A Jazz Romance - A Night In With Verve [Box set]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Reaching deep into its cavernous vaults, Verve has extracted a rich bountiful of moody and sentimental jazz, perfect for those long, expectant evenings or those equally long, rain-filled days. Nicely packaged with nostalgic, sepia-toned photographs on both the box and each individual CD, A Jazz Romance contains nearly 60 songs guaranteed to set a distinctly low- keyed mood, equal parts sultry and sad. The vast majority of the material is from bygone days of the '40s and '50s, with the more recent entries retaining that flavor. The four discs are entitled In Dreams, Ever, Believing, and Always. They're rather interchangeable, sharing many of the same artists and each having as many vocals as instrumentals, yet each does have some distinction from the others.

In Dreams features the great saxophones of Johnny Hodges on "The Last Time I Saw Paris" and Ben Webster on "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning." Ever has marvelous versions of "My Man" by Sarah Vaughn and "The Shadow of Your Smile" by Dexter Gordon. Believing contains a contemporaneous version of "Some Other Time" by guitarist Mark Whitfield and Diana Krall, along with an outstanding example of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's versatility on "Alfie." Always, perhaps the dreamiest of the lot, has Chet Baker on "Alone Together," Illinois Jacquet on "Star Dust," and Stan Getz doing "Thanks for the Memories." Concentrating exclusively on the romantic side of jazz, this compilation contains an abundance of subtle, emotional music offering great listening in addition to setting the all-important mood. --Wally Shoup

Tracks:

When I Fall In Love - Ben Webster
It Amazes Me - Blossom Dearie
For Heaven's Sake - Bill Evans
Where Or When - Clifford Brown
I've Got A Crush On You - Bill Henderson
Only Trust Your Heart - Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto
Lost In The Stars - Gerry Mulligan
Last Night When We Were Young - Kenny Burrell
Les Moulins De Mon Coeur-Michel Legrand
My Man - Sarah Vaughan
The Shadow Of Your Smile - Dexter Gordon
If The Moon Turns Green - Billie Holiday
I Didn't Know About You - Johnny Hodges
Shenandoah - Johnny Smith

Tracks:

If You Love Me - Shirley Horn
La Chanson De Rues - Stephane Grappelli
You Are Too Beautiful - Cannonball Adderley
Plus Je T'embrasse - Blossom Dearie
Thanks For The Memory - Stan Getz
I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life - Mel Torme
My Ideal - Dinah Washington
How Long Has This Been Going On? - Roy Eldridge
How Deep Is The Ocean - Ella Fitzgerald
I Get Lost In Her Arms - Billy Eckstine
Star Dust - Illinois Jacquet
Just For A Thrill - Ray Brown & Milt Jackson
Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year-Abbey Lincoln
Alone Together - Chet Baker
It's The Talk Of The Town - Lester Young

Tracks:

Some Other Time - Mark Whitfield with Diana Krall
The Very Thought Of You - J.J. Johnson
Alfie - Roland Kirk
Ne Me Quitte Pas - Nina Simone
Caruso - Aldo Romano
Reach For Tomorrow - Ella Fitzgerald
Little Girl Blue - Stan Getz
Someone To Watch Over Me - Sarah Vaughan
(I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over - Cannonball Adderley
Moonlight Becomes You - Tal Farlow
Bill - Morgana King
(I Don't Stand A) Ghost Of A Chance - Arthur Prysock
Like Someone In Love - Coleman Hawkins
I Should Care - Abbey Lincoln

Tracks:

I Walk A Little Faster - Blossom Dearie
The Nearness Of You - Stephane Grappelli
P.S. I Love You - Billie Holiday
It's Magic - Dinah Washington
The Last Time I Saw Paris - Johnny Hodges
Volta - Toots Thielemans & Elis Regina
Our Love Is Here To Stay - Lester Young
Stars Fell On Alabama - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
It Never Entered My Mind - Mark Whitfield
Les Feuilles Mortes - Laura Fygi
In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning - Ben Webster
Detour Ahead - Patti Page
Memories Of You - Shirley Horn
The Summer Knows - Laurindo Almeida

