shearing, Rodgers and Hart, the Gershwins, and Gordon Jenkins. Though she sang with big bands early in her career, she eventually chose to leave them in order to sing in the more intimate confines of the jazz clubs. Her musical flexibility and her unique, personal interpretations found their home there, with much less backup. As a result, this collection is a refreshing change from the tried and true, showcasing interpretations with unusual chromatic jumps, quick changes of key, movements from high to very low register, and even a song in which she and her accompanists simultaneously work the song in different tempos. She never misses a note or a beat.

Swing is Connor's forte, but she avoids pyrotechnics and gives her songs new meaning by slowing down the pace and simplifying such standards as "Lullaby of Birdland," "What is There to Say," and the sweetly whispery "Try a Little Tenderness," all with Ellis Larkins's sensitive and simple piano accompaniments. "Spring is Here," sung with bluesy confidence, is one of the best songs on the album, and she hits every one of the difficult, chromatic low notes, spot-on.

In "Why Shouldn't I," her acting, her sense of timing, and her ability to give her own interpretation without having a strong melodic line from the accompanying Ellis Larkin Trio are notable. "Ask Me," "Blue Silhouette," and the up-tempo "Chiquita from Chi-Wah-Wah" are sung with Sy Oliver's big band. The final six songs, with the Vinnie Burke Quartet, include the wonderful "Stella by Starlight" and a very dramatic and ineffably sad version of Gordon Jenkins's "Goodbye."

Connor is a musician, rather than "just" a singer, and the musicians who accompany her never "step on" her notes or intrude. She returns the compliment, allowing each of her accompanists to share the spotlight and the mood of the songs. One of the first singers to leave a successful Big Band career to create her own sound in the jazz clubs, Connor has created her own legend as a musician, her talents beautifully highlighted on this 1986 CD. ~Mary Whipple

Lullabys Of Birdland (Remastered)  

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Chris Connor - The Complete Atlantic Singles 1956-1960 (Remastered)

Size: 141,4 MB
Time: 60:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Go 'Way From My Window (2:50)
02. Past The Age Of Innocence (2:35)
03. My Heart Is So Full Of You (2:17)
04. I Miss You So (2:21)
05. Time Out For Tears (2:39)
06. Trust In Me (2:14)
07. Mixed Emotions (2:48)
08. I Love You, Yes I Do (2:36)
09. Under Paris Skies (2:38)
10. Moon Ride (2:45)
11. Circus (2:00)
12. Flying Home (2:34)
13. Hallelujah, I Love Him So (2:24)
14. I Won't Cry Anymore (2:23)
15. Señor Blues (2:54)
16. Misty (2:50)
17. Invitation (2:38)
18. I Sold My Heart To The Junkman (2:05)
19. Heard A Bluebird (2:17)
20. Fortune Cookies (2:13)
21. That's My Desire (1:59)
22. I Only Want Some (2:47)
23. 'S Wonderful (2:31)
24. Love Walked In (2:55)

Chris Connor (1927-2009) developed her jazz style while singing with Stan Kenton in 1953. The way she put it, Singing with Kenton was the most exciting thing that happened to me. And, believe me, it trained my ear. After leaving Kenton, she began building her reputation as a single working intimate, jazz-clubs on the Eastern circuit. But she had never thought herself a jazz singer and made this clear when she first began singing for Bethlehem later that year: I don t know why I began singing jazz, instead of commercial things. But I always sang off the melody when I was a kid, so I guess that s it. I don t really want to stick to only one kind of singing. The only reason I m in this business is because I like to sing. I m not happy doing anything else.
Her fleeting doubts gradually disappeared as she became more secure in her own rhythmic conception, and after signing for Atlantic in 1956, she became one of the label s best sellers, selling 500,000 LPs during her five-year tenure, and thousands of jazz and pop singles; all of the latter are included here. Her near-vibratoless singing style and distinctive charm, as warm on ballads as it is coolly relaxed on uptempos, and her innate jazz phrasing emerging at unguarded moments triumph over more commercial approach of some of the tunes.

The Complete Atlantic Singles 1956-1960

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Chris Connor - A Portrait Of Chris

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:37
Size: 79.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1961/2006
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. Follow Me
[2:42] 2. Alone Together
[2:51] 3. All Too Soon
[2:44] 4. Love
[3:22] 5. Where Flamingos Fly
[3:00] 6. Here's That Rainy Day
[2:24] 7. Day In, Day Out
[2:45] 8. If I Should Lose You
[2:20] 9. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
[2:48] 10. Harlequin
[4:20] 11. I'm Glad There Is You
[2:31] 12. Sweet William

