Personnel:

Matt Dennis (p, vcl), Bill Pitman (g), Gene Englund, Ray Leatherwood (b), Mark Barnett, Alvin Stoller (d), Virginia Maxey (vcl)

This present collection portrays the simplicity and beauty of the Matt Dennis songbook. Besides showing him as an outstanding songwriter, this CD depicts his attractive, intimate style of singing and playing with a great beat, tremendous feeling and always with very special consideration of the lyrics.

The first twelve tracks were recorded at the Tally-Ho in Hollywood. Matt Dennis Plays and Sings Matt Dennis is a program of what visitors to his supper-club sets could expect from one of the best lounge singers in an era before the term became a dirty word. Accompanying himself on the piano with bass and drums for backing, Dennis sings 12 of his own tunes, including an avalanche of standards "Will You Still Be Mine," "The Night We Called It a Day," "Angel Eyes," "Violets for Your Furs," "Everything Happens to Me," and "Let's Get Away From It All."

The second part of the CD was recorded in The Encore (originally issued as "Dennis Anyone?")in Hollywood in 1955 and also includes a dozen Dennis compositions.

TRACKLIST:

01. Will You Still Be Mine? (Adair-Dennis) 2:43

02. Junior and Julie (Carson-Dennis) 2:41

03. The Night We Called It a Day (Adair-Dennis) 2:27

04. We Belong Together (Lodice-Dennis) 2:35

05. Angel Eyes (Brent-Dennis) 3:10

06. Violets for Your Furs (Adair-Dennis) 2:36

07. Everything Happens to Me (Adair-Dennis) 3:10

08. Compared to You (Herrick-Dennis) 3:03

09. That Tired Routine Called Love (Steele-Dennis)2:19

10. It Wasn't the Stars That Thrilled Me (Gillam-Dennis) 2:51

11. When You Love a Fella (Gillam-Dennis) 2:29

12. Let's Get Away from It All (Adair-Dennis) 2:25

13. Where Do We Go from Here? (Brent-Dennis) 3:42

14. The Land of Danger (Sherman-Dennis) 3:03

15. Old Uncle Fud (Fisher-Dennis) 3:24

16. Relax (Dennis) 2:53

17. I'm the Boy Who takes her Home (Lehman-Dennis) 3:33

18. Devil talk (Brent-Dennis) 3:25

19. That's How Close I Want to Be to You (Adair-Dennis) 3:21

20. Too Late for Love (Crosby-Adair-Dennis) 3:32

21. Enchanted Memory (Carroll-Dennis) 3:10

22. A Thousand Years Ago (Brent-Dennis) 3:17

23. Bless You, Little Sleepyhead (Dennis) 3:21

24. Show Me the Way to Get out of this World (Clark-Dennis) 4:56

Personnel and recording dates:

Matt Dennis (piano, vocals)

Tracks #1-12: Gene Englund (bass), Mark Barnett (drums), Virginia Maxey (vocals on #4 and 11).

Recorded live at The Tally-Ho, 1954

Tracks #13-24: Bill Pitman (guitar), Ray Leatherwood (bass), Alvin Stoller (drums).

Recorded live at The Encore, 1955

Liner notes: Jordi Pujol

Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol

Hi Fi / Mono · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered