Search - Jackie Gleason :: Music for Lovers Only/Music to Make You Misty

SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT

daddyojazz | NYC | 11/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"AS I WAS READING SOME OF THE REVIEWS FOR THIS WONDERFUL JACKIE GLEASON ALBUM, I WAS APPALLED AT SOME REVIEWERS TOTAL LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECORDINGS OF THIS PERIOD. I WILL TRY TO OFFSET THAT CONFUSION.FIRST OF ALL, ALL POPULAR ALBUMS PRIOR TO 1955 WERE OF THE 10 INCH VARIETY....SO THE MOST ANY ALBUM COULD HAVE WERE 8 TUNES.THE JAZZ ALBUMS OF THE TIME, HAD EVEN LESS BECAUSE OF THE LENGHT OF THE TRACKS. ONLY THE CLASSICAL ALBUMS WERE OF THE 12 INCH VARIETY, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS EXTENDED LENGHT OF THE COMPOSITIONS. I WILL EXPAND MORE ON THIS LATER AS FAR AS THIS CD IS CONCERNED.NO 2, I AM SICK AND TIRED OF LISTENERS WHO BY ALBUMS OF THIS PERIOD OR EARLIER AND COMMENT THEY WERE DISSAPOINTED IT WAS IN MONORAUL AND NOT STEREO.
WELL, STEREO WAS NOT PUT IN POP ALBUMS UNTIL 1956 AT THE EARLIEST AND THEY WERE MOSTLY EXPERIMENTAL(SOME OF THE EARLY STAN KENTON TRACKS OF THE MID 50'S WERE IN STEREO BUT NEVER RELEASED UNTIL ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO). STEREO WAS NOT REALLY UNLEASHED TO THE MASSES UNTIL 1958. SO PLEASE DON'T TAKE STARS OFF BECAUSE YOUR EARS CAN NOT TAKE MONO. DEAL WITH THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE TIME PEOPLE.THE FIRST LP "MUSIC FOR LOVERS ONLY" WAS THE 10 INCH LP. WITH 8 SONGS ONLY. THE LADY FROM GA WHO SAYS SHE HAS THE FULL 16 SONGS ON HER ALBUM, HAS A CAPITOL RE-ISSUE. IT'S NOT THE ALBUM AS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED. SO WHEN YOU GET THIS LP , YOU WILL GET THE EXACT 10 INCH VERSION. THE REMAINDER OF THE CD IS THE "MUSIC TO MAKE YOU MISTY" AND THAT IS THE ORIGINAL 12 INCH RECORDING. NOW THAT LP MAY HAVE HAD 16 SONGS ON IT. IF SO, CC SHOULD HAVE ADDED THE EXTRA 4 TRACKS, HOWEVER, BEING THAT THE LP WAS ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN 1959, I AM PRETTY SURE THAT THE LP HAD ONLY 12 SONGS ON IT(WHICH WAS THE STANDARD BY THAT TIME). SO , IF INDEED THAT WAS THE CASE,CC WAS FAITHFUL TO BOTH ORIGINAL LPS.THE MUSIC OF COURSE IS TOP NOTCH, IT IS NOT MUSZAC OF ELEVATOR MUSIC. UNFORTUNATELY, NO ONE UNDER 40 WOULD EVEN KNOW ALBUMS LIKE THESE EXIST ...IT'S TO THEIR DETRIMENT AND OF COURSE, I BLAME THE RADIO PROGRAMERS....BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY."

Romantic music at its best

D. R. Schryer | Poquoson, VA United States | 03/27/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unfortunately, in our era, mood music or easy listening music has been degraded to "elevator music." But in the 1950s some truly fine albums of romantic easy listening music were recorded and none was better than Jackie Gleason's first album, Music for Lovers Only. Gleason's concept was brilliant: mellow solos by the great trumpeter/cornetist Bobby Hackett accompanied by a smooth string orchestra, with no percussian to jar the romantic effect. In later albums Gleason added other instruments, but appealing as his later albums were, none was more successful than The original, Music for Lovers Only, which was the biggest selling LP issued to that time. The original version of this outstanding album was only a 10" LP with just eight songs. Consequently, its various reissues have added songs from other Gleason albums -- in this case, another winner, Music to Make You Misty. If you are at heart a romantic, I think you'll love this album."

Sensual Music...Sentimental Memories

Steve Rawlings | Denver, CO USA | 05/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jackie Gleason was an accomplished comedian, actor, arranger, and composer. Among his many talents, his music will forever serve as his living legacy. He surrounded himself with gifted musicians, including Bobby Hackett's crisp, clear coronet and Toots Mondello's sultry, simmering sax. Jackie seldom used percussion in his works which perhaps explains the enduring and ethereal quality of these orchestrations. Jackie understood better than most, that music gives expression to the soul. Through his quiet, intimate, and deeply moving arrangements, he touched the soul with a tapestry of emotions from reflection, to romance, to rapture. Close your eyes as you listen to his warm, mellow strains. Recall sentimental memories...the misty hours of the evening, soft candlelight, the tinkle of sparkling crystal...hushed whispers...sensual moments...forever suspended in time..."