Search - Connie Boswell :: Moonlight & Roses

*HIDDEN TREASURES*

06/18/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"That Connie Boswell is not remembered and revered by more than a lucky few is a cultural tragedy. While I admire a great number of female vocalists from the first half of the twentieth century, of the ladies, the New Orleans-bred Boswell is my favorite. Ella Fitzgerald once said of Connie, "Who Influenced Me? There was only one singer who influenced me. I tried to sing like her all the time, because everything she did made sense musically, and that singer was Connie Boswell."



Connie Boswell had an intuitive ability to understand a tune, whether joyous, tragic, or romantic, and convey that feeling to the listener with sincerity and depth. An innate sense of rhythm was likewise intrinsic to her musical makeup, and she possessed an astounding gift for jazz phrasing. Connie had a preternatural softness and liquidity to her voice, which was further sweetened by a charming New Orleans accent. Her singing on ballads such as "All Alone" and "The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" is deep and magical, and the jazz phrasing she employs on tunes such as "It's All My Fault" and "This Time It's Love" exhilarates.



There are not a huge amount of Connie Boswell solo compilations out there, but each one has some gems that the others don't. This particular disc has a large share of classics, and perhaps the highest concentration of jazz material. Accompanying Connie are various orchestras, such as those of Victor Young, Harry Sosnik, and the Dorsey Brothers, as well as smaller jazz outfits, such as the swingin' quartet heard on "Nobody's Sweetheart" (1940). Other swingers include the fantastic Dixieland rave-up, "The River's Taking Care Of Me" with The Dorsey Brothers, and Hoagy Carmichael's "Ole Buttermilk Sky," likewise electrified by Connie's infectious sense of swing. Bing Crosby had one of several duet hits with Connie when they took a manic sprint through Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band" for a charity single. "I'm Away From It All," a lilting tune which Connie co-authored, is also here, along with several other glowing ballads, such as her phenomenal readings of Irving Berlin's "All Alone," and the gently swaying "Sweet Eloise." All selections were recorded 1932-1946.



Other good Connie Boswell discs are "Deep In A Dream" on Harlequin, "Heart & Soul" on ASV, and the 2002 release from Jasmine Records, "They Can't Take These Songs Away From Me," a great collection which provides 44 tunes over the course of two discs, all for the price of one. One important thing to know is that Connie changed the spelling of her name to "Connee" mid-career, and is often listed as two separate individuals, so always try both spellings to see all of what's available. There are always new discs coming out.



Also check out Connie's original vocal trio of the twenties and thirties, The Boswell Sisters. These harmonizing sisters sang complex, innovative, and RED HOT vocal jazz, backed by some of the best musicians of the time, including the Dorsey Brothers, Eddie Lang, Joe Venuti, Benny Goodman, and Bunny Berigan. Connie, aside from being lead vocalist, also crafted the sister's mind-boggling arrangements, which are replete with hairpin vocal turns, unexpected changes in key, rhythm, and tempo, and ample space for scatting and hot jazz solos.



For more info on Connie or The Boswell Sisters, check out this great site:



bozzies.com"

"Connee Boswell"says it all!

J. F Kopeck | Parkville, Maryland United States | 10/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What else can be said about the Greatest Female Singer of the 1930's & 40's. She was outstanding as part of the sister's act "The Boswell Sisters" but in the late 30's when her sisters Martha and Vet quit the act to get married Connee went on by herself to become the Greatest Female Singer of the 20 Centery. This CD lets you hear a voice that the great Ella Fitzgerald herself said,"Connee Boswell was the only artist I ever tried to sing like because she was the Best". Not to mention the fact that every performance see did was from a wheelchair due to the fact that she was cofined to one ever since a childhood accident.

New Orleans has produced some fantastic music talents but Connee was in my opinon the cream of the crop! This CD and her other classic CD "They can't take these songs away" are to of the finest recordings of Band music ever to be recorded.This stuff will never be duplicated again!



"Enjoy" Joe Kopeck"