Pinky Winters (6)

PINK WINTERS - PINKY (1954)

* Original 1954 album for Vantage reissued on CD. Sought-after record. Contains the original Vantage 10" materials plus the Zoot Sims session.
* Out of print. Very rare Japanese 1994 release.

with Bud Lavin (piano), Jim Wolf (bass), Stan Levey (drums):
1. Little Girl Blue
2. The World Is Your Balloon
3. Darn That Dream
4. But Not For Me
5. These Foolish Things
6. This Can't Be Love
7. Cool Sazerac
8. How About You

with Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Mary Hale (trumpet), John Darman (trombone), Ternig Inocencio (piano), Jim Wolf (bass), Gerry Hales (drums):
9. You Better Go Now
10. The Lady Is A Tramp
11. Pennies From Heaven
12. These Foolish Things
13. Gone With The Wind
14. The Nearness Of You

PINKY WINTERS & ZOOT SIMS - PINKY & ZOOT (1954)

1. I'll remember April
2. Lady is a tramp
3. Pennies from Heaven
4. Dancing on the ceiling
5. These foolish things
6. Gone with the wind
7. The nearness of you
8. Lover man

PINKY WINTERS - THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE (1983)

The Shadow of Your Smile
The Shining Sea
Close Enough For Love
Theme from M*A*S*H #
You Are There
El Cajon
Emily
Cinnamon and Clove
A Time For Love #
I Never Told You
Unless It's You
Don't Look Back
Take Me Home

Personnel:
Pinky Winters, vocals
Lou Levy, piano
Bill Takas, bass
Johnny Mandel, synth

"In 1982-'83 the late Joel E. Siegel produced a now-legendary concert series, The Great American Songwriters, at Washington, DC's Corcoran Gallery. Included were such notable performers as Jackie & Roy, Carol Sloane, Shirley Horn, Sheila Jordan, Blossom Dearie, and. . .Pinky Winters, accompanied by Lou Levy. When Siegel asked Winters and Levy which songwriter they wished to salute, their answer was mutual and immediate. . .Johnny Mandel. And soon the duo was off to DC to perform their 2/27/83 tribute. Afterwards, Siegel gave Winters and Levy a tape of the show to 'Do with as you wish.' Now 23 years later it is receiving its World Premiere release." In addition, Johnny Mandel has generously contributed, as a bonus track, "Take Me Home," a 1991 demo recording that he produced in his home studio with Winters and Levy." Also from Mandel (reprinted on the back of the album): the addition to the liner note sent to Winters after listening to an advance copy of the CD: "You are going to love this CD. It is a concert of Pinky Winters and Lou Levy at their absolute best. My songs tend to vary greatly from one another; many moods, tempos, and emotions. Pinky and Lou do them all superbly. I'm proud to say that many fine singers have recorded my songs, but none of them made me as happy as what you're about to hear on this record."

PINKY WINTERS - LONELY ONE (1958)

 

1. LONELY ONE
2. POLKA DOTS AND MOONBEAMS
3. CHEEK TO CHEEK
4. IT NEVER ENTERED MY MIND
5. YOU SMELL SO GOOD
6. EASY LIVING
7. JEEPERS CREEPERS
8. I'VE GOT PLENTY OF LOVE
9. GONE WITH THE WIND
10. PENNIES FROM HEAVEN
11. MY HEART'S A CHILD
12. OCTOBER'S DREAM

Credits:
PINKY WINTERS
Gerry Wiggins
HOWARD ROBERTS
CHICO HAMILTON

PINKY WINTERS - THIS HAPPY MADNESS (1994)

1. This Happy Madness
2. It Could Happen To You
3. Will You Still Be Mine
4. Time After Time
5. How About Me
6. Blue Gardenia
7. Better Luck Next Time / This Time The Dream's On Me
8. Ill Wind (You're Blowing Me No Good)
9. I Wished On The Moon
10. Russian Lullaby
11. Where Or When
12. Beautiful Love
13. A Beautiful Friendship

PINKY WINTERS - LET'S BE BUDDIES (1985)

Along With Me
Everything I Love
Someone To Light Up My Life
Trolley Song
You Are There
One Morning In May
Nobody Else But Me
Let's Be Buddies
Never Will I Marry
Embraceable You
Rhythm Medley
~ I Got Rhythm
~ He Ain't Got Rhythm
I've Got Beginner's Luck
My Shining Hour

West Coast jazz chanteuse Pinky Winters looms large among the vocalists of the postwar era. A compelling and nuanced stylist, she nevertheless remains a virtual cipher among the listening public as a result of a prolonged retirement that included a nearly three-decade hiatus from recording. Born Phyllis Wozniak in Michigan City, IN, on February 1, 1930, she began piano studies at the age of four, she played her first public concert within a year, and throughout her adolescence performed at venues across the northwest Indiana region. After graduating high school Winters briefly tenured at an office job before relocating to Denver, gigging alongside pianist Dick Grove. When Grove and Winters' future husband, bassist Jim Wolf, relocated to Los Angeles in 1953, she soon followed suit, appearing at the Western Avenue club Starlight in a trio with pianist Bud Lavin and drummer Stan Levey. Winters cut her self-titled debut session for the Vantage label in 1954. After releasing the 1958 Argo LP Lonely One, she split from Wolf, later marrying NBC staff saxophonist Bob Hardaway and essentially retiring from music to raise a family. In 1980 saxophonist Lanny Morgan convinced Winters to make a comeback appearance at the L.A. club Donte's. Upon divorcing Hardaway later that year, she began working steadily, in 1982 beginning a personal and professional partnership with pianist Lou Levy, a much-acclaimed accompanist who previously worked with Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Ella Fitzgerald. Winters released Let's Be Buddies, her first new material in 28 years, in 1985. This Happy Madness followed on Verve's French subsidiary in 1994. Following Levy's 2001 death, Winters teamed with pianist/arranger Sir Richard Rodney Bennett for Rain Sometimes. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide