Search - Sammy Jr Davis :: It's All Over But the Swingin

LET THE SWINGIN' COMMENCE!

Giovanni | Chicago, IL | 08/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sammy Davis Jr. was far and away the greatest entertainer in the business...even if you went pound for pound, this little guy had it all...acting, singing, dancing, playing instruments, you name it. Here from Sammy's humble beginnings come two fantastic albums, backed by a handful of Basie alumnists (although contractual restrictions could not name them at the time for credit on either albums' liner notes) and swingin' arrangements that will leave you floored. Those of you who are fans of Sammy's more well known Reprise works will find this album a breath of fresh air and show you how he got that good (as his I've Gotta be Me or What Kind Of Fool Am I days.) Sammy handles this bundle of standards with flair and precision. There are some lesser known tunes here that come to life with Sammy's interpretations, the crafty BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME and the sly swinger FACE TO FACE. Some of the standards include a rip-roaring run through one of Sam's pallies songs THE LADY IS A TRAMP, complete with a Basie-esque tag on the ending. Ol Blue Eyes OR "Pal Joey" never knew what hit him here!
The classic Ellington theme DO NOTHIN' TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME is a lights-out, no-holds-barred swingfest. And the vocals Sammy puts across on otherwise melancholy evergreens like I COVER THE WATERFRONT and the classic Jerome Kern CANT HELP LOVIN' 'DAT GAL (man) are second to none. He is greatly helped by the swinging charts behind him on these two more than anywhere else in this collection. I can never decide which one is better when I listen to this CD, the vocals or the arrangements, but it sure is a pleasure being confused in this case! An absolutely great import, showcasing some of Sammy's earlier moments in the studio with a top notch orchestra backing him. The Candy Man was never sweeter...or swing-ier! Get this one now!"

Two for the price of one

COMPUTERJAZZMAN | Cliffside Park, New Jersey United States | 12/01/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"two of Sammy's best Decca years' output. Particularly the second CD, "I Gotta Right To Sing", which features the Basie Band, minus The Count . Interesting contrast is this CD with the Reprise release, "Our Shining Hour", Sammy Davis-Count Basie, which is another great release. The only reason this first CD does not get five stars is because there are three tracks where Sammy sings Ray Charles songs, which are, truthfully, a bit weak (can't stand hearing him sing "rock and roll", anyway). Almost as bad as hearing him sing the theme from My Mother The Car (from the "That's All" CD), but otherwise really great."