LP Artwork: Swingin' with Humes / Helen Humes

The track Pennies from Heaven in this week's edition comes from Helen Humes' album, Swinging' with Humes - her third release on the Contemporary label.

As you can see from the cover, it features a superb line up of jazz musicians and recorded over three days in July 1961.

Series 12, Prog 6

NO THEME!

Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

A Beautiful Friendship - Nat King Cole: Nat King Cole Sings, George Shearing Plays

Heartache - Jimmy Rushing: Five Feet of Soul

Starting Over - Kat Edmonson: Take to the Sky

Moments Like This - Tony Bennett: The Art of Excellence 

What a Little Moonlight Can Do - Billie Holiday: The Complete Billie Holiday on Verve [Disc 3]

Teach Me Tonight - Sarah Vaughan: How Long Has This Been Going On

That's Life - Alan Cumming: I Bought a Blue Car Today

Pennies from Heaven - Helen Humes: Swingin' with Humes 

These Foolish Things - Frank Sinatra: Point of No Return

Fortune in Dreams - Pete Longo's Superband with Frank Sinatra Jr: Billy May for President

I Ain't Here - Carmen McRae: I Am Music

Nancy (with the Laughing Face) - The Four Freshmen: Four Freshmen & Five Guitars

When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along - Eydie Gormé: Vamps the Roaring ‘20s

Desafinado - Ella Fitzgerald: Jukebox Ella

Swan Lake - Barbara Long: Soul

Route 66 - Perry Como: Como Swings

Sunday in New York - Shirley Horn: Trav’lin' Light

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

LP Artwork: Tower of Power

This is the cover from Tower of Power's third album and featured the track, So Very Hard to Go, which inspired the theme of this week's show.

Issued in 1973 as the second single, So Very Hard to Go was written by band members Emilio Castillo and Stephen Kupka. The singer is Lenny Williams and the song peaked at No 17 on the Billboard charts.

Series 12, Prog 5

SO VERY HARD TO GO

Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

So Hard to Laugh, So Easy to Cry - Lou Rawls: Soulin’

Dedicated to the One I Love - The Mamas and The Papas: Deliver

Heard Hearted Hannah - Shirley Horn: The Swingin’ Shirley Horn

So Very Hard to Go - Tower of Power: Tower of Power

Hard Rain - Barb Jungr: Hard Rain/The Songs of Bob Dylan & Leonard Cohen

Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) - Ray Charles: The Genius Sings the Blues

Hard Times for Lovers - Judy Collins: Hard Times for Lovers

It’s Hard - Clifton Chenier: Louisiana Blues and Zydeco

I’ll Be Hard to Handle - Ella Fitzgerald: The Jerome Kern Song Book

Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word - Elton John: Rocket Man/The Definitive Hits

It’s Hard to Laugh or Smile - Jimmy Rushing: Listen to the Blues

Between a Rock and a Hard Place - Carol Kