Johnny Mathis (album)
Encyclopedia
Johnny Mathis is the debut studio album by vocalist Johnny Mathis
. Issued by Columbia records in 1956, this album was only released in Mono. In the UK the album was issued by Fontana Records
, with alternative artwork and a differing track listing. Both versions have been re-issued on CD, the US edition by Columbia Legacy in 1996 included a previously unreleased bonus track. The UK edition was re-issued by Columbia in 2001, on a 2on1 CD together with the 1957 album "Wonderful Wonderful
".
, Buck Clayton
, John Lewis
, Art Farmer
, Milt Hinton
, and Ray Brown
, with arrangements from Gil Evans
, Teo Macero
, and Manny Albam
. Although well sung by the novice crooner, the album did not sell well. Mathis' fortunes soon changed when producer Mitch Miller
began to guide his career shortly after this album which resulted in a string of lushly produced albums and hit singles.
CD bonus track
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
. Issued by Columbia records in 1956, this album was only released in Mono. In the UK the album was issued by Fontana Records
Fontana Records
Fontana Records is a record label which was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records; when Philips restructured its music operations it dropped Fontana in favor of Vertigo Records. In the seventies PolyGram acquired the dormant label....
, with alternative artwork and a differing track listing. Both versions have been re-issued on CD, the US edition by Columbia Legacy in 1996 included a previously unreleased bonus track. The UK edition was re-issued by Columbia in 2001, on a 2on1 CD together with the 1957 album "Wonderful Wonderful
Wonderful Wonderful (album)
Wonderful Wonderful is the second studio album by Johnny Mathis released in 1957 on the Columbia Record label, in stereo and monoaural.The album was issued in the UK by Fontana Records with alternative artwork...
".
Overview
Conceived as a jazz album, it features Mathis backed by legends like J.J. JohnsonJ.J. Johnson
J. J. Johnson was a United States jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. He was sometimes credited as Jay Jay Johnson....
, Buck Clayton
Buck Clayton
Buck Clayton was an American jazz trumpet player who was a leading member of Count Basie’s "Old Testament" orchestra and a leader of mainstream-oriented jam session recordings in the 1950s. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong...
, John Lewis
John Lewis (pianist)
John Aaron Lewis was an American jazz pianist and composer best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet.- Early life:...
, Art Farmer
Art Farmer
Arthur Stewart "Art" Farmer was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet/flugelhorn combination designed for him by David Monette. His identical twin brother, Addison Farmer Arthur Stewart "Art" Farmer (August 21, 1928, Council Bluffs, Iowa –...
, Milt Hinton
Milt Hinton
Milton John "Milt" Hinton , "the dean of jazz bass players," was an American jazz double bassist and photographer. He was nicknamed "The Judge".-Biography:...
, and Ray Brown
Ray Brown (musician)
Raymond Matthews Brown was an American jazz double bassist.-Biography:Ray Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had piano lessons from the age of eight. After noticing how many pianists attended his high school, he thought of taking up the trombone, but was unable to afford one...
, with arrangements from Gil Evans
Gil Evans
Gil Evans was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States...
, Teo Macero
Teo Macero
Teo Macero , born Attilio Joseph Macero, was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and record producer...
, and Manny Albam
Manny Albam
Manny Albam was a jazz baritone saxophone player who eventually put the instrument down in favour of a long and respected career as an arranger, writer, and teacher.-Biography:The son of Lithuanian immigrants, who was born in the Dominican Republic when his mother went into labour en route...
. Although well sung by the novice crooner, the album did not sell well. Mathis' fortunes soon changed when producer Mitch Miller
Mitch Miller
Mitchell William "Mitch" Miller was an American musician, singer, conductor, record producer, A&R man and record company executive...
began to guide his career shortly after this album which resulted in a string of lushly produced albums and hit singles.
US Track listing
- "Autumn In Rome" (Sammy CahnSammy CahnSammy Cahn was an American lyricist, songwriter and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premiered by recording companies in the Greater Los Angeles Area...
, Alessandro CicogniniAlessandro CicogniniAlessandro Cicognini was an Italian film music composer.Cicognini was classically trained at the Milan Conservatory of Music. He composed 106 soundtracks between 1936 and 1993, many of them for filmmaker Vittorio de Sica. His score for The Bicycle Thief was awarded Best Soundtrack of the Year...
, Paul WestonPaul WestonPaul Weston was an American pianist, arranger, composer and conductor. Weston was born Paul Wetstein in Springfield, Massachusetts...
) – 3:56 - "Easy to LoveEasy to Love"Easy to Love" is the title of a R&B single by For Real, it was the second single from their debut album It's a Natural Thang. Billboard magazine noted "super-tight harmonies that are proiminent, but not overshadowing; instatly memorable melody stands as the cut's focal point.-Chart positions:...
" (Cole PorterCole PorterCole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
) – 2:29 - "Street of Dreams" (Victor YoungVictor YoungVictor Young was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. He was born in Chicago.-Biography:...
, Sam M. LewisSam M. LewisSam M. Lewis was a Jewish-American singer and lyricist, born in New York City, New York as Samuel Levine-Biography:...
) – 2:15 - "Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere" (Edmund Gouldin, Else Janis) – 2:59
- "Prelude to a KissPrelude to a Kiss (song)"Prelude to a Kiss" is a 1938 song composed by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills, with lyrics by Irving Gordon.In 1989, saxophonist Nelson Rangell covered the song from his self-titled album.-Notable Recordings:...
" (Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Irving MillsIrving MillsIrving Mills was a jazz music publisher, also known by the name of "Joe Primrose."Mills was born to Jewish parents in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. He founded Mills Music with his brother Jack in 1919...
, Irving GordonIrving GordonIrving Gordon was an American songwriter.-Biography:Irving Gordon was born in Brooklyn, New York. As a child, he studied violin, and after attending public schools in New York City, went to work in the Catskill Mountains at some of the resort hotels in the area...
) – 4:26 - "BabaluBabalu (song)Babalu is the title of a Cuban song, written by Margarita Lecuona, the cousin of composers Ernestina and Ernesto Lecuona. The song title is either a reference to the Santería deity Babalu Aye or to Babalawo, the title of a Santería priest and diviner....
" (Margarita Lecuona) – 2:47 - "CaravanCaravan (song)"Caravan" is a jazz standard composed by Juan Tizol and first performed by Duke Ellington in 1937. Irving Mills wrote the lyrics, but he sometimes is not credited on the many instrumental versions. Its exotic sound interested exotica musicians; Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman both covered it. Woody...
" (Juan TizolJuan TizolJuan Tizol was a Puerto Rican trombonist and composer.He was born in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Music was a large part of his life from an early age. His first instrument was the violin, but he soon switched to valve trombone, the instrument he would play throughout his career...
, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills) – 3:59 - "Fly Me to the MoonFly Me to the Moon"Fly Me to the Moon" is a popular standard song written by Bart Howard in 1954. It was originally titled "In Other Words", and was introduced by Felicia Sanders in cabarets...
" (Bart HowardBart HowardBart Howard was the composer and writer of the famous jazz standard "Fly Me To The Moon", which has been performed by singers Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Della Reese, Diana Krall, June Christy and Astrud Gilberto...
) – 3:52 - "Star Eyes" (Don RayeDon RayeDon Raye , born Donald MacRae Wilhoite, Jr., in Washington, D.C., was an American vaudevillian and songwriter, best known for his songs for the Andrews Sisters such as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", "The House of Blue Lights", "Just For A Thrill" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."While known for...
, Gene DePaul) – 2:48 - "It Might as Well Be SpringIt Might as Well Be Spring"It Might as Well Be Spring" is a song from the 1945 film, State Fair. With music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year. State Fair was the only original film score by Rodgers and Hammerstein. In the film the song was...
" (Richard RodgersRichard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
, Oscar Hammerstein IIOscar Hammerstein IIOscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American librettist, theatrical producer, and theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song". Many of his songs are standard repertoire for...
) – 4:47 - "Cabin in the SkyCabin in the SkyCabin in the Sky is a 1943 American musical film with music by Vernon Duke, lyrics by John La Touche, and a musical book by Lynn Root. The musical premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 25, 1940. It closed on March 8, 1941 after a total of 156 performances...