Contemporary singers like Diana Krall have the sleek cocktail-diva act down pat: one part slinky dress; one part slow, sexy songs; and one part deep, smoky voice. Krall, though, learned from a number of women, like Chris Connor, who wrote the book on torch singing back in the '50s. Recorded in 1961, A Portrait of Chris finds the singer accompanied by a lively band and strings as she interprets a dozen standards. Conner's calling card is her lovely, deep voice. It reaches down and delivers ballads like "Here's That Rainy Day" and "All Too Soon" in rich, full colors. Like Julie London, Conner's cool and calm approach always gives the impression that it's three a.m. and only a handful of people remain in the bar. She infuses "Sweet William" and "If I Should Lose You" with sad longing, leaving one to imagine her the loneliest person on the planet. She turns up the heat on "Day in, Day Out" and "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues," and delivers a spunky version of "Harlequin." James Ritz' liner notes serve as a good introduction to Connor and also place her in historical prospective. With the release of A Portrait of Chris, jazz fans can supplement their collections with the lovely singing of an original from the golden age of jazz divas. ~Ronnie D Lankford Jr.

A Portrait Of Chris   

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Various - Atlantic Jazz: Best Of The '50s

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:19
Size: 156.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Soul-jazz, R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[ 4:36] 1. The Modern Jazz Quartet - Django
[ 2:48] 2. Chris Connor - All About Ronnie
[ 7:56] 3. Shorty Rogers - Martians Go Home
[ 6:45] 4. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Evidence
[ 4:41] 5. Lavern Baker - Back Water Blues
[ 5:46] 6. John Coltrane - Cousin Mary
[ 3:32] 7. Jimmy Giuffre - The Train And The River
[ 7:16] 8. Big Joe Turner - Wee Baby Blues
[10:33] 9. Charles Mingus - Pithecanthropus Erectus
[ 5:21] 10. David Newman - Fathead
[ 5:21] 11. Lennie Tristano - You Go To My Head
[ 3:39] 12. Ray Charles - Come Rain Or Come Shine

Although there were plenty of early-'50s examples of Atlantic's commitment to jazz, the Ertegun brothers allegedly didn't get serious about establishing a full jazz line until 1955 when the twelve-inch LP was starting to take hold. Hence the half-decade span of this Rhino sampler that helped launch its repackaging of the Atlantic jazz caatalogue in 1993. In the space of one disc, Rhino touches upon most of the leading Atlantic jazz folk of the time, beginning with Shorty Rogers' inimitable "Martians Go Home" and running through to Chris Connor's live "All About Ronnie." Along the way, we hear samples of the MJQ (though there is no solo Milt Jackson), Art Blakey, LaVern Baker, John Coltrane ("Cousin Mary"), Jimmy Giuffre, Joe Turner, Charles Mingus, David "Fathead" Newman, Lennie Tristano, and some string-laden Ray Charles ("Come Rain Or Come Shine"). If quibble we must, there is nothing of the Dixieland resurgence that Atlantic was cultivating then, and most glaring of all, there is no Ornette Coleman, whose first two groundbreaking Atlantic albums were made in 1959. Otherwise casual jazz shoppers will find much to stimulate their appetites in this collection, better described as "best of the late-'50s." ~Richard S. Ginnell

Atlantic Jazz: Best Of The '50s

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Chris Connor - Free Spirits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:49
Size: 79.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1962/2005
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Jump For Joy
[3:15] 2. Night Bird
[3:18] 3. Milano
[3:11] 4. Opportunity, Please Knock
[2:58] 5. Day Dream
[2:25] 6. Things Are Swingin'
[3:51] 7. Kansas City
[4:01] 8. Lonely Woman
[2:48] 9. I'm Gonna Go Fishin'
[3:15] 10. Free Spirits
[2:58] 11. God Bless The Child

Alto Saxophone – Phil Woods; Baritone Saxophone – Sol Schlinger; Bass – Ben Tucker, George Duvivier; Bass Clarinet – Sol Schlinger; Clarinet – Oliver Nelson, Phil Woods; Drums – Dave Bailey, Ed Shaughnessy; Piano – Ronnie Ball; Tenor Saxophone – Oliver Nelson; Trumpet – Clark Terry, Joe Newman, Irvin Markowitz; Vocals – Chris Connor.

Chris Connor's smoky voice made her a natural fit for torch songs, but her flair for improvisation expanded her considerable talents to include upbeat material as well. Free Spirits, an excellent small-group date arranged for her by Al Cohn, features Connor in a range of settings; remember, free spirits don't necessarily mean high spirits. The choices for material also range far and wide. A trio of Ellington evergreens anchor the set, but she also includes material from Peggy Lee, Oscar Brown, Jr., Leiber & Stoller's "Kansas City," and Billie Holiday's nearly untouchable "God Bless the Child." It helps that she gets expressive accompaniment from an all-star lineup -- alto Phil Woods, tenor Oliver Nelson, and a pair of all-time trumpeters (Clark Terry and Joe Newman). Despite the title, the only concept at work here is her ability to captivate a listening audience with a wide-ranging set. ~John Bush

Free Spirits

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Chris Connor - Sweet And Swinging

