Showing posts with label Sylvia Syms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sylvia Syms. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Sylvia Syms - Syms By Sinatra

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:32
Size: 83,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:25) 1. Hooray for Love
(4:40) 2. All My Tomorrows
(3:06) 3. By Myself
(4:43) 4. You Go to My Head
(3:17) 5. Close Enough for Love
(3:16) 6. Them There Eyes
(3:44) 7. Someone to Light Up My Life
(4:12) 8. I Thought About You
(3:59) 9. You Must Believe in Spring
(3:06) 10. That Old Devil Moon

Not to be confused with the English actress of the same name, Sylvia Syms was born Sylvia Blagman in Brooklyn, New York on December 2, 1917. Perhaps less well known for her acting career, Syms became a premier jazz and cabaret singer, remarkable for a versatility that encompassed many genres of music. She was dubbed by close friend, Frank SInatra, as the “world’s greatest saloon singer.” Syms had just begun a month-long residency at the Algonquin Oak Room in Sylvia Syms Sings Sinatra, and famously collapsed on stage as she was about to begin her encore, “This Will Be My Shining Hour.” She was pronounced dead of a heart attack, on May 10, 1992, age 74. She was also about to celebrate the release of a new album, You Must Believe in Spring

Syms’ interest in performing began at an early age her first performance being in front of family and friends. She has said of that, “My parents didn’t know how to cope with my singing. They were poor and their backgrounds had taught them that the life of a singer or actress led directly to the gutter.” She revealed that she was singing in her carriage before she was talking, and later would sit on the stoop of her home in Brooklyn singing at the top of her lungs. Overcoming childhood polio, Syms began haunting clubs in Manhattan as a teenager, where she met the likes of Dean Martin and Mae West (who put her in a revival of “Diamond Lil” as Flo the shoplifter in 1948). She made her first meaningful singing debut in 1941 at Kelly’s Stable, a famous club among famous clubs on West 52nd Street in New York City.

As an actress,she often played the part of Bloody Mary in South Pacific and had the lead in a production of Hello, Dolly! Her other roles were in musicals and plays such as Dream Girl, Thirteen Daughters, Funny Girl, Flower Drum Song and Camino Real. In 1972, Syms had a lung removed, which did not stop her from performing as Bloody Mary at the Chateau de Ville Dinner Theater in Framingham, Massachusetts.

At the beginning of her recording career, Syms released albums on the DRG label, the Bainbridge label and several other independents, producing hits such as “Wild Is the Wind” and “Cuando Te Fuiste De Mi.” Eventually signed to the Decca label, she had a major success with her 1956 release of “I Could Have Danced All Night,” which sold over one million copies and earned her a gold record certification by the Recording Industry Association of America.

She recorded with jazz greats Milt Hinton, Kenny Burrell and Bucky Pizzarelli, among others. Frank Sinatra produced her 1982 album, Syms By Sinatra. Notably, she conducted master classes in singing for 14 years at the Northwood Institute, a performing arts university in Dallas. Syms also appeared regularly at the Cafe Carlyle in Manhattan and would sometimes, impromptu, would join Bobby Short during his set. At the time of her death, Sylvia Syms had recorded more than 15 albums in several different genres, leaving a rich legacy of music to the ages.
https://nitelifeexchange.com/actress-cabaret-and-jazz-doyenne-sylvia-syms-known-for-her-versatility/

Personnel: Sylvia Syms - vocals; Frank Sinatra - conductor; Don Costa - arranger;

Syms By Sinatra

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Sylvia Syms - Then Along Came Bill: A Tribute to Bill Evans

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:19
Size: 140,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Like Someone in Love
(4:38)  2. My Romance
(5:05)  3. A Sleepin' Bee
(5:16)  4. I Believe in You
(5:42)  5. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(5:22)  6. Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo
(3:37)  7. How About You?
(4:00)  8. The Touch of Your Lips
(5:11)  9. My Foolish Heart
(4:51) 10. But Beautiful
(5:18) 11. Nobody Else But Me
(3:28) 12. After You, Who?
(3:17) 13. Lucky to Be Me
(2:04) 14. Waltz for Debby

Sylvia Syms sang everything from cabaret to pop and jazz during her long career, and this tribute to the pianist Bill Evans, recorded nearly a decade after his death and just a few years prior to her passing at the age of 79, is a fine effort. Accompanied by Evans' longtime bassist Eddie Gomez, Evans' final drummer Joe LaBarbera, pianist Mike Renzi, and several guests who recorded with the late pianist on occasion, Syms brings out the essence of each of the 14 songs, though only one is an Evans' composition. 

Syms, who often described herself as a saloon singer and counted Frank Sinatra among her admirers, has a slightly smoky voice with a touch of vibrato due to being in her late seventies, but she knows how to make the most of her pipes. Renzi wisely doesn't attempt to mimic Evans' style at the keyboard, while the guests include flugelhornist Art Farmer, harmonica player Toots Thielemans, guitarist Kenny Burrell, and drummer Grady Tate (who spells LaBarbera on four tracks). Among the highlights are the soft bossa nova treatment of "The Touch of Your Lips," the playful rendition of "A Sleepin' Bee," and the touching finale of "Waltz for Debby."~Ken Dryden  
http://www.allmusic.com/album/then-along-came-bill-a-tribute-to-bill-evans-mw0000676814