Jeri Southern - The Very Thought of You: The Decca Years 1951-1957

The Very Thought of You: The Decca Years 1951-1957

By  Jeri Southern

Very Good Condition

A Review:

Jeri Southern was raised to play the piano in omaha, nebraska and had to learn to sing all over again when a well-meaning but misguided high school music teaching nun ruined her voice by overtaxing it with operatic arias which reduced her upper range. she responded by learning to sing in a lower register and softer voice.

thank god for that nun...
jeri's daughter, who put this loving tribute album together, is rooted in classical music and opera. she recognized that, because her shy and stage-frightened mother had retired so long ago, many people were unaware of her existence; she is not even listed in the jazzhound or other artist compendiums, a true injustice, to her and us.
(thank god for that daughter...)

jeri is not the cult figure that blossom dearie is, but only because, in her obscurity, she falls below the cultist's radar screen. she was miles davis's favorite signer (he once told her, in his raspy voice and inimitably, politically incorrect manner, that she "sounded just like a spook"), and she was charles haden's favorite singer as well; he includes her "every time we say goodbye" on his haunted heart album.

jeri does sound like ella at times, but comparisons to legends are not necessary to bootstrap her up to the level she deserves; her diction and phrasing, which she copied from sinatra and nat cole, as well as her trained musicality, are superb. her piano playing and orchestral arrangements on these songs are lush and very reminiscent of the late forties and early fifties -- which is the whole point of why the daughter brought this album out in the first place.
this is a treasure of an album and a must-have for fans of female jazz vocalists of a certain era; it evokes ella, blossom, june christie, jo stafford, maybe julie london -- and in her more plaintive moments, billie. you will find yourself listening to it in the wee, small hours of the morning. buy it; you won't regret it.

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