While I have never been enamored with her singing voice, I greatly appreciated Nancy Wilson as an actress. So, as un-"woke" as it is to admit, Nancy Wilson appeared in not only one of the great HAWAII FIVE-0 episodes, "Trouble in Mind", but also--here's the "un-woke" part--in my all-time favorite episode of THE COSBY SHOW, the edgy-and-hip-titled episode "Grampy and Nu Nu Visit the Huxtables."
While I have never been enamored with her singing voice, I greatly appreciated Nancy Wilson as an actress. So, as un-"woke" as it is to admit, Nancy Wilson appeared in not only one of the great HAWAII FIVE-0 episodes, "Trouble in Mind", but also--here's the "un-woke" part--in my all-time favorite episode of THE COSBY SHOW, the edgy-and-hip-titled episode "Grampy and Nu Nu Visit the Huxtables."
She always seemed to me a lovely lady. R.I.P.
Vocally she reminded me of Dinah Washington. She cited Jimmy Scott as an influence. I did not always like the way she took liberties with melodies, often simplifying them rather than improving them. Still, she was very prolific. Her Capitol albums were everywhere for short dough. I must have at least 20 of them.
While I have never been enamored with her singing voice, I greatly appreciated Nancy Wilson as an actress. So, as un-"woke" as it is to admit, Nancy Wilson appeared in not only one of the great HAWAII FIVE-0 episodes, "Trouble in Mind", but also--here's the "un-woke" part--in my all-time favorite episode of THE COSBY SHOW, the edgy-and-hip-titled episode "Grampy and Nu Nu Visit the Huxtables."
She always seemed to me a lovely lady. R.I.P.
Mort Stevens also appeared in TROUBLE IN MIND as the drug-addicted Hank the drummer as well as composing the jazzy score for the episode and also providing the great arrangements for the songs for Nancy in the episode.
A name I've known for many years and would expect to find in various CD compilations but it's only recently I've acquired any of her recordings: 3 songs with John Williams and the Boston Pops (1994).
As three of the American songbook standards, I have other recordings of these songs ... all of which are preferable. Maybe it's the arrangements (or my preference for Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, Dean Martin, Keely Smith) but these won't be recordings (or album, at that) which I shall revisit too regularly.
Perhaps I need to listen to some of her earlier recordings.
A name I've known for many years and would expect to find in various CD compilations but it's only recently I've acquired any of her recordings: 3 songs with John Williams and the Boston Pops (1994).
As three of the American songbook standards, I have other recordings of these songs ... all of which are preferable. Maybe it's the arrangements (or my preference for Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, Dean Martin, Keely Smith) but these won't be recordings (or album, at that) which I shall revisit too regularly.
Perhaps I need to listen to some of her earlier recordings.
Mitch
Her earliest are with Billy May as arranger. I recommend them.*
Here she is, singing a David Raksin song used in the Main Title of the eponymous film:
*I've only just begun to listen to her recordings, but I enjoy her a lot. I find her earlier ones much more to my liking (and I like the same artists you do, Mitch)
OnyaBirri: Should you ever get the time and/or inclination, a Nancy Wilson personal "best of" would certainly be interesting to see.
I tend to like singers based more on the arrangements than the song selection.
I was thinking about my favorite albums by her, without being very clear on the chronology, and I found out today that my favorites are among her earliest albums, all on Capitol. These include her first two albums, both with Billy May; the Cannonball album; the Shearing album; and the Gerald Wilson album.
These albums date from that magical period when Kennedy was still alive and the Beatles had not yet arrived to fuck up everything.
These albums date from that magical period when Kennedy was still alive and the Beatles had not yet arrived to fuck up everything.
This is the kind of post that makes FSM such a great message board. The post is great whether one takes it at face value, or as a sort of Tet Offensive against those who do.
These albums date from that magical period when Kennedy was still alive and the Beatles had not yet arrived to fuck up everything.
Yeah... If only the era of faux girl groups whining out cookie-cutter over-reverbed Brill Building love tunes to the accompaniment of a few violins had lasted forever...
Yeah... If only the era of faux girl groups whining out cookie-cutter over-reverbed Brill Building love tunes to the accompaniment of a few violins had lasted forever...
That's kid stuff. Suave, postwar adults drinking Old Fashioneds in their modern ranch houses did not listen to that stuff. Nor do I.
In addition to "The Subject is Jazz," there was another jazz-focused TV show called "Jazz Scene" hosted by the great Oscar Brown Junior.
Here is an installment from 1962 featuring Nancy Wilson. She is accompanied by Lou Levy on piano, Al McKibbon on bass, and Kenny Dennis on drums. This is an outstanding half-hour performance.
I believe that at this point in her career, she had released only three or four albums.
Now listening to her rendition of "In the Heat of the Night", "Ode to Billy Joe" and "Theme from The Hotel" from her "Welcome to My Heart" album (1968). Arranged by Oliver Nelson.
I just love the design, fashion and photography from her early albums.
I've been listening to some of her mid- to late-60s Capitol albums. They are a real mishmash of jazzy stuff and the occasional contemporary hit like "Winchester Cathedral."
The late-50s/early-60s albums that I referenced earlier are a good place to start.
