Morgana King - Gemini Changes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:33
Size: 79.1 MB
Styles: Standards, Vocal
Year: 1967/2009
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. I Have Loved Me A Man
[2:32] 2. This Is My Song
[2:44] 3. The Look Of Love
[3:30] 4. A Time For Love
[2:48] 5. Watch What Happens
[2:06] 6. Sunny
[2:32] 7. Walk On By
[3:12] 8. What's Wrong With Me
[2:35] 9. Once I Loved (O Amor En Paz)
[2:49] 10. Softly Say Goodbye
[3:58] 11. I'd Stay With You
[2:34] 12. On The South Side Of Chicago

The album title might be a tip-off that this record is going to be a bit hokey-dopey, but when Morgana King asks "What's Wrong With Me?," the obvious answer is going to be: "You've changed arrangers!" She is matched with Don Costa for this 1967 album, following two albums in which Torrie Zito had created and conducted arrangements. It is not an example of trading up, although there are examples of better work than this by Costa. The album is about as subtle as an aircraft carrier, and sometimes things really are outright ludicrous. "Softly Say Goodbye," for example, is not a song that needs a big band and string section playing loud enough to be heard on the other side of a bay, unless someone is creating a satire. There is nothing satirical about King, however. She is downright serious and emotive on every number, which combines with the old-school arrangements for a sort of Vera Lynn effect. Nothing wrong with that, but it will be a letdown for listeners who enjoyed the exotic, groovy, and swinging vibe of earlier King Reprise albums. Bossa, samba, and the related world of Burt Bacharach come off best here, although once again the clever touches of Zito are sorely missed. "The Look of Love" pays the cost of Costa's hammy conducting, but "Walk on By" is just right. "Sunny" is an unexpected delight, maybe because Costa must have realized he couldn't out-schlock the hit single by Bobby Hebb. Instead, King is given a chance to use her ultra-relaxed and in-control phrasing to give the song a whole new feel. Some listeners may not even get past the first song, however, a monstrosity entitled "I Have Loved Me a Man." This is a good example of a song that gives off the scent of the wretched from its title alone. After ignoring the singer's cozy feel for swing for the entire album, "On the South Side of Chicago" comes off as a strained finale; Costa should have thought of this sooner, although it would have been a lot better if he hadn't shown up at all. ~Eugene Chadbourne

Gemini Changes

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Morgana King - Body and Soul

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:41
Size: 89,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:04) 1. For You, for Me, Forevermore
(2:49) 2. Bill
(3:06) 3. Down in the Depths
(3:43) 4. Something to Remember You By
(3:17) 5. Ev'rything I Love
(3:54) 6. I See Two Lovers
(2:28) 7. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
(4:06) 8. Body and Soul
(3:21) 9. If You Could See Me Now
(2:47) 10. It's Only a Paper Moon
(2:34) 11. You're Not so Easy to Forget
(3:26) 12. Mad About the Boy

None of the more than 30 albums recorded by singer Morgana King beginning in the mid-'50s were embraced by the size of the audience that bought tickets to see the first two chapters of The Godfather film trilogy, in which King acted in the role of Mama Corleone. But it would be wrong to assume she had more impact as an actress than as a vocalist. Her acting roles, few and far between, were chosen with care, but did not have the resonance of some of her finest recordings. Millions saw her onscreen in the Godfather films, but her performance was certainly overshadowed by performers such as Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, not to mention the famous turn by Marlon Brando as her husband. Another role of King's was in the 1997 film A Brooklyn State of Mind; she also appeared in several television productions.

