After listening to this complete, if less-than-comprehensive series of CDs (they reflect only the years each artist was signed to Capitol), a friend suggested I've been living in the past too much lately. My response: "Just lately?"
Your enjoyment of these various discs relies entirely on what each performer means to you, of course. If you don't like Dean Martin, don't bother. If you have never been a fan of Kay Starr, forget it. And if you can't remember (or have never heard of) Andy Russell, you probably won't be converted.But if you are a fan, you'll delight in Capitol's effort to include the biggest hits in its catalog for each performer along with other efforts designed to show off the best of their varied talents. (Each CD has 18 tracks.)
So, if you are a fan of Vic Damone, for example, take my star rating with a grain of salt - though an argument can certainly be made that Damone's Capitol years were far from his best. Ditto Sandler & Young, whose songs here didn't move me much - and it doesn't help that the album begins with "Cabaret." (Though I can't deny that some of the selections are catchy, especially the French songs, including their hit "Dominique.")
On the other hand, I was surprised how much I enjoyed Andy Russell, Matt Monro (the album includes "From Russia With Love," but not "Born Free") and even Dean Martin (with an early swing-style version of "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You" and the lovely "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone"), whose style - second only to Perry Como in the "relaxed" department - has not remained in my memory as fondly as some others.
For my money, however, the Nat King Cole collection remains the most timeless among the male singers, with rare versions of "Embraceable You," "Too Marvelous For Words" and a version of "Should I?" that hasn't been heard for 40 years, as well as "Am I Blue?" "Crazy She Calls Me," "That's All," etc.
As for the women, the Peggy Lee album includes a rare studio version of the finger-snapping "Fever!" and some great ballads ("The Folks On the Hill," "When a Man Loves a Woman," "Deep Purple"); Nancy Wilson is still stunning on "My One and Only," "Little Girl Blue," and "Midnight Sun," among others; Margaret Whiting's full, rich voice is beautifully showcased on the Gershwin tunes "I've Never Been In Love Before," "But Not For Me" and "Someone To Watch Over Me" - and her take on the Al Jolson-identified "Back In Your Own Backyard" is a previously unreleased toe-tapper.
June Christy's jazz style is terrific on "I Remember You," "Give Me the Simple Life," "Midnight Sun," "He's Funny That Way" and the previously unreleased "(It Will Have to Do) Until the Real Thing Comes Along." She delivers a "wow" rendition of "Bewitched," a slower version than most covers. Kay Starr is also great, delivering her distinctive flair on "Lover Man" (which is more associated with Billie Holiday, of course), but is at her best on the blues tunes, "After You've Gone," "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)," "Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)" and "P.S. I Love You."
The King Sisters, however, are somewhat problematic, with some of their four-part harmonies sounding a bit dated - and occasionally forced (especially on "But Beautiful" and "Memories of You"). Most of the material gathered here, however, will grow on you if given the chance, especially "How Long Has This Been Going On?" "That's All," "Take the `A' Train," "Deep Purple," "Imagination," a scat version of the instrumental "Four Brothers" and the group's signature song, "Aloha Oe (Hawaiian Farewell Song)." The songs here are from after they reinvented themselves for a comeback in the late '50s, sporting a new jazz-band influence. (The King Sisters - all devout Mormons - had taken a show-biz hiatus to raise their families.) It's a subjective argument as to whether the group's music was better during the war years or the postwar era, but fans should be quite pleased with these 1956-1958 selections.
RATINGS: four stars (* * * * ), excellent; three stars (* * * ), good; two stars (* * ), fair; one star (* ), poor, with 1/2 representing a higher, intermediate grade.