May I recommend Verve Remixed V. 3

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:09pm

Verve Records was one of the premiere Jazz labels-- started to give Ella Fitzgerald a place to make her particular breed of classy jazz vocals, it's been a home for almost 60 years to Jazz greats from Louis Armstrong to Lester Young.

Verve Remixed takes some of the classic recordings from the vault and hands them to the young whippersnappers of today to give them a new gloss. I'm listenting to V. 3 right now and it's got Groove Armada remixing Shirley Horn, The Brazilian Girls spinning Blossom Dearie and Bent bending Billie Holiday's Speak Low. It's all wonderful. For those of you who know and love these recordings, it's a way to look at them with new eyes. For you who have never had the sheer joy of hering these voices take on these classic songs, this is a chance to meet them half way and take a glimpse into a whole new world.

Nina Simone's 'Little Girl Blue' starts the record and it seems like a typical house track booming away until suddenly Nina's voice peeks through the throb and you remember how gloriously perfect an imperfect voice can sound. Sarah Vaughn's vocal on the Peter Gunn Theme (Yes, I didn't know there were words either) will have you screaming on the dance floor.

This record will never take the place of a really excellent library of Verve Classics but it will give hous of listening joy to the whole family. Give it a listen.

P.S. I was listening to V. 3 but #1 and 2 are awesome too--they are all worth buying!

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:21pm

It is good. But so far, nothing has topped V. 1... Just that remix of Dinah Washington's version of Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby? is worth the price of that alone...

[NCGuy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:23pm

Thanks for posting this Joe...I didn't realize a third volume was out (and I agree, Kissmycookie...I enjoyed the second volume, but the first volume was flawless)!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:24pm

Oh, Mama, I am soooo scared...
Why am I thinking of Merman's disco album right now...

Updated On: 6/6/05 at 12:24 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:41pm

No, Sueleen--these are actually good remixes. Ethel's album was and is pretty unbearable.

I am an Ella purist and thought I would hate the first Verve Remixed, but it grew on me and I bought the second. Now I'm sure I'll but this one. Great cardio music.

I agree, Cookie--the Dinah Washington was the most successful blending on the 1st CD.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:45pm

V1 and V3 are on my iPod. I have to listen to 3 again. Haven't decided which one is my favourite there.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:46pm

Volume 3 is out?!! I have 1 and 2. This is really great stuff. Thanks for posting this. I had a coupla $$$$ burnin' a hole in my pocket. Now I know where it's goin'.

[BT]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:48pm

Vol 3 is great - Sarah Vaughan's Fever rocks...

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:52pm

Sueleen I can not tell you how much horrifying crap like this there is out there! After the Guru album years ago, where they took an old Jazz song and rapped over it, every old Jazz label has had someone working to "Exploit" (their word, not mine) their catalog. This is the exception, not the rule.

At first I thought is was cause I was a total Verve queen, but, no, the kids I work with will happily play this without me telling them to.