Search - Teddy Wilson :: I Want to Be Happy: 1944-1947

It is difficult to sit still while listening to this record. Fast numbers that dance and stomp alternate with ballads that sway and dream, and there is an irresistible swing to all of the songs. The program includes familiar show tunes, film tunes, and other favorites, and the groups range from trio to octet. In these stellar lineups, everybody is a virtuoso and a masterful, inspired improviser; the playing is terrific. Trumpets emulate the human voice, saxophones growl, and the interplay is brilliant. In the title song, arranged for octet, the players alternate in short solos with quick, snappy takeovers, resulting in an exhilarating chase. Singers Maxine Sullivan, Sarah Vaughan, and Kay Penton are splendid and entirely different in style. And Teddy Wilson, the only one who participates in every piece, is fabulous. Combining a soloist's flair with the sensitivity and empathy of a chamber musician, he provides a strong foundation without dominating the groups. The singing quality of his tone, the delicacy and refinement of his style, are unique. --Edith Eisler