This CD presents the two albums The Barbara Carroll Trio recorded for the Verve label in 1957. On the first, Barbara, she confines herself to piano on a selection of familiar standards, with a strong leaning towards slow ballads. Relaxed and refreshingly at ease, she leisurely explores the tonal colours suggested by the material in a reflective approach to trio playing. On the up-tempo tunes, Mine and Acquaintance, the bassist Joe Shulman's strength and intelligence is evident, while drummer Bill Faites brushwork is a model of good taste.
The second album presents six songs from Funny Face, along with six from several Gershwin shows. This set contains a pair of nicely off-hand vocals, Who Cares?, and a lightly swinging version of S Wonderful that she sings much in the sophisticated style of Bobby Troup. With Joe Shulman on bass, and Joe Petti on drums, the trios approach displays a blend of imagination, taste, touch, and swing.
And though Barbara Carroll was by no means an innovator or trailblazer, she was a talented performer with a distinctive musical personality that enabled her to do justice to her repertoire and communicate musically with the listeners attractive and hardly minor gifts at any level of music.
Tracklist
Total time: 74:01 min.
01. The Trolley Song (Martin-Blaine) 4:15
02. I've Grown Accustomed to His Face (Loewe-Lerner) 4:50
03. Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries (Henderson-Brown) 3:49
04. It Might as Well Be Spring (Rodgers-Hammerstein II) 4:15
05. Will You Still Be Mine? (Adair-Dennis) 3:18
06. Love Is Just Around the Corner (Gensler-Robin) 4:51
07. Easy Living (Robin-Rainger) 5:51
08. Happy to Make Your Acquaintance (Frank Loesser) 3:07
09. Blues for Blue Eyes (Barbara Carroll) 4:47
10. Let's Kiss and Make Up (George Gershwin) 2:12
11. Funny Face (George Gershwin) 2:54
12. He Loves and She Loves (George Gershwin) 3:34
13. 'S Wonderful (George Gershwin) 1:27
14. How Long Has This Been Going On? (George Gershwin) 3:07
15. Clap Yo' Hands (George Gershwin) 2:44
16. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off (George Gershwin) 2:41
17. Someone to Watch Over Me (George Gershwin) 3:44
18. Who Cares? (George Gershwin) 2:22
19. They Can't Take That Away from Me (George Gershwin) 3:01
20. Love Is Here to Stay (George Gershwin) 4:05
21. They All Laughed (George Gershwin) 2:32
Album details
Sources:
Tracks #1-9, from the album "The Barbara Carroll Trio -Barbara"
(Verve MGV-2095)
Tracks #10-21, from the album "The Barbara Carroll Trio Playing Selections from the Paramount Motion Picture 'Funny Face' and other Gershwin Tunes" (Verve MGV-2063, later reissued as MG V-2092)
Personnel on 'BARBARA':
Barbara Carroll (piano), Joe Shulman (bass), Bill Faite (drums).
Recorded in New York City, on November 26, 1957
Personnel on 'PLAYING SELECTIONS FROM THE PARAMOUNT MOTION PICTURE
FUNNY FACE AND OTHER GERSHWIN TUNES':
Barbara Carroll (piano, vocals only on #13 & 18), Joe Shulman (bass), Joe Petti (drums).
Recorded in New York City, March 7 & 8, 1957
Cover photos by Maynard Frank Wolfe / Bud Fraker
Sessions originally produced by Norman Granz
This compilation produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
© 2011 by Fresh Sound Records
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas, S.L.