It is possible that there are actors and actresses who have named Morgana King as a great inspiration. Yet, the results of a simple Internet search under her name only yielded dozens of quotes from vocalists and other musicians about the great influence of her recordings and singing style, not her work before the camera. It might not be a surprise when a young female singer gushed about King's albums, but these fans also included deeper thinkers such as classical bass virtuoso Gary Karr. References to her music also show up regularly in fiction as a kind of mood-setting device, such as: "It was a beautiful day in Malibu. He got up, made a coffee and put on a Morgana King record." Some record collectors might be surprised to realize that a complete set of King sides might eliminate any elbow room for, say, the discography of one of the prolific blues guitarists with this regal surname. Morgana King sides can be divided into several periods. It took her almost eight years to peak at whatever commercial success she was going to have with the 1964 A Taste of Honey album, thus ending the early years. She was then absorbed into the Atlantic and Reprise corporation and an exemplary series of releases by singers such as Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Lavern Baker, and Ray Charles. The label's greatest producers stared the oncoming rock & roll in the eye, never forgetting their basic R&B orientation. Within a few years, a subcategory developed, seen through paisley glasses. The material became more philosophical, the increasing intellectual depth not surprisingly accompanied by the audience stampeding in the opposite direction. This might make sense, though; while 1965's The Winter of My Discontent is a masterpiece, 1968's Gemini Changes is laughably pretentious.

By the early '70s she was eager to get into films, the music business pushing away any and all veteran talent. Later in the decade she launched the mature period of her career, though, once again recording as more of a jazz-flavored artist for Muse, a label which in itself indicates a disinterest in pop culture. The label was loyal to her, regularly recording her through the following decade. This material was reissued in the late '90s by the 32 Jazz label, whose honcho, Joel Dorn, also presided over the reissue of her Reprise sides. If a special sort of bittersweet feeling pervaded her later performances, perhaps it had something to do with this return to her jazz singing roots. Her father had been a performer of folk and popular music on voice and guitar, and she had begun singing in nightclubs such as Basin Street in New York City when she was in her mid-twenties.

Only a few years earlier, she had been immersed in classical studies at the Metropolitan School of Music. Basin Street may have been in the same city, but it must have seemed like a completely different musical world. The formal training undoubtedly filled in aspects of her musical walk where some of her peers might have had to limp. For this reason alone, some listeners find her efforts the most swinging of the '60s generation of pop singers. It meant much critical acclaim during her career, if not great commercial success. At many stages, King seemed to have been making other plans. For the 1960 Encyclopedia of Jazz by Leonard Feather, she listed this ambition: "To become a dramatic actress."~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/morgana-king-mn0000501436/biography

Body and Soul

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Morgana King - For You, For Me, For Evermore

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:43
Size: 82,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. For You, For Me, Forever More
(3:12)  2. Here I'll Stay
(3:19)  3. There's a Lull in My Life
(2:16)  4. Delovely
(3:09)  5. Down in the Depths
(2:21)  6. The Song Is You
(2:32)  7. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
(3:20)  8. Ev'rything I Love
(3:25)  9. If You Could See Me Now
(3:17) 10. I'll String Along With You
(3:02) 11. Everything I've Got
(2:38) 12. You're Not So Easy to Forget

None of the more than 30 albums recorded by singer Morgana King beginning in the mid-'50s were embraced by the size of the audience that bought tickets to see the first two chapters of The Godfather film trilogy, in which King acted in the role of Mama Corleone. But it would be wrong to assume she had more impact as an actress than as a vocalist. Her acting roles, few and far between, were chosen with care, but did not have the resonance of some of her finest recordings. Millions saw her onscreen in the Godfather films, but her performance was certainly overshadowed by performers such as Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, not to mention the famous turn by Marlon Brando as her husband. Another role of King's was in the 1997 film A Brooklyn State of Mind; she also appeared in several television productions. It is possible that there are actors and actresses who have named Morgana King as a great inspiration. Yet, the results of a simple Internet search under her name only yielded dozens of quotes from vocalists and other musicians about the great influence of her recordings and singing style, not her work before the camera. It might not be a surprise when a young female singer gushed about King's albums, but these fans also included deeper thinkers such as classical bass virtuoso Gary Karr. References to her music also show up regularly in fiction as a kind of mood-setting device, such as: "It was a beautiful day in Malibu. He got up, made a coffee and put on a Morgana King record." Some record collectors might be surprised to realize that a complete set of King sides might eliminate any elbow room for, say, the discography of one of the prolific blues guitarists with this regal surname. Morgana King sides can be divided into several periods. It took her almost eight years to peak at whatever commercial success she was going to have with the 1964 A Taste of Honey album, thus ending the early years. 

