The Artistry of Helen Merrill is an album released by American vocalist Helen Merrill in 1965 on the Mainstream label.Helen Merrill discography accessed November 7, 2014Edwards, D., Callahan, Eyries, P., Watts, R. & Neely, T. Discography of the Mainstream Label (Preview), accessed October 18, 2014 The album features Merrill's interpretation of songs from around the world.
Reception
AllMusic awarded the album 4 stars and its review by Richard Mortifoglio states "very few jazz singers sound as natural singing non-jazz material as Merrill does. She sounds just like herself (which she always does anyway), with no particular adjustment to a straighter idiom, as if she had to shed herself of jazz sophistication in order to become more "innocent".".Mortifoglio, R., Allmusic Review accessed August 13, 2014
Track listing "Quiet Nights (Corcovado)" (Antônio Carlos Jobim, Gene Lees, Buddy Kaye) – 2:42 "Careless Love" (W.C. Handy) – 3:30 "Scarlet Ribbons" (Evelyn Danzig, Jack Segal) – 2:55 "House of the Rising Sun" (Traditional) – 2:36 "I Left My Heart Behind" (Ruth Batchelor, Bob Roberts) – 2:17 "Cannatella" (Traditional) – 2:17 "The River" (Carlo Concina, Robert Mellin) – 2:59 "Minha Rocca" (Dolores Duran) – 2:27 "Itsi No Komoriuta" (Traditional) – 2:19 "Forbidden Games" (Narciso Yepes, Barry Parker) – 2:32 "John Anderson My Love" (Robert Burns) – 2:07
Personnel Helen Merrill – vocals Jimmy Giuffre – clarinet Hal McKusick – flute Charlie Byrd, Jimmy Raney – guitar Dave Bailey, Osie Johnson – drums Keter Betts, Teddy Kotick – bass
References