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:10
Size: 87,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:21)  1. I Feel A Song Comin' On
(4:05)  2. Anyplace I Hang My Hat Is Home
(3:00)  3. Just In Time
(3:41)  4. Here's That Rainy Day
(3:38)  5. Out of This World
(5:40)  6. When Sunny Gets Blue
(1:51)  7. Things Are Swingin'
(3:37)  8. Where Flamingos Fly
(2:55)  9. I've Got You Under My Skin
(4:49) 10. I Wish You Love
(1:28) 11. The Sweetest Sounds

Not all that much was heard from Chris Connor after her last Atlantic record in 1962 until this date. Her recordings for FM, ABC-Paramount (quite commercial), Bainbridge and Japanese Sony in the interim were all quite obscure. But at the age of 50, she began to make a comeback and showed that her voice was still strong and her cool style intact. Accompanied by pianist Michael Abene, bassist Michael Moore, drummer Ronnie Bedford and Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Connor performs 11 diverse tunes, including remakes of a few earlier numbers. Highlights include "Out of This World," "Where Flamingos Fly" and "When Sunny Gets Blue." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/sweet-and-swinging-mw0000626664

Personnel: Chris Connor (vocals); Michael Abene (piano, keyboards); Ronnie Bedford (drums).

Sweet And Swinging

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Chris Connor - He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Size: 104,8 MB
Time: 44:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1956/2007
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. High On A Windy Hill (3:47)
02. 'Round About (3:55)
03. Angel Eyes (3:43)
04. You Stepped Out Of A Dream (3:47)
05. Why Can't I (3:46)
06. Suddenly It's Spring (3:08)
07. About The Blues (3:44)
08. Oh! You Crazy Moon (3:40)
09. But Not For Me (3:47)
10. I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry (3:27)
11. I Wonder What Became Of Me (4:10)
12. Thursday's Child (3:52)

Along with June Christy, Helen O'Connell, and Julie London, Chris Connor epitomized cool jazz singing in the 1950s. Influenced by Anita O'Day, the torchy, smoky singer wasn't one for aggression. Like Chet Baker on the trumpet or Paul Desmond and Lee Konitz on alto sax, she used subtlety and restraint to their maximum advantage. At the University of Missouri, Connor (who had studied clarinet at an early age) sang with a Stan Kentonish big band led by trombonist Bob Brookmeyer before leaving her native Kansas City for New York in 1947. Quite appropriately, she was featured in the lyrical pianist Claude Thornhill's orchestra in the early '50s. After leaving Thornhill, Connor was hired by Kenton at Christy's recommendation, and her ten-month association with him in 1952-1953 resulted in the hit "All About Ronnie." Connor debuted as a solo artist in 1953, recording three albums for Bethlehem before moving to Atlantic in 1955 and recording 12. Connor reached the height of her popularity in the 1950s, when she delivered her celebrated versions of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" and George Shearing's "Lullaby of Broadway," and recorded such excellent albums as The Rich Sound of Chris Connor and Lullabies of Birdland for Bethlehem and Chris Craft and Ballads of the Sad Cafe for Atlantic. Connor made a poor career move in 1962, the year she left Atlantic and signed with a label her manager was starting, FM Records -- Connor had recorded only two albums for FM when they folded. Connor's recording career was rejuvenated in the 1970s, and she went on to record for Progressive, Stash, and Contemporary in the '70s and '80s. Connor maintained a devoted following in the 1990s and continued to tour internationally. ~by Alex Henderson

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

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Chris Connor - Lush Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:16
Size: 76.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1959/2010
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. All About Ronnie
[2:48] 2. Miser's Serenade
[2:16] 3. Everything I Love
[2:59] 4. Indian Summer
[2:17] 5. I Hear Music
[2:42] 6. Come Back To Sorrento
[2:52] 7. Out Of This World
[2:51] 8. Lush Life
[2:27] 9. From This Moment On
[3:24] 10. A Good Man Is A Seldom Thing
[2:30] 11. Don't Wait Up For Me
[3:00] 12. Fly Me To The Moon

One of the classy, cool jazz vocalists from the 1950s, Chris Connor was in the midst of a comeback at age 48 when she appeared at the Great American Music Hall on October 22, 1976. A one-time singer for the Stan Kenton Orchestra, she had a successful run as a solo artist with Atlantic Records, beginning with 1956's self-titled debut and concluding with 1962's Free Spirits. There followed a lull in her recording career until 1972's Sketches on the obscure Stanyan label, which included her jazzy renditions of pop hits of the day. For this GAMH performance, the husky-voiced singer with the perfect intonation, fluid phrasing and assured sense of swing alternated between jazz standards and interpretations of current pop tunes. Her sublime take on Billy Strayhorn's melancholy, harmonically rich "Lush Life" is imbued with deep understanding of the lyrics and a stirring delivery. The full range of Connors' haunting voice is on display here. She is clearly in command of her emotive powers at this stage in her career.

Lush Life

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