Keely Smith - The Essential Collection
Reviewed by billwhite
Swinging big band vocalist Keely Smith's solo work has long been overshadowed by the music she made as Louis Prima's partner. Only two of the 27 tracks on this new compilation feature Prima, and the rest, excluding two duets with Frank Sinatra, are pure Keely. Nelson Riddle and Billy Mays supply much of the orchestration on these cuts that move from the late night seduction of "You Go to My Head" to such signature swingers as "Birth of the Blues." Smith was a Vegas singer, which has kept her in a class below the jazz club singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holliday. This retrospective provides an occasion to listen to her again, just as a singer, and appreciate just how good she is. [en.wikipedia.org]