Search - Bobby Troup :: Kicks on 66

Very interesting,underrated artist

Sasha | at sea...sailing somewhere | 11/26/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Discovered Bobby Troup on a perfectly harmless Capitol compilation Volume 15 - Wild, Cool & Swingin' Too where he was tucked in somewhere between other far better known stars of 1950s and 1960s and his "Snootie little cutie" won me over completely. I was intrigued by this guy who had complete lack of mannerisms and sang quietly to himself,almost shy and very,very interesting.

Later reasearch lead me to this CD compilation of his early 1960s work where he channels Nat King Cole Trio with some very good musicians behind him (Jack Sheldon,Herb Ellis,Jimmy Rowles) and sings as usualy quietly - he creates atmosphere of smoke-filled late-night jazz club and the whole CD is pure delight. Sure,his singing might not win everyone over immediately but its excatly because he sounds like next guy from the street that I found his music so appealing. Songs are mostly his originals with some left-field oddities that fit here perfectly. When Troup swings,he is great but when he croons gently like "Please belong to me" he is really very convincing. The whole compilation has very good magic sound like best "Betlehem" abums of the time and he would have been right there with such giants as Mel Tormé or Carmen McRae in early 1960s.

Bobby Troup might never achieved international fame as performer (he is far better known as composer) but for me he is one of the favourite jazz artists and I always delight in introducing him to my friends."