One of the highest tributes to any musician in a recording session is that he or she is a Take One artist. Donna Hightower is just that, a singer who delivers perfectly the first time she steps to the mike. In these late Fifties sides she demonstrated the phrasing, taste and skill which marked her as one the brightest new vocalist stars of the time. Backing her are two all-star groups conducted by Sid Feller and featuring some of the greatest soloists of the New York jazz scene, including Joe Wilder, Ben Webster, Hank Jones, Georgie Auld, Mundell Lowe, George Duvivier and Don Lamond.
Tracklist
Total time: 60:05 min.
01. Perfidia (Dominguez-Leeds) 2:27
02. Maybe You'll Be There (Bloom-Gallop) 2:47
03. Lover Come Back To Me (Romberg-Hammerstein II) 1:57
04. There, I've Said It Again (Evans-Mann) 2:14
05. Because Of You (Hammerstein-Wilkinson) 2:30
06. Please Don't Take Your Love Away From Me (Henry Nemo) 2:52
07. C'est La Vie (White-Wolfson) 2:34
08. Too Young (Lippman-Dee) 2:31
09. Baby, Get Lost (Billy Moore, Jr.) 2:38
10. I Get A Kick Out Of You (Cole Porter) 2:26
11. Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere (Washington-Young-Wiley) 2:32
12. Trouble In Mind (Richard M. Jones) 2:33
13. Every Day I Have The Blues (Peter Chapman) 2:46
14. Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You? (Redman-Razaf) 3:06
15. All Or Nothing At All (Lawrence-Altman) 1:45
16. I Laughed To Keep From Crying (Brown-Davis) 1:37
17. Lonesome And Sorry (Conrad-Davis) 2:31
18. The First To Know (Donna Brinson) 2:31
19. The Blues Don't Care (Vic Abrams) 2:54
20. Can't Help It (Segal-Fisher) 2:05
21. Born To Be Blue (Wells-Tormé) 2:25
22. I'll Be Around (Alec Wilder) 2:04
23. A Cottage For Sale (Robinson-Conley) 3:05
24. I'm Alone Because I Love You (Siras-Young) 2:30
Album details
Sources:
Tracks #1-12, from the album "Take One!" (Capitol T 1133)
Tracks #13-24, from the album "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You?" (Capitol ST 1273)
Personnel on "Take One!":
Donna Hightower with Sid Fellers All-Star Group
Joe Wilder (tp), Ben Webster (ts), Mundell Lowe (g), Hank Jones (p), George Duvivier (b), Don Lamond (d).
Recorded in New York City, 1958
Personnel on "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You?":
Donna Hightower with Orchestra Conducted by Sid Feller, featuring Chauncey Welsh (tb), Georgie Auld (ts), Hank Jones (p), probably Barry Galbraith (g), Milt Hinton (b), Osie Johnson (d).
Recorded in New York City, 1959
Original sessions produced by Dave Cavanaugh
Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
Hi Fi / Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas S.L.Press reviews
"'Little' Donna Hightower had a dynamic, big voice and made some fine shouting records for Capitol, Decca and RPM in the '50s. Unfortunately, she never landed any hits, but that wasn't due to any lack of skill. She not only had range and power, but was equally compelling doing sentimental, soft ballads. She was backed by the orchestras of Horace Henderson and Maxwell Davis on the Decca and RPM material, respectively."
Ron Wynn - All Music Guide