She was then absorbed into the Atlantic and Reprise corporation and an exemplary series of releases by singers such as Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Lavern Baker, and Ray Charles. The label's greatest producers stared the oncoming rock & roll in the eye, never forgetting their basic R&B orientation. Within a few years, a subcategory developed, seen through paisley glasses. The material became more philosophical, the increasing intellectual depth not surprisingly accompanied by the audience stampeding in the opposite direction. This might make sense, though; while 1965's The Winter of My Discontent is a masterpiece, 1968's Gemini Changes is laughably pretentious.  By the early '70s she was eager to get into films, the music business pushing away any and all veteran talent. Later in the decade she launched the mature period of her career, though, once again recording as more of a jazz-flavored artist for Muse, a label which in itself indicates a disinterest in pop culture. The label was loyal to her, regularly recording her through the following decade. This material was reissued in the late '90s by the 32 Jazz label, whose honcho, Joel Dorn, also presided over the reissue of her Reprise sides. If a special sort of bittersweet feeling pervaded her later performances, perhaps it had something to do with this return to her jazz singing roots. Her father had been a performer of folk and popular music on voice and guitar, and she had begun singing in nightclubs such as Basin Street in New York City when she was in her mid-twenties. Only a few years earlier, she had been immersed in classical studies at the Metropolitan School of Music. Basin Street may have been in the same city, but it must have seemed like a completely different musical world. The formal training undoubtedly filled in aspects of her musical walk where some of her peers might have had to limp. For this reason alone, some listeners find her efforts the most swinging of the '60s generation of pop singers. It meant much critical acclaim during her career, if not great commercial success. At many stages, King seemed to have been making other plans. For the 1960 Encyclopedia of Jazz by Leonard Feather, she listed this ambition: "To become a dramatic actress."~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/morgana-king-mn0000501436/biography

Personnel:   Vocals – Morgana King; Guitar – Al Caiola;  Piano – Hank Jones;  Trombone – Chauncey Welsch

For You, For Me, For Evermore

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Morgana King - The Ultimate Collection

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 140:43
Size: 326,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Ev'rything I Love
(2:38)  2. You're Not So Easy To Forget
(2:36)  3. I'll Never Smile Again
(4:10)  4. Body And Soul
(2:40)  5. A Foggy Day
(3:27)  6. And The Angels Sing
(2:40)  7. At Sundown
(3:58)  8. Lonesome Road
(1:58)  9. Perdido
(2:41) 10. I'll Remember April
(2:28) 11. You Always Hurt The One You Love
(2:49) 12. Undecided
(3:09) 13. Down In The Depths
(2:49) 14. Bill
(2:25) 15. I Love You Much Too Much
(3:07) 16. For You, For Me, Forever More
(2:16) 17. Delovely
(2:43) 18. Frankie And Johnny
(2:54) 19. I've Found A New Baby
(2:40) 20. The End Of A Love Affair
(3:28) 21. Mean To Me
(3:02) 22. I Can't Get Started
(4:05) 23. That Ole Devil Called Love
(3:19) 24. There's A Lull In My Life
(3:30) 25. Mad About The Boy
(3:33) 26. Let Me Love You
(3:58) 27. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
(2:15) 28. How High The Moon
(3:18) 29. When Your Lover Has Gone
(3:25) 30. If You Could See Me Now
(2:02) 31. Just You, Just Me
(2:46) 32. Take The A Train
(2:32) 33. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(3:47) 34. Something To Remember You By
(3:58) 35. I See Two Lovers
(3:12) 36. Here I'll Stay
(3:58) 37. Why Was I Born
(3:17) 38. I'll String Along With You
(3:39) 39. Mad About Him, Sad Without Him, How Can I Be Glad Without Him Blues
(4:06) 40. More Than You Know
(2:21) 41. The Song Is You
(2:01) 42. All Or Nothing At All
(3:02) 43. Everything I Got
(3:09) 44. You Don't Know What Love Is
(2:23) 45. Lullaby Of Birdland
(2:50) 46. It's Only A Paper Moon

