No Tears, No Goodbyes

by Helen Merrill

Overview

Helen Merrill is backed by one of Europe's finest jazz keyboardists, Gordon Beck, on this duo date from 1984. Switching among piano, electric piano, and electric organ, Beck provides sensitive backing for the gifted singer, who is in fine form throughout. The best tracks feature Merrill with the grand piano, including a haunting but beautiful miniature arrangement of Cole Porter's "I Love Paris," which segues immediately into a solo feature for Beck with his own "I Love Paris Too." They repeat the formula somewhat with Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)," followed by Beck's "I Got It Good," though the latter piece is an unsatisfying mix of all three instruments overdubbed together with Merrill providing brief backing vocals. "Poor Butterfly" is all but owned by the late Sarah Vaughan, though Merrill's emotional interpretation is well worth hearing. Beck places some down-home piano in support of her swinging take of the old warhorse "Bye Bye Blackbird." With the demise of Owl, this recommended CD will be somewhat challenging to acquire. ~ Ken Dryden

Product Details

Release Date:	08/12/2003
Label:	Sunnyside Communications
UPC:	0016728350624
Rank:	156803

Tracks

1. When I Look in Your Eyes
2. I Love Paris
3. I Love Paris Too
4. Poor Butterfly
5. Bye Bye Blackbird
6. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
7. I Got It Good
8. The Thrill Is Gone
9. By Myself

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Helen Merrill   Primary Artist,Voices,Vocals
Gordon Beck   Primary Artist,Guitar (Acoustic),Piano,Organ
Joe Beck   Organ,Piano,Piano (Electric)

Technical Credits

Bernard Amiard   Art Direction,Cover Art Concept,Cover Design,Design
Fredrich Cantor   Photography
Cole Porter   Composer
Duke Ellington   Composer
Laurent Peyron   Engineer
Mort Dixon   Composer
Jean-Jacques Pussiau   Producer
John Golden   Composer
Christian Orsini   Engineer,Digital Editing
Gordon Beck   Performer,Composer
Jean Louis Rizet   Mixing Engineer,Engineer,Mixing
Paul Francis Webster   Composer
Arthur Schwartz   Composer
Ray Henderson   Composer
Raymond Hubbell   Composer
Howard Dietz   Composer
Leslie Bricusse   Composer
Pascal Bodin   Preparation for Release
Lew Brown   Composer
Jean-Marie Guerin   Engineer