Personnel:
Jerri Adams, Marlene Cord (vcl), Lou Stein, Dick Marx (p, arr, dir), Billy Butterfield (tp), Lou McGarity (tb), Mike Simpson (fl, ts), Phil Bodner (fl, as), Tony Mottola (g), Milt Hinton, Johnny Frigo (b), Don Lamond, Jerry Slosberg (d)
Reference: FSR V143 CD
Bar code: 8427328641432
The Best Voices Time Forgot
Collectible Albums by Top Female Vocalists
· Collector's Edition
· 2 Original LPs on 1 CD
· Original Cover Art
· Complete Personnel Details
· New liner Notes
· Mono Recordings
· Newly Remastered in 24-Bit
It's Cool Inside
When Jerri Adams (1930-2014), a native of Cincinnati, was a high school student in Norwood, MA, she decided she wanted to become a singer, despite the fact that “practically everyone discouraged me,” as she later recounted. Ultimately, her persistence and determination paid off. At twenty-five years old, she recorded her first album, “It’s Cool Inside,” for Columbia Records, which established her as one of the most exciting new vocalists to emerge in years. Her singing was relaxed and enjoyable, showcasing a vocal quality that fell somewhere between Carmen McRae and Peggy Lee, yet remained distinctly her own, with a style that swung plenty, even on the slowest numbers. With her careful song selection and a keen sense of drama, she brought a passionate quality to both her repertoire and performances. The inclusion of top-notch jazz musicians in her band further enhanced the album, making it a delightful listen for jazz enthusiasts.
Marlene Cord
The lovely and talented vocalist Marlene Cord was born in Springboro, a small community near Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1938. She began studying piano at nine and, by 14, was performing at a local radio station as a pianist and occasional singer. Before graduating high school, she was a regular performer at an Erie television station. At 18, she traveled across the country and Canada with dance bands and performed in small nightclubs, accompanying herself on piano. Later, she married, settled in Kenosha, Wisconsin, had a daughter, and became a house wife. Still yearning for a recording career, she convinced her husband to finance a session at Universal Studios in Chicago, where he hired four top musicians to support her as she recorded soft versions of several standards. Randy Wood of the Dot Record label heard the tape, liked it, and released an album titled “Marlene Cord.” What may seem like worldliness is, in fact, her sensitive approach to the songs she sings.
"Fresh Sound’s The Best Voices Time Forgot is a series of single CDs that contain all of the contents from two earlier Lps, putting the focus on jazz-inspired vocalists from the 1950s and ‘60s who, after a brief bit of publicity, faded from the scene.
Jerri Adams (1930-2014), a new name to me, was a potentially great jazz singer with a strong and appealing voice. For her 1956 album It’s Cool Inside, she was joined by quite an all-star group led by pianist Lou Stein that included trumpeter Billy Butterfield, trombonist Lou McGarity, Phil Bodner on alto and flute, guitarist Tony Mottola, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Don Lamond. While her sidemen get solo space (McGarity is in particularly inspired form), Jerri Adams is never overshadowed. She swings in a winning fashion on such tunes as “Gone With The Wind’ and “Let’s Fall In Love,” is quite dramatic on a very slow version of “Love For Sale,” and is very effective on a heartbreaking rendition of “Imagination.” So what happened to her? Despite having a memorable voice and a wide range, Jerri Adams only recorded one other album, 1958’s Play For Keeps, plus a few numbers with Percy Faith’s orchestra in 1954 and a single in the early 1960s. Originally discovered by Frankie Laine which resulted in her two albums, she got married, raised a family and retired from music, a major loss to jazz even if few know her name today.
Marlene Cord, who was born in 1938 and might still be with us, is not quite on the same level as Jerri Adams although she had an attractive voice. On her self-titled album from 1957, the performances are concise with only two of the 13 songs exceeding three minutes and not by much. Joined by Mike Simpson on tenor and flute, pianist Dick Marx, bassist Johnny Frigo, and drummer Jerry Slosberg, Ms. Cord’s singing is warm and she swings lightly on such numbers as “I Could Write A Book,” “It Could Happen To You,” and “Can’t Get Out Of This Mood.” The rhythm section is fine although Simpson’s flute playing is a bit too cute in spots.
It is ironic that this was Marlene Cord’s only recording for she sang for years. Born as Mary Gribus Fabiano, she toured the U.S. as a jazz singer and pianist, making her lone album when she was just 19. She eventually got married to an owner of a jazz club in Wisconsin, helped him open a restaurant in Milwaukee, and worked behind the scenes. As with Jerri Adams, she sacrificed a singing career to raise a family back in the days when it was very difficult to do both."
—Scott Yanow (January, 2025)
Los Angeles Jazz Scene
