Personnel:
Pinky Winters (vcl), Bud Lavin, Gerald Wiggins (p), Howard Roberts (g), Jim Wolf (b), Stan Levey, Chico Hamilton (d)
Reference: FSR V140 CD
Bar code: 8427328641401
The Best Voices Time Forgot
Collectible Albums by Top Female Vocalists
· Collector's Edition
· 2 Original LPs on 1 CD
· Original Cover Art, Liner Notes
· Complete Personnel Details
· Newly Remastered in 24-Bit
Pinky
Phyllis Wozniak was born on February 1, 1930, in Michigan City, Indiana. She studied piano as a child but preferred singing, and as a teenager, she sang in bands in Indiana. At 21, she moved to Denver, adopting the stage name Pinky Winters. In 1953, she relocated to Los Angeles and began performing in local clubs, captivating audiences with her intimate and husky stylings. In the fall of 1954, Bob Andrews offered her the opportunity to record for his Vantage label. The result was "Pinky," her debut album, an impressive start for a singer with deep emotional interpretation and excellent musical imagination. The simple and unobtrusive accompaniment was provided by Bud Lavin on piano, Jim Wolf (Pinky's first husband) on bass, and Stan Levey on drums.
Lonely One
Early in 1956, Leonard Chess recorded Pinky’s second album, "The Lonely One," for his Argo Records, at Capitol Studios. The tunes were obviously selected with care, and each one was given the full treatment. The musicians Gerald Wiggins on piano, Joe Comfort on bass, Chico Hamilton on drums, and Howard Roberts, Pinky’s preferred guitarist, provided the corresponding background to the mood. With this album, Pinky’s relaxed personal style, sense of dynamics, and respect for the challenges in each song solidified her reputation as a vocalist in the jazz scene.
Lonely One
"The zenith of the slim Pinky Winters catalog, Lonely One remains a lost classic of the West Coast jazz idiom. Buoyed by the contributions of drummer Chico Hamilton, pianist Gerald Wiggins, and guitarist Howard Roberts, its lithe and lively approach proves the perfect complement for Winters' intimate vocals. Despite its melancholy title cut (one of four originals composed by the team of Dick Grove and Jack Smalley), Lonely One for the most part favors up-tempo material well matched to Hamilton's spirited rhythms. Winters may not redefine standards like Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" and Johnny Mercer's "Jeepers Creepers," but she nevertheless invests the lyrics with uncommon intelligence and care, clearly savoring the give-and-take with her crack supporting unit."
—Jason Ankeny (All Music Guide)
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"The 1950s and 60s were a time that were overloaded with a surfeit of female vocalists, and it was simply impossible to keep up with all of them. Fresh Sound Records does us a service by reissuing albums by ladies that deserve a second look…
LA based Pinky Winters has a hint of Ella, Sarah and Anita O’Day on this highly satisfying pair of albums from 1954 and 56. With Bud Lavin/p, Jim Wolf/b and Stan Levey/dr, she is clear and cooly swinging out “This Can’t Be Love” while evocative on ”Little Girl Blue” and “How About You?” With the backing of jazzers Chico Hamilton/dr, Gerald Wiggins/p, Howard Roberts/g and Jim Wolf/b, she is delectable for “Lonely One” and alluring on the rarely sung “You Smell So Good” and “My Heart’s A Child”. This lady is not a tramp!
Includes a nice bio and copious session notes. Don’t let this lady pass you by."
—George W. Harris (October 21, 2024)
https://www.jazzweekly.com