" (Vernon DukeVernon DukeVernon Duke was a Russian-American composer/songwriter, who also wrote under his original name Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for "Taking a Chance on Love" with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche, "I Can't Get Started" with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, "April in Paris" with lyrics by E. Y...
, John La Touche) – 2:57 - "Angel Eyes" (Matt DennisMatt DennisMatt Dennis was a singer, pianist, bandleader, arranger, and writer of music for popular music songs.He was born in Seattle, Washington. His mother was a violinist and his father a singer, and the family was in vaudeville, so he was early exposed to music. In 1933 he joined Horace Heidt's...
, Earl Brent) – 4:19
CD bonus track
- "I'm Glad There Is YouI'm Glad There Is YouI'm Glad There Is You is a song written by Jimmy Dorsey and Paul Madeira first published in 1941...
" (Jimmy DorseyJimmy DorseyJames "Jimmy" Dorsey was a prominent American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and big band leader. He was known as "JD"...
, Paul Maderia) – 3:43
- Previously unreleased bonus track from March 1956 recording session)
UK Track listing
- "Wild Is the WindWild Is the Wind (song)"Wild Is the Wind" is a song written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington. The track was originally recorded by Johnny Mathis for the 1957 film Wild Is the Wind...
" (Dimitri TiomkinDimitri TiomkinDimitri Zinovievich Tiomkin was a Russian-born Hollywood film score composer and conductor. He is considered "one of the giants of Hollywood movie music." Musically trained in Russia, he is best known for his westerns, "where his expansive, muscular style had its greatest impact." Tiomkin...
, Ned WashingtonNed WashingtonNed Washington was an American lyricist.-Biography:Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962...
) - 2:24 - "Street of Dreams" (Victor Young, Sam M. Lewis) – 2:15
- "Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere" (Edmund Gouldin, Else Janis) – 2:59
- "Prelude to a Kiss" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Irving Gordon) – 4:26
- "Babalu" (Margarita Lecuona) – 2:47
- "No Love But Your Love" (Billy MylesBilly MylesWilliam Myles Nobles , known as Billy Myles, was an American R&B songwriter active in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for " All My Love" recorded by Jackie Wilson , and "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" recorded by Freddie King , then Eric Clapton .-History:Billy Myles specialised in love ballads...
) - 2:19 - "Come To Me" (Robert Allen, Peter Lind HayesPeter Lind HayesPeter Lind Hayes was an American vaudeville entertainer, songwriter, and film and television actor. He was born Joseph Conrad Lind in San Francisco, California....
) - 3:05 - "Fly Me to the MoonFly Me to the Moon"Fly Me to the Moon" is a popular standard song written by Bart Howard in 1954. It was originally titled "In Other Words", and was introduced by Felicia Sanders in cabarets...
" (Bart Howard) – 3:52 - "Star Eyes" (Don Raye, Gene DePaul) – 2:48
- "It Might As Well Be Spring" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 4:47
- "When I am With You" (Al StillmanAl StillmanAl Stillman was an American lyricist.-Biography:Stillman was born in New York City. His name was originally Albert Silverman, but changed it to that of a well-known New York banking family. He was Jewish. He attended New York University. After graduation, he contributed to Franklin P...
, Ben WeismanBen WeismanBen Weisman was an eccentric American composer significant for having written more songs recorded by Elvis Presley than any other songwriter in history. The "Mad Professor" as Weisman was nicknamed by Elvis, worked with the King from 1956 to 1971...
) - 2:59 - "The Twelfth of NeverThe Twelfth of Never"The Twelfth of Never" is a popular song recorded by Johnny Mathis and later by artists including Cliff Richard and Donny Osmond. The song's title comes from the popular expression "the 12th of Never," which is used as the date of a future occurrence that will never come to pass...
" (Jerry LivingstonJerry LivingstonJerry Livingston was an American songwriter, and dance orchestra pianist.-Biography:...
, Paul Francis WebsterPaul Francis WebsterPaul Francis Webster was an American lyricist who won three Academy Awards for Best Song and was nominated sixteen times for the award.-Biography:...
) - 2:26