Search - Bea Wai :: You Can Depend on Me: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1

Bea Wain's Impeccable and Sophisticated Swing

M. Hartman | East Coast, Etats-Unis | 05/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Canadian collection is absolutely wonderful, largely due to to Beatrice Wain's wonderful voice. All 24 tracks are musical gems of gentle and sophisticated swing. The material is culled from Miss Wain's first solo recordings (after an extremely successful stint singing with Larry Clinton and his Orchestra). Miss Wain's delivery and timing show an inherent jazziness akin to that of Ella Fitzgerald (check out "Make With the Kisses"), but her earthy and wonderfully natural tone (with a slight New York accent) are uniquely her own, and set Miss Wain apart from her contemporaries. Her phrasing is perfect with a constant focus on the integrity of the lyric and melody. Her vocal embellishments are incredibly effective because of their rarity, and never dominate or derail the performance. The result is 100% gentle swinging perfection: cool, elegant and wonderful. The quality of these recordings is excellent throughout. They have been copied from vinyl and not shellac 78's whenever possible. Some stand-out tracks are Cole Porter's "Make It Another Old Fashioned, Please", "I'm Nobody's Baby", "How Did He Look" and "My Sister and I". This is top notch material which compares to early Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald, and a must for anyone interested in Big Band or Jazz vocal music. I, for one, anxiously await vol. 2 which is supposed to include some new recordings from this wonderful singer. Brava, Beatrice."

Wonderful La Wain!

Allen Bardin | Columbia, SC United States | 03/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A marvelous reissue with exceptional sound, liner notes and photos. Ms. Wain is one of the best lady singers to come out of the 30s, and this disc proves it. A very distinctive vocal style -- jazz-oriented with a charming New York accent. Kudos to producer Ted Ono for bringing these sensational recordings back in print!
There is also a promise of a Volume 2, and new recordings by Miss Bea herself!"

A Gift for my Wife

Royalfamilyfive | Indianapolis, IN | 02/21/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I purchased this CD for my wife as a Christmas present. That was a big hit. She was doing some research on the singers in the Big bands era. I also started to listen to Bea and she has a lovely voice.

The recordings on the CD are excellent. Bea has the voice of a sultry angel."