Studio Recordings 1951-1953

by Billy May

Overview

Since the Billy May approach to arranging was often capable of blowing all but the strongest vocalists out of the room, a collection of his studio orchestra's unaccompanied recordings is welcome indeed. The two-disc set Studio Recordings 1951-1953 reissues 50 sides, most of them closer to big-band jazz than the type of easy-listening pop churned out by Jackie Gleason or Ray Conniff. May's arranging chops were unparalleled, and he compensates for the lack of vocals by adding plenty of parts for the more lyrical of his orchestra voices. Standards from the American songbook, such as "Lulu's Back in Town" and "When I Take My Sugar to Tea," make for most of the highlights, though originals like "Mayhem" and "Fat Man Boogie" illustrate that May's composer skills were impressive as well. ~ John Bush

Product Details

Release Date:	09/02/2003
Label:	Jasmine Records
UPC:	0604988039924
Rank:	148464

Tracks

Disc 1

1. All of Me
2. My Silent Love
3. If I Had You
4. Lulu's Back in Town
5. When My Sugar Walks Down the Street
6. Fat Man Boogie
7. Lean, Baby
8. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans
9. Charmaine
10. Orchids in the Moonlight
11. When I Take My Sugar to Tea
12. There Is No Greater Love
13. Unforgettable
14. Silver and Gold
15. Always
16. My Last Affair
17. When Your Lover Has Gone
18. Please Be Kind
19. Mayhem
20. You're Driving Me Crazy
21. Perfidia
22. Diane
23. Tenderly
24. Hello Out There
25. Memphis in June

Disc 2

26. When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano
27. Love Is Just Around the Corner
28. Easy Street
29. Honest and Truly
30. Gin and Tonic
31. High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)
32. A Cute Piece of Property
33. Driftwood
34. Do You Ever Think of Me
35. Cocktails for Two
36. Top Hat, White Tie and Tails
37. Little Brown Jug
38. Makin' Whoopee
39. Let's Put Out the Lights and Go to Sleep
40. You and the Night and the Music
41. Cheek to Cheek
42. Bacchanalia
43. From the Land of Sky Blue Water
44. Gone With the Wind
45. Good Gravy
46. Comin' Thru the Rye
47. Romance
48. Street of Dreams
49. Dixieland Band
50. Cool Water

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Billy May   Primary Artist,Conductor
Ensemble   Primary Artist
Johnny Mercer   Primary Artist,Vocals
Willie "The Lion" Smith   Primary Artist,Vocals
Bob Morse   Primary Artist,Vocals
Encores   Primary Artist,Vocals
Nick Fatool   Drums
Fred Falensby   Sax (Tenor)
Tommy Pederson   Trombone
Arnold Ross   Piano
Stu Williamson   Trumpet
Manny Klein   Trumpet
Uan Rasey   Trumpet
John McClanian Best Jr.   Trumpet
Paul Sarmento   Bass
Al Hendrickson   Guitar
Murray McEachern   Trombone
Alvin Stoller   Drums,Shouts
Ted Nash   Sax (Tenor)
Chuck Deremo   Sax (Tenor)
Jack Laubach   Trumpet
Bob Dawes   Sax (Baritone)
Jack Agee   Sax (Baritone)
Billy Guy   Trumpet
Karl de Karske   Trombone
Andre Peele   Trumpet
Eddie Kusby   Trombone
Vito Mangano   Trumpet
Ray Sims   Trombone
George Seaberg   Trumpet
John Markham   Drums
Don Whitaker   Bass
Walter Condoli   Trumpet
Dick Clay   Sax (Alto)
Joe Spang   Sax (Tenor)
Cliff Fishback   Piano
Frank DiFabio   Piano
Irv Lewis   Trumpet
Robert Reisiger   Trombone
Joe Triscari   Trumpet
Arthur "Skeets" Herfurt   Sax (Alto)
Conrad Gozzo   Trumpet
Joe Howard   Trombone
Carson Smith   Bass
Joe Mondragon   Bass
Jimmy Priddy   Trombone
Ralph Pena   Bass
Ray Pohlman   Guitar,Vocals
Robert McKinzie   Vocals,Trumpet
Ted Hammond   Bass
Bill Schaeffer   Trombone
Vincent Terri   Guitar
Phil Stephens   Bass
Zeke Zarchy   Trumpet
Liz Tilton   Vocals
Willie Smith   Sax (Alto)
Si Zentner   Trombone
Wilbur Schwartz   Sax (Alto)
Chuck Gentry   Sax (Baritone)
Barney Kessel   Guitar
John Cyr   Drums
John Coppola   Trumpet
Les Robinson   Sax (Alto)
Tony Facciuto   Trumpet
Heine Beau   Sax (Alto)
Bob Hardaway   Sax (Tenor)
Buddy Cole   Piano
George Kenney   Trombone
Remo Belli   Drums
Chuck Etter   Vocals,Trombone

Technical Credits

Arthur Johnston   Composer
Erno Rapee   Composer
Arthur Schwartz   Composer
Alberto Dominguez   Composer
Gus Kahn   Composer
Gerald Marks   Composer
Haven Johnson   Composer
Harry Woods   Composer
Dana Suesse   Composer
Seymour Simons   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Irving Kahal   Composer
Bob Morse   Group Member
Herman Hupfeld   Composer
Herbert Magidson   Composer
Harry Warren   Composer
Sammy Cahn   Composer
Ensemble   Performer
Joe Manone   Composer
Randy Van Horne Singers   Group Member
Pierre Norman Connor   Composer
Earl Burtnett & His Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra   Composer
Alicia Adams   Group Member
Ted Shapiro   Composer
Jerome Kern   Composer
Bernie Hanighen   Composer
Irving Mills   Composer
Isham Jones   Composer
Jack Lawrence   Composer
Irving Berlin   Composer
Irving Gordon   Composer
Edward Eliscu   Composer
Fred Rose   Composer
Edgar Leslie   Composer
Einar A. Swan   Composer
Walter Donaldson   Composer
Gene Austin   Composer
Charles Wakefield Cadman   Composer
Saul Chaplin   Composer
Marty Symes   Composer
Nelson Riddle   Composer
Ned Washington   Composer
Reginald Connelly   Composer
Joseph E. Winner   Composer
Walter Gross   Composer
Leon Rene   Composer
Sam M. Lewis   Composer
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Lester Young   Composer
Lewis Gensler   Composer
Howard Dietz   Composer
Sam Coslow   Composer
Vincent Youmans   Composer
Allie Wrubel   Composer
Hoagy Carmichael   Composer
Paul Francis Webster   Composer
Bob Nolan   Composer
Jimmy McHugh   Composer
Billy May   Arranger,Composer
Al Dubin   Composer
Clark Burroughs   Group Member
Edward Heyman   Composer
Floyd Cramer   Composer
Leo Robin   Composer
Dimitri Tiomkin   Composer
Lew Pollack   Composer
Alan Rankin Jones   Composer
George Hulme   Producer,Liner Notes
Sammy Fain   Composer
Jimmy Campbell   Composer
John Cooper   Composer
Nelle Richmond Eberhart   Composer
Jack D. Elliot   Group Member