None of the more than 30 albums recorded by singer Morgana King beginning in the mid-'50s were embraced by the size of the audience that bought tickets to see the first two chapters of The Godfather film trilogy, in which King acted in the role of Mama Corleone. But it would be wrong to assume she had more impact as an actress than as a vocalist. Her acting roles, few and far between, were chosen with care, but did not have the resonance of some of her finest recordings. Millions saw her onscreen in the Godfather films, but her performance was certainly overshadowed by performers such as Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, not to mention the famous turn by Marlon Brando as her husband. Another role of King's was in the 1997 film A Brooklyn State of Mind; she also appeared in several television productions. It is possible that there are actors and actresses who have named Morgana King as a great inspiration. Yet, the results of a simple Internet search under her name only yielded dozens of quotes from vocalists and other musicians about the great influence of her recordings and singing style, not her work before the camera. It might not be a surprise when a young female singer gushed about King's albums, but these fans also included deeper thinkers such as classical bass virtuoso Gary Karr. References to her music also show up regularly in fiction as a kind of mood-setting device, such as: "It was a beautiful day in Malibu. He got up, made a coffee and put on a Morgana King record." Some record collectors might be surprised to realize that a complete set of King sides might eliminate any elbow room for, say, the discography of one of the prolific blues guitarists with this regal surname. 

Morgana King sides can be divided into several periods. It took her almost eight years to peak at whatever commercial success she was going to have with the 1964 A Taste of Honey album, thus ending the early years. She was then absorbed into the Atlantic and Reprise corporation and an exemplary series of releases by singers such as Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Lavern Baker, and Ray Charles. The label's greatest producers stared the oncoming rock & roll in the eye, never forgetting their basic R&B orientation. Within a few years, a subcategory developed, seen through paisley glasses. The material became more philosophical, the increasing intellectual depth not surprisingly accompanied by the audience stampeding in the opposite direction. This might make sense, though; while 1965's The Winter of My Discontent is a masterpiece, 1968's Gemini Changes is laughably pretentious. By the early '70s she was eager to get into films, the music business pushing away any and all veteran talent. Later in the decade she launched the mature period of her career, though, once again recording as more of a jazz-flavored artist for Muse, a label which in itself indicates a disinterest in pop culture. The label was loyal to her, regularly recording her through the following decade. This material was reissued in the late '90s by the 32 Jazz label, whose honcho, Joel Dorn, also presided over the reissue of her Reprise sides. If a special sort of bittersweet feeling pervaded her later performances, perhaps it had something to do with this return to her jazz singing roots. Her father had been a performer of folk and popular music on voice and guitar, and she had begun singing in nightclubs such as Basin Street in New York City when she was in her mid-twenties. Only a few years earlier, she had been immersed in classical studies at the Metropolitan School of Music. Basin Street may have been in the same city, but it must have seemed like a completely different musical world. The formal training undoubtedly filled in aspects of her musical walk where some of her peers might have had to limp. For this reason alone, some listeners find her efforts the most swinging of the '60s generation of pop singers. It meant much critical acclaim during her career, if not great commercial success. At many stages, King seemed to have been making other plans. For the 1960 Encyclopedia of Jazz by Leonard Feather, she listed this ambition: "To become a dramatic actress."~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/morgana-king-mn0000501436/biography

The Ultimate Collection

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Morgana King - Miss Morgana King

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:49
Size: 77.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Easy listening
Year: 1965/2018
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Try To Remember
[3:45] 2. All Blues
[2:58] 3. Cuore Di Mama
[3:20] 4. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
[2:40] 5. Bluesette
[4:37] 6. I'll Follow You
[3:46] 7. Meditation
[3:35] 8. Easy Living
[3:18] 9. Who Can I Turn To
[3:02] 10. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes

Bass – Milt Hinton, Richard Davis; Drums – Mel Lewis; Guitar – Gene Bertoncini; Harp – Gloria Agostini; Percussion – George Bevens, Phil Kraus; Piano, Celesta – Benny Aronov.

