V.S.O.P. #114 MODE 122 JOHNNY HOLIDAY: HOLIDAY FOR LOVERS
Marty Paich (piano, celeste); Herb Geller (alto and clarinet); Bob Enevoldsen (valve trombone); Vince De Rosa (french horn); Jack Sheldon (trumpet); Max Bennett (bass); Ronnie Lang (baritone and clarinet); Mel Lewis (drums).
It is no mere coincidence that this release follows the release of V.S.O.P. #113 ERIC FELTEN meets THE DEK-TETTE. Both recordings feature male vocalists backed by Jack Sheldon, Herb Geller and Bob Enevoldsen, among others, playing Marty Paich or Marty Paich inspired orchestrations. However, they were recorded 46 years apart! Johnny Holiday, (born Danny Siegel), was and still is a dedicated jazz and big band singer. The highlights of his career include a performance with Ray McKinley’s Glen Miller Orchestra at L’Olympia in Paris in 1945, his recording with Russ Garcia for Dick Bock’s Pacifica label, his Mode recording, a recording for Kapp Records, and his tour of Sweden with the Count Basie All Stars in 1960. Originally a drummer, singer, song plugger and record promoter in Chicago, Johnny Holiday came to Los Angeles in 1950 and went to work as a night club singer before Chuck Niles suggested to Mode Records that they record an album with him and Marty Paich. After the demise of Mode and his tour with the Count Basie All Stars, Johnny Holiday went to work in public relations for the American Guild of Variety Artists and the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. He also worked as musical director for an animation studio and did voices for over 500 cartoons!
Johnny Holiday is quite obviously a ballad singer and that is what this album contains. The twelve selections include many well known compositions, such as “I Love You”, “Star Eyes”, “On The Street of Dreams”, “Nobody Else But Me”, “How Long Has This Been Going On”, “My Foolish Heart”, and “Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year”, etc.. Also included are some lesser known works: “Boys and Girls Like You and Me”, “Fun To Be Fooled”, and “Between an Old Love and A New Love”.
The re-release last year of Johnny Holiday’s 1954 Pacifica recording on the Contemporary label CD was very well received. Downbeat gave it an excellent revue, as did most of the critics. He was especially lauded for his expressive style. His Mode recording captures this well, having many of the same qualities as his earlier Pacifica set, and should be equally well received by critics and vocal fans alike.
Download: itunes.apple.com/us/album/holiday-for-lovers/id119014568
Other sources for CD: City Hall Records
Amoeba
