Nancy Wilson GUESS WHO I SAW TODAY - WILSON SINGS SONGS OF LOST LOVE. Capitol


Nancy Wilson SAVE YOUR LOVE FOR ME – WILSON SINGS THE GREAT BLUES BALLADS. Capitol

Last week a photographer friend of mine popped round and we got around to talking about great female singers. It turned out we were both fans of the great Barbra Streisand and as he was leaving I suggested he listen to my favourite Streisand vinyl recording. He ended up staying to hear the whole album and during its passage we discussed other favourites. Nancy Wilson’s name kept cropping up as another American great, and as if by magic these two albums popped through my door within days.

I possess many original Wilson vinyl albums, and the thought of two CDs of superb songs garnered from several released from 1959-1968 was just a bit interesting. The first, SAVE YOUR LOVE FOR ME, NANCY WILSON SINGS THE GREAT BLUES BALLADS is a superlative collection of previously recorded blues ballads. Wilson’s distinctive and easy voice grasped these songs like a vice. The opening song, Save Your Love For Me written by Buddy Johnson, is beautifully performed with her fluid vocal and brilliant phrasing. Backed by Nat (cornet) and Cannonball Adderley (alto sax), Joe Zawinul (piano), Sam Jones (bass), and Louis Hayes (drums), it’s downright gorgeous. The next track, In The Dark by Lil Green sees Wilson stretching her vocal chords a little more with another beautiful interpretation. Other songs include Don’t Go To Strangers (R. Evans, A. Kent, D. Mann), This Bitter Earth (Clyde Otis), Willow Weep For Me (Ann Ronell), All Night Long (Curtis Lewis), Gee Baby Ain’t I Good For You (D. Redman, A. Razaf), Born To Be Blue (R. Wells, M. Torme), Since I Fell For You (Buddy Johnson), and Don’t Take Your Love From Me (Henry Nemo).

The second CD is no less impressive. GUESS WHO I SAW TODAY, NANCY WILSON SINGS SONGS OF LOST LOVE opens with two of her best songs; Guess Who I Saw Today by Elisse Boyd (which Wilson recorded at the tender age of 23) and Days Of Wine And Roses by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. I can think of few other singers past or present who can interpret love and loss songs with such ease, empathy and emotion. When Sunny Gets Blue is another of my Wilson favourites and features one of my favourites stick men, Shelly Manne (who plays on several tracks here). Later in the album probably my favourite Wilson song, the classic and wistful Hotel, reminds me of the mastery of this superb artist. Other songs include Here’s That Rainy Day (J. Van Heusen, J. Burke), You’ve Changed (B. Carey, C. Fischer), The Good Life (S. Distel, J. Reardon), Too Late Now (B. Lane, A. J. Lerner), Who Can I Turn To? (L. Bricusse, A. Newley), and You Can Have Him (Irving Berlin). Of the two albums, this one shades it as my favourite.

If you like Nancy Wilson or artists of the genre (and vintage), then these two albums are essential.