Morgana King recorded two vocal masterpieces on Mainstream Records in the mid-sixties, first being well known vocal tour de force classic "A Taste Of Honey", next came equally magnificent "Miss Morgana King", arranged to perfection by the late arranging master Torrie Zito, doing the ultimate with a huge studio orchestra surrounding the glorious vocalizations of Morgana King, legendary "singer's singer" known by true connoisseurs of great singers as one of the all time greatest! Why this vocal treasure has gone unreleased for decades is a mystery, every great performance of each classic standard is definitive, never has "Try To Remember" been sung with such depth and exquisite vocal beauty, Miles Davis "All Blues" becomes a stunning jazz anthem that defies description. Would be great to have this timeless masterpiece be given proper release on Compact Disc, for now anyone who wants enjoy the finest in the world of sublime musical sounds, start downloading and enjoy the most unique singer on the planet in her finest hour...Bravo Morgana King! ~Bradley Briggs

Miss Morgana King

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Morgana King - Simply Eloquent

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:06
Size: 124,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(5:21)  2. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(3:22)  3. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
(6:01)  4. Down In The Depths
(5:01)  5. It Never Entered My Mind
(3:52)  6. Will You Still Be Mine
(6:13)  7. Body And Soul
(3:18)  8. Simply Eloquent

None of the more than 30 albums recorded by singer Morgana King since the mid-'50s have been embraced by the size of the audience that bought tickets to see the first two chapters of The Godfather film trilogy, in which King acted in the role of Mama Corleone. But it would be wrong to assume she has had more impact as an actress than as a vocalist. Her acting roles, few and far between, are chosen with care, but do not have the resonance of some of her finest recordings. Millions saw her onscreen in The Godfather films, but her performance was certainly overshadowed by performers such as Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, not to mention the famous turn by Marlon Brando as her husband. Another role of King's was in the 1997 film A Brooklyn State of Mind; she has also appeared in several television productions. It is possible that there are actors and actresses who have named Morgana King as a great inspiration. Yet, the results of a simple Internet search under her name only yielded dozens of quotes from vocalists and other musicians about the great influence of her recordings and singing style, not her work before the camera. It might not be a surprise when a young female singer gushes about King's albums, but these fans also include deeper thinkers such as classical bass virtuoso Gary Karr. References to her music also show up regularly in fiction as a kind of mood-setting device, such as: "It was a beautiful day in Malibu. He got up, made a coffee and put on a Morgana King record."    

Some record collectors might be surprised to realize that a complete set of King sides might eliminate any elbow room for, say, the discography of one of the prolific blues guitarists with this regal surname. Morgana King sides can be divided into several periods. It took her almost eight years to peak at whatever commercial success she was going to have with the 1964 A Taste of Honey album, thus ending the early years. She then was absorbed into the Atlantic and Reprise corporation and an exemplary series of releases by singers such as Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Lavern Baker, and Ray Charles. The label's greatest producers stared the oncoming rock & roll in the eye, never forgetting their basic R&B orientation. Within a few years, a sub-category developed, seen through paisley glasses. The material became more philosophical, the increasing intellectual depth not surprisingly accompanied by the audience stampeding in the opposite direction. This might make sense, though; while 1965's The Winter of My Discontent is a masterpiece, 1968's Gemini Changes is laughably pretentious. By the early '70s she was anxious to get into films, the music business pushing away any and all veteran talent. Later in the decade she launched the mature period of her career, though, once again recording as more of a jazz-flavored artist for Muse, a label which in itself indicates a disinterest in pop culture. The label was loyal to her, regularly recording her through the following decade. This material was reissued in the late '90s by the 32 Jazz label, whose honcho, Joel Dorn, also presided over the reissue of her Reprise sides. If a special sort of bittersweet feeling pervades her later performances, perhaps it has something to do with this return to her jazz singing roots. Her father had been a performer of folk and popular music on voice and guitar, and she had begun singing in nightclubs such as Basin Street in New York City when she was in her mid-twenties.

Only a few years earlier, she had been immersed in classical studies at the Metropolitan School of Music. Basin Street may have been in the same city, but it must have seemed like a completely different musical world. The formal training undoubtedly filled in aspects of her musical walk where some of her peers might have had to limp. For this reason alone, some listeners find her efforts the most swinging of the '60s generation of pop singers. It meant much critical acclaim during her career, if not great commercial success. At many stages, King seems to have been making other plans. For the 1960 Encyclopedia of Jazz by Leonard Feather, she lists this ambition: "To become a dramatic actress." ~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/morgana-king-mn0000501436/biography

Personnel:  Vocals – Bill Mays , Morgana King;  Bass – Steve La Spina;  Drums – Adam Nussbau;  Flute, Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Ted Nash;  Keyboards – Bill Mays

Simply Eloquent

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Morgana King - Cuore di mama

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1972
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 39:58
Size: 73,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. Cuore Di Mama
(4:35)  2. When The World Was Young / Young And Foolish
(4:58)  3. Corcovado
(6:19)  4. Try To Remember
(3:38)  5. Meditation
(3:39)  6. Lazy Afternoon
(3:22)  7. Who Can I Turn To
(4:05)  8. I'll Follow You
(3:23)  9. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
(2:53) 10. I Love Paris

None of the more than 30 albums recorded by singer Morgana King since the mid-'50s have been embraced by the size of the audience that bought tickets to see the first two chapters of The Godfather film trilogy, in which King acted in the role of Mama Corleone. But it would be wrong to assume she has had more impact as an actress than as a vocalist. Her acting roles, few and far between, are chosen with care, but do not have the resonance of some of her finest recordings. Millions saw her onscreen in The Godfather films, but her performance was certainly overshadowed by performers such as Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, not to mention the famous turn by Marlon Brando as her husband. Another role of King's was in the 1997 film A Brooklyn State of Mind; she has also appeared in several television productions.  It is possible that there are actors and actresses who have named Morgana King as a great inspiration. Yet, the results of a simple Internet search under her name only yielded dozens of quotes from vocalists and other musicians about the great influence of her recordings and singing style, not her work before the camera. It might not be a surprise when a young female singer gushes about King's albums, but these fans also include deeper thinkers such as classical bass virtuoso Gary Karr. References to her music also show up regularly in fiction as a kind of mood-setting device, such as: "It was a beautiful day in Malibu. He got up, made a coffee and put on a Morgana King record." Some record collectors might be surprised to realize that a complete set of King sides might eliminate any elbow room for, say, the discography of one of the prolific blues guitarists with this regal surname. Morgana King sides can be divided into several periods. It took her almost eight years to peak at whatever commercial success she was going to have with the 1964 A Taste of Honey album, thus ending the early years. She then was absorbed into the Atlantic and Reprise corporation and an exemplary series of releases by singers such as Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Lavern Baker, and Ray Charles. The label's greatest producers stared the oncoming rock & roll in the eye, never forgetting their basic R&B orientation. 

Within a few years, a sub-category developed, seen through paisley glasses. The material became more philosophical, the increasing intellectual depth not surprisingly accompanied by the audience stampeding in the opposite direction. This might make sense, though; while 1965's The Winter of My Discontent is a masterpiece, 1968's Gemini Changes is laughably pretentious. By the early '70s she was anxious to get into films, the music business pushing away any and all veteran talent. Later in the decade she launched the mature period of her career, though, once again recording as more of a jazz-flavored artist for Muse, a label which in itself indicates a disinterest in pop culture. The label was loyal to her, regularly recording her through the following decade. This material was reissued in the late '90s by the 32 Jazz label, whose honcho, Joel Dorn, also presided over the reissue of her Reprise sides. If a special sort of bittersweet feeling pervades her later performances, perhaps it has something to do with this return to her jazz singing roots. Her father had been a performer of folk and popular music on voice and guitar, and she had begun singing in nightclubs such as Basin Street in New York City when she was in her mid-twenties. Only a few years earlier, she had been immersed in classical studies at the Metropolitan School of Music. Basin Street may have been in the same city, but it must have seemed like a completely different musical world. The formal training undoubtedly filled in aspects of her musical walk where some of her peers might have had to limp. For this reason alone, some listeners find her efforts the most swinging of the '60s generation of pop singers. It meant much critical acclaim during her career, if not great commercial success. At many stages, King seems to have been making other plans. For the 1960 Encyclopedia of Jazz by Leonard Feather, she lists this ambition: "To become a dramatic actress." ~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/morgana-king-mn0000501436/biography              

Cuore di mama

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Morgana King - Wild Is Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:55
Size: 73,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:21)  1. Anything Goes
(2:47)  2. Nobody Else But Me
(2:33)  3. I Thought of You Last Night
(3:07)  4. You Are a Story
(3:18)  5. Don't Explain
(2:55)  6. Bee-Bom
(2:25)  7. You Fascinate Me So
(3:38)  8. The Moment Of Truth
(3:56)  9. The Shadow Of Your Smile (Love Theme Form The MGM Motion Picture "The Sandpiper")
(2:57) 10. The Best Is Yet To Come
(1:53) 11. Wild Is Love

The title hints at exotica and there's some of that here in the layered arrangements of Torrie Zito, who worked with this fine vocalist on several albums. But Wild Is Love is really one of Morgana King's swingier albums; the uncredited musicians, bless them whoever they are, know how to walk a bassline, lightly brush over a snare drum, or honk the line. King's vocals are also less-flamboyantly nonsensical, although there are still a couple of moments where one would have to be a relative of hers not to wince in the high register. For the most part she really concentrates on a lush sound and swinging timing, establishing her mastery of the latter with the soul-defining opener, a cover of "Anything Goes" that will wipe the memory clean of all other versions, especially the horrid ones. "The Shadow of Your Smile," likewise, is interpreted in a manner simultaneously graceful and perfect. Zito often can be credited with little touches that set the arrangement up perfectly; in "Don't Explain," the way the tempo seems to be slowing down and speeding up like summer canyon winds, and in "You Fascinate Me," turnarounds in which an instrument or an entire section will perform casual acrobatics. 

It was pretty much standard practice in the '60s to back a singer up with a lavish production, complete with full orchestra. That went even for the vocalists who would have been better-served by a small combo. King was an adept enough performer to handle either situation, and this Reprise offering includes the best examples of her in spectacular, technicolor accompaniment mode.

~Eugene Chadbourne http://www.allmusic.com/album/wild-is-love-mw0000573660

Wild Is Love

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Morgana King - It's A Quiet Thing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:58
Size: 70.9 MB
Styles: Vocal, Standards
Year: 1965/2009
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. It's A Quiet Thing
[3:56] 2. Dindi
[3:09] 3. Useless Landscape
[2:54] 4. Gone With The Wind
[3:31] 5. Little Girl Blue
[2:05] 6. Mountain High, Valley Low
[3:10] 7. How Insensitive
[2:35] 8. Here's That Rainy Day
[3:34] 9. Deep Song
[3:01] 10. If You Should Leave Me (E Se Domani)

A vocalist whose work unfortunately fell out of favor and went out of print for decades, Morgana King establishes such a brilliant presence on this album's opening and title track that in some ways it is impossible for her to live up to it throughout the program of ten titles. Blessed with incredible range, she operates in a vast dynamic range made possible not only by her technique, but by the sophisticated and classy, indeed outright lush arrangements by Torrie Zito. She gets to dive into "Useless Landscape," one of several bossa nova numbers from the DeOlivereira/Gilbert/Jobim songwriting team, with the strongly assuring backing of a lightly recorded string section, a steadily throbbing classical guitar, and a pungent French horn soloist. The arranger and producer really do seem fond of their bossa, also inserting the genre's trademark guitar waddle into the standard "Little Girl Blue." "Here's That Rainy Day" and "Gone With the Wind" also get nice treatments, with King showing plenty of flair for texture as well as rhythm. It's a consistently pleasing, professionally produced set of renditions, yet it can't be considered a good sign that a stranger wandering in the door would ask if it was a Tiny Tim record. This is most likely the result of the vocalist overdoing it "time after time," to paraphrase Cyndi Lauper, another stylish vocalist whose work in another era shares some similarities. At times one may wish it was Lauper and not the outrageous Yma Sumac that some of King's enunciation and pyrotechnics are reminiscent of. Any tendency to dismiss King outright would be a mistake, however. Like other somewhat eccentric vocalists, such as Al Hibbler and Betty Carter, aspects that seem inexplicable or tasteless at first listening are guaranteed to grow on the listener. ~Eugene Chadbourne

It's A Quiet Thing

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Morgana King - A Taste of Honey

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:25
Size: 102,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. A Taste of Honey
(2:37)  2. Fascinating Rhythm
(3:42)  3. Prelude to a Kiss
(3:38)  4. Easy Living
(3:41)  5. All Blues
(2:45)  6. Bluesette
(2:43)  7. Easy to Love
(3:05)  8. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
(2:20)  9. The Lady Is a Tramp
(2:40) 10. Try to Remember
(3:51) 11. Meditation
(4:41) 12. I'll Follow You
(3:22) 13. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child

None of the more than 30 albums recorded by singer Morgana King since the mid-'50s have been embraced by the size of the audience that bought tickets to see the first two chapters of The Godfather film trilogy, in which King acted in the role of Mama Corleone. But it would be wrong to assume she has had more impact as an actress than as a vocalist. Her acting roles, few and far between, are chosen with care, but do not have the resonance of some of her finest recordings. Millions saw her onscreen in The Godfather films, but her performance was certainly overshadowed by performers such as Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, not to mention the famous turn by Marlon Brando as her husband. Another role of King's was in the 1997 film A Brooklyn State of Mind; she has also appeared in several television productions. It is possible that there are actors and actresses who have named Morgana King as a great inspiration. Yet, the results of a simple Internet search under her name only yielded dozens of quotes from vocalists and other musicians about the great influence of her recordings and singing style, not her work before the camera. It might not be a surprise when a young female singer gushes about King's albums, but these fans also include deeper thinkers such as classical bass virtuoso Gary Karr. References to her music also show up regularly in fiction as a kind of mood-setting device, such as: "It was a beautiful day in Malibu. He got up, made a coffee and put on a Morgana King record."

Some record collectors might be surprised to realize that a complete set of King sides might eliminate any elbow room for, say, the discography of one of the prolific blues guitarists with this regal surname. Morgana King sides can be divided into several periods. It took her almost eight years to peak at whatever commercial success she was going to have with the 1964 A Taste of Honey album, thus ending the early years. She then was absorbed into the Atlantic and Reprise corporation and an exemplary series of releases by singers such as Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Lavern Baker, and Ray Charles. The label's greatest producers stared the oncoming rock & roll in the eye, never forgetting their basic R&B orientation. Within a few years, a sub-category developed, seen through paisley glasses. The material became more philosophical, the increasing intellectual depth not surprisingly accompanied by the audience stampeding in the opposite direction. This might make sense, though; while 1965's The Winter of My Discontent is a masterpiece, 1968's Gemini Changes is laughably pretentious. By the early '70s she was anxious to get into films, the music business pushing away any and all veteran talent. Later in the decade she launched the mature period of her career, though, once again recording as more of a jazz-flavored artist for Muse, a label which in itself indicates a disinterest in pop culture. 

The label was loyal to her, regularly recording her through the following decade. This material was reissued in the late '90s by the 32 Jazz label, whose honcho, Joel Dorn, also presided over the reissue of her Reprise sides. If a special sort of bittersweet feeling pervades her later performances, perhaps it has something to do with this return to her jazz singing roots. Her father had been a performer of folk and popular music on voice and guitar, and she had begun singing in nightclubs such as Basin Street in New York City when she was in her mid-twenties. Only a few years earlier, she had been immersed in classical studies at the Metropolitan School of Music. Basin Street may have been in the same city, but it must have seemed like a completely different musical world. The formal training undoubtedly filled in aspects of her musical walk where some of her peers might have had to limp. For this reason alone, some listeners find her efforts the most swinging of the '60s generation of pop singers. It meant much critical acclaim during her career, if not great commercial success. At many stages, King seems to have been making other plans. For the 1960 Encyclopedia of Jazz by Leonard Feather, she lists this ambition: "To become a dramatic actress." ~ Eugene Chadbourne  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/morgana-king-mn0000501436/biography

A Taste of Honey

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