Search - Various Artists :: Stardust: Capitol Sings Hoagy Carmichael

A Must-Have for Carmichael Fans

mackjay | Cambridge, MA | 08/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here is a fantastic collection for any who appreciate one of the very greatest musician/composers this country has produced. Several of the recording on the disc are rarities. All are at least very good. Some are almost too good to describe in words. Among the best tracks: Dean Martin's "In the Cool,Cool,Cool of the Evening", Johnny Mercer's "Memphis in June" (a true gem of a song), Betty Hutton's energetic "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief", Chet Baker's poetic, introverted "I Get Along Without You Very Well", Nat King Cole's swinging powerhouse "How Little We Know" and Dean Martin's oddly charming duet with Line Renaud, "Two Sleepy People".The disc contains nearly an hour of terrific music, terrifically performed."

The best Capitol artists sing the best of Hoagy Carmichael

Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 06/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hoagy Carmichael was one of the great composers of popular songs in the middle part of the 20th century, writing such classics as "Stardust," "Georgia on My Mind," "Up the Lazy River," "Rockin' Chair," "The Nearness of You," "Heart and Soul," "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening," "Skylark," and "New Orleans." Most of these classics appear on "Capitol Sings Hoagy Carmichael: Stardust," and what this collection proves is that Carmichael's songs were accessible to a wide range of performers. Most of these recordings are from the 1950s when Capitol had its fine stable of recording artists singing songs written by Carmichael and every other great American composer you can think to name. As impressed as you are by the list of songs Hoagy Carmichael wrote the names of the singers that appear on this album is equally stellar: Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Mel Torme, Louis Armstrong, Dinah Shore, Dean Martin, Lou Rauls, Betty Hutton, Johnny Mercer, and even Carmichael himself handling the honors on the final track. These are not the most famous or the definitive versions of these songs, but that is part of the charm of this entire series, and when you pick up these albums to listen to the great songs of Carmichael, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, or whoever, you will probably find yourself becoming the fan of some singer you had never heard of before (mine is Jo Stafford, who does not appear on this particular collection). This is a great little series and if you like this type of music you should make an effort to track as many of the "Capitol Sings" CDs as you can find."