TV Radio Mirror (Jul - Dec 1962)

-K-K-MC GREAT! -K-)C^C GOOD LISTENING -K-K FAIR SOUNDS -K IT'S YOU ft MONEY STARS IN ®UR EYES/THE F®UR FRESHMEN ? « , like "In Apple Blossom Time," "Imagination" and "Teach Me Tonight." All in all, an agreeable album but certainly not what the Freshmen are capable of doing. They are pace-setters musically and should be turned loose, but — it's worth your money. •••Show-Stopper! Diahann Carroll (Camden)— This is on the $1.98 Victor line and well worth the money. Diahann has been heard better, but bad this recording is not. (I'm sure these tunes were cut a while ago and Diahann has improved greatly.) The package has value, in that her performing still has the verve, even if lacking, at times, the polish we know her to possess now. The arrangements do little to help her. They are heavyhanded. She seems at times to conflict in attitude with them. (Possibly she's trying hard to pull the ends together.) The album's chock full of standard tunes, including "Easy to Love," the exciting "I May Be Wrong," "This Can't Be Love" and "Devil Moon." At this price, you could hardly get more. MOOD MUSIC •••The Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Melachrino Strings (RCA Victor) — Here is a compilation of certainly some of the best musical comedy tunes in existence, all scored and played with professional polish. The arrangements, at times, leave a bit to be desired, but Richard Rodgers' melodies can hold any arrangement together. To be fair, though, they succeed more often than not, as in the case of "Bali Ha'i." Here the South Pacific is recalled in glowing terms. Exceedingly picturesque. The trouble with putting an album together with tunes by these aces is there's never enough room for all their classics. (I missed especially the "March of the Siamese Children" from the "King and I.") At any rate, herein will be found "Carousel Waltz" and "If I Loved You," "Hello, Young Lovers," "Oklahoma," "Surrey with the Fringe on Top," "It Might As Well Be spring" and a slew of gems wrought to perfection by Rodgers and Hammerstein. For lovers of the musical stage and all generally classified "relaxers," take a look into this album. •••"Love Embers and Flame" is a new package on Capitol presented by Jackie Gleason. Lush string settings with generally soloistic horn playing plus some vintage standards. All warm and embracing. . . . ••M-G-M's new "21 Channel Sound Series" brings us David Rose and his orchestra. An album chuck full of oldies recorded on a high level with a large orchestra. Arrangements are par-for-the-course. . . . ••Capitol also brings pianist Lee Evans into the spotlight. Surrounded by soaring strings and mellow French horns. The album title: "Piano Plus." A little over-done at times, but generally palatable offerings. . . . ••Movie themes is the idea of Russ Conway's new album on M-G-M. The British pianist runs thru a flock of screen favorites. "All Time Movie Favorites" is the title. JAZZ SPECIAL ••••The Bridge, Sonny Rollins (RCA Victor) — This is the most recent Sonny Rollins' recording. He has just returned from a self-imposed exile. He retired to "wood-shed," to use the player's vernacular. "Wood-shedding" is the searching and studying of new ideas and the reflective re-hashing of the old. It may not help everybody but it has helped Sonny. I remember shortly before he took himself out of the jazz scene, his playing had become static. He even appeared a bit unhappy. (Mind you, my conjecture.) This happens often to jazz players of stature, who are constantly expected to open new doors at the drop of a hat. It's incredibly taxing. The mind and the heart are not machinery. Sonny sacrificed a lucrative string of bookings, cutting his throat economically, and retired to think. Certainly, a noble gesture. Such things would not be necessary if the jazz fans were more stable and less fad conscious. (As I recall, John Coltrane appeared the comer when Sonny packed in his playing engagements. Now, Coltrane is under fire.) The album title, "The Bridge," is where Sonny did his "wood-shedding." (Please turn the page) 21