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Personnel:

Audrey Morris (p, vcl), Johnnie Pate (b), Charles Walton (d), Marty Paich (cond, arr, p), Stu Williamson (tp), Bill Pitman (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Irv Cottler, Alvin Stoller (d), Felix Slatkin (strings)

From the early 50s, Audrey Morris’ delicate piano and forceful voice was an asset to any intimate Chicago club —or bistros, whatever be the case— into the wee hours, bucking the current taste for bawdy chanteuses and cultivating a repertoire of obscure, understated material, as she displayed in her two first albums. On the first, “Bistro Ballads”, she provides her own spare, sophisticated piano accompaniment, supported by the sensitive bass of Johnny Pate and the hushed cymbals of Charles Walton, as she brings her soulful style to bear on some untarnished ballads worthy of her skill and intelligence.

On “The Voice of Audrey Morris,” she’s backed by a group of jazzmen plus a superb string section conducted and arranged by Marty Paich. It’s a relaxed, well balanced session on which she is heard to advantage backed by the wholly enticing sound of Stu Williamson’s muted trumpet, while the warm guitar of Bill Pitman and Paich’s ruminative piano engage effectively behind them. She sings a dozen warm standards with uncommon intimacy and assurance, and a quietly swinging approach, without letting the creative tension of her interpretations falter for a moment.

TRACKLIST:

01. Nobody’s Heart Belongs to Me (Rodgers-Hart) 2:52

02. Where Are You (McHugh-Adamson) 3:46

03. Good Morning Heartache (Higginbotham-Drake-Fisher) 3:15

04. Come In Out of the Rain (Russell-Sigman) 3:07

05. Sweet William (Wayne-Sherman) 3:43

06. Blah, Blah, Blah (G. & I. Gershwin) 2:24

07. Guess Who I Saw Today (Grand-Boyd) 2:46

08. Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry (Styne-Cahn) 3:18

09. April Fool (Charles Waldman) 3:23

10. The End of a Love Affair (Edward C. Redding) 2:58

11. I Never Mention Your Name (Oh, No) (Kent-George-Davis) 2:59

12. It’s Always You (Van Heusen-Burke) 3:18

13. How ‘Dja Like to Love Me (Lane-Loesser) 3:00

14. Glad to Be Unhappy (Rodgers-Hart) 3:18

15. What More Can a Woman Do (Lee-Barbour) 3:19

16. If Love Were All (Noel Coward) 2:50

17. Blue Turning Gray Over You (Waller-Razaf) 2:38

18. If You Could See Me Now (Dameron-Sigman) 2:26

19. I Go for That (Malneck-Loesser) 3:29

20. I Wonder What Became of Me (Arlen-Mercer) 3:11

21. You Irritate Me So (Cole Porter) 3:08

22. My Old Flame (Johnston-Coslow) 2:32

Sources:

Tracks #1-10, from the album “Bistro Ballads” (Vik LXA 1028)

Tracks #11-22, from the album “The Voice of Audrey Morris” (Bethlehem BCP-6010)

Personnel on "Bistro Ballads":

Audrey Morris, vocals and piano; Johnnie Pate, bass; Charles Walton, cymbals.

Recorded in Chicago, March 31 and April 1, 1955

Personnel on "The Voice of Audrey Morris":

Audrey Morris, vocals, accompanied by Marty Paich and His Orchestra

Marty Paich, conductor, arranger, piano & celeste; Stu Williamson, trumpet Bill Pitman, guitar; Joe Mondragon, bass; Irv Cottler or Alvin Stoller (#11-14), drums; Felix Slatkin and the Hollywood Strings

Recorded in Hollywood, July, 1956

Original recordings produced by Jimmy Hilliard (#1-10) and Red Clyde (#11-22)

Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol

Mono · 24 Bit Digitally Remastered