Chris Connor is an album by jazz singer Chris Connor. Atlantic Records released the album, Connor's first for the label, in 1956. The recording was Atlantic's first jazz vocal LP record.[1]

Chris Connor
Cover of 2005 Warner Jazz (UK) reissue
Studio album by
Released1956 (1956)
RecordedJanuary 19, 23, and February 8, 1956
GenreJazz
LabelAtlantic
ProducerNesuhi Ertegun, Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler
Chris Connor chronology
This Is Chris
(1955)
Chris Connor
(1956)
I Miss You So
(1956)

Recording

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The tracks appearing on Chris Connor were recorded over the course of three sessions. The first of these occurred on January 19, 1956, with a small orchestra accompanying Connor, using arrangements by Ralph Burns.[2] On January 23, Connor was accompanied by a quartet led by pianist John Lewis with Oscar Pettiford on bass.[2] On February 8, Connor's accompanists included Nick Travis, Zoot Sims and Milt Hinton, with arrangements by Burns.[2] The album comprises four tracks from each recording session.[2]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Penguin Guide to Jazz    
(Core Collection)[3]
allmusic     [1]

The Penguin Guide to Jazz includes Chris Connor in its "Core Collection", and assigns it a four-star rating (of a possible four), noting that " 'Ev'ry Time', 'It's All Right With Me', 'I Wonder What Became Of Me', and several more are unlikely to be bettered".[3] John Bush, writing for allmusic, calls the album one of Connor's best, giving the album a rating of four-and-a-half stars (of a possible five).[1]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)ArrangerLength
1."I Get a Kick Out of You"Cole PorterJohn Lewis1:50
2."Something to Live For"Duke Ellington, Billy StrayhornRalph Burns3:13
3."Get Out of Town"Cole PorterBurns3:04
4."Where Are You?"Jimmy McHugh, Harold AdamsonLewis3:32
5."Anything Goes"Cole PorterBurns2:11
6."When the Wind Was Green"Don HuntBurns3:24
7."He Was Too Good to Me"Richard Rodgers, Lorenz HartBurns3:41
8."You Make Me Feel So Young"Josef Myrow, Mack GordonBurns2:46
9."Everytime"Ralph Blane, Hugh MartinLewis3:47
10."Way Out There"George Wallington, Buddy GoodmanBurns2:27
11."My April Heart"George Wallington, Buddy GoodmanBurns2:41
12."Almost Like Being in Love"Frederick Loewe, Alan LernerLewis2:09

Personnel

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On "Something to Live For", "When the Wind Was Green", "He Was Too Good to Me" and "My April Heart" (recorded January 19, 1956):

  • Chris Connor – vocals
  • 19-piece orchestra (Ralph Burns, conductor)

On "I Get a Kick Out of You", "Where Are You?", "Everytime" and "Almost Like Being in Love" (recorded January 23, 1956):

On "Get Out of Town", "Anything Goes", "You Make Me Feel So Young", and "Way Out There" (recorded February 8, 1956):

References

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  1. ^ a b c Bush, John. Chris Connor: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d Shadwick, Keith (1956). Chris Connor (booklet). Chris Connor. United Kingdom: Warner Music UK Ltd. 2005 reissue notes. 8122731382.
  3. ^ a b Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008) [1992]. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.). New York: Penguin. p. 299. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.