Amazon.com

Reaching deep into its cavernous vaults, Verve has extracted a rich bountiful of moody and sentimental jazz, perfect for those long, expectant evenings or those equally long, rain-filled days. Nicely packaged with nostalgic, sepia-toned photographs on both the box and each individual CD, A Jazz Romance contains nearly 60 songs guaranteed to set a distinctly low- keyed mood, equal parts sultry and sad. The vast majority of the material is from bygone days of the '40s and '50s, with the more recent entries retaining that flavor. The four discs are entitled In Dreams, Ever, Believing, and Always. They're rather interchangeable, sharing many of the same artists and each having as many vocals as instrumentals, yet each does have some distinction from the others.

In Dreams features the great saxophones of Johnny Hodges on "The Last Time I Saw Paris" and Ben Webster on "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning." Ever has marvelous versions of "My Man" by Sarah Vaughn and "The Shadow of Your Smile" by Dexter Gordon. Believing contains a contemporaneous version of "Some Other Time" by guitarist Mark Whitfield and Diana Krall, along with an outstanding example of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's versatility on "Alfie." Always, perhaps the dreamiest of the lot, has Chet Baker on "Alone Together," Illinois Jacquet on "Star Dust," and Stan Getz doing "Thanks for the Memories." Concentrating exclusively on the romantic side of jazz, this compilation contains an abundance of subtle, emotional music offering great listening in addition to setting the all-important mood. --Wally Shoup

Customer Reviews:

An absolutely stunning collection.......2002-12-10

Ballads, I believe, are the real test of musicianship. And this collection has a judicious and delicious selection which is perhaps the best balanced one I know featuring the all time great moments - Clifford Brown's treatment of Rodgers and Harts Where or When will bring tears to your eyes - as well as quirky less known works - If the Moon Turns Green sung by Billy Holiday - the "old", Ben Webster, along with the "new" Mark Whitfield. Please don't think this is or should be "background" music. You only have to listen to Bill Evans playing with Paul Motian and Gary Peacock on CD1 to realise this is a collection of some of the greatest moments in 20th Century music, regardless of genre.

Pretty Good.......2002-02-22

This selection contains a bunch of great cuts and a few that I could live without, especially the Blossom Dearie tracks. However, as opposed to most collections with weak tracks, this one flows along so well that it is a pleasure to put all four CDS on and let it play in the background on a quiet evening "In." I prefer the companion 4 CD set called "A Night Out with Verve." I would recommend "Out" over "In."

Jazz novice opinion.......2002-02-11

I am a complete novice when it comes to Jazz. Don't know much about it except that I enjoy it. I have to say this set of CD's is a great mood-setter. Definitely softens the atmosphere and relaxes the body and soul. Great music for a night of serenity and romance

Terrific Sampling of Wonderful Performances.......2001-12-28

I put this cd set on my Amazon wishlist, and was very pleased to get it as a gift from my lover. All the old familiar songs, together with songs that I think I remember from my childhood, transport me to space where romance and sentmentality feel like comfortable old wool sweater. Think I'll just sit back... sip some good hot coffee..and hope the boyfriend joins me on the couch

Excellent Follow-up to 'A Night Out with Verve' box.......2001-12-19

Beautiful. Billie Holiday blends seamlessly into Dinah Washington into Johnny Hodges into... this four box is the perfect background atmosphere for your swank cocktail party or that evening of candlelight romance. The compilers have collected a remarkable selection of music from classic Verve jazz heavyweights like Elle and Louie, Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown, Coleman Hawkins to, surprisingly, a few lesser known French artists such as Michael Legrand (who wrote the score for the French film 'Les Parapluies De Cherbourg') and Laura Fygi. This is a highly recommended classic jazz collection that will beautifully compliment your romantic evening in and will fit nicely into any classic jazz lovers music collection.

Music:

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