Johnny Hartman (5)

JOHNNY HARTMAN - SONGS FROM THE HEART (1955)

1. What Is There To Say
2. Ain't Misbehavin'
3. I Fall In Love Too Easily
4. We'll Be Together Again
5. Down In The Depths
6. They Didn't Believe Me
7. I'm Glad There Is You
8. When Your Lover Has Gone
9. I'll Remember April
10. I See Your Face Before Me
11. September Song
12. Moonlight In Vermont

Most jazz fans know Johnny Hartman from the famous album he recorded with John Coltrane in the early '60s. However, the singer had an illustrious career prior to that, recording for a variety of labels including Bethlehem, which released this album for the first time in 1956, six years before the Coltrane session. Of all Hartman's earlier albums, Songs from the Heart is the best place to start. It features the crooner fronting a small band, which gives the proceedings a more intimate ambience than Hartman's forays as a big-band singer (with Dizzy Gillespie, among others). The small ensemble suits Hartman's romantic melancholia perfectly; the album is like one long sob. His smoky baritone fits the mood, and the band follows in suit with some tender but evocative stylings. Considering pianist Ralph Sharon has backed up Tony Bennett for decades, it's not surprising to find in his early work an elegant smoothness. Consisting mostly of standards like "Ain't Misbehavin'," "I Fall in Love Too Easily," and "I'll Remember April," this is the perfect album for pouring a good stiff drink and drowning one's sorrows (especially on a cold winter night).
--Joe S. Harrington

JOHNNY HARTMAN - JUST YOU, JUST ME (1956)

1. Tormented (Why Must I Be)
2. What's To Become Of Me?
3. Just You, Just Me
4. A Woman Always Understands
5. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart      
6. I'll Never Smile Again    
7. Just A Wearyin' For You
8. Why Was I Born?    
9. Sometime Remind Me To Tell You 
10. There Goes My Heart

Personnel: Johnny Hartman (vocals); Tyree Glenn (vocals, trombone); Tony Mattola, Hy White, Carmen Mastren (guitar); Laura Newell (harp, cello); Joe Coleman, Max Pollikoff (violin); Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone, piano, drums); Ray Abrams (tenor saxophone); Jerry Burshard (trumpet, trombone); Sanford Gold (piano); Cozy Cole (drums).

JOHNNY HARTMAN - THE MANY MOODS OF (1996)

1. Suzzane
2. When
3. That's What Makes a House a Home
4. Ornery Little Critter
5. If Only I Could See You Again
6. Hello, Mrs. Jones
7. I've Only Myself to Blame
8. Starting Now

Johnny Hartman (Vocals),
Johnny Hartman (Main Performer),
Fred Norman (Arranger)

JOHNNY HARTMAN - THIS ONE'S FOR TEDI (1993)

 

By David. Thank you very much.

1. That's All     
2. They Can't Take That Away from Me     
3. More I Cannot Wish You     
4. Wait Till You See Her     
5. Miss Otis Regrets     
6. Then I'll Be Tired of You     
7. It Could Happen to You     
8. Send in the Clowns     
9. You Stepped Out of a Dream     
10. The Ballad of the Sad Young Men     

 

JOHNNY HARTMAN - I JUST DROPPED BY TO SAY HELLO (1963)

1. Charade
2. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
3. Sleepin' Bee
4. Don't You Know I Care (Or Don't You Care I Know)
5. Kiss & Run
6. If I'm Lucky
7. I Just Dropped By To Say Hello
8. Stairway To The Stars
9. Our Time
10. Don't Call It Love
11. How Sweet It Is To Be In Love

The second Impulse! session for ballad singer Johnny Hartman followed his classic collaboration with John Coltrane. Hartman is heard in peak form throughout these 11 pieces, which include "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," "Sleepin' Bee," "Stairway to the Stars," and even "Charade." Tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet is on five of the songs, guitarists Kenny Burrell and Jim Hall help out on a few tunes, and Hartman is consistently accompanied by pianist Hank Jones, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Elvin Jones. This is one of his finest recordings.

Personnel:
Johnny Hartman -Vocals
Milt Hinton - Bass
Jim Hall - Guitar
Illinois Jacquet - Sax (Tenor)
Elvin Jones - Drums
Hank Jones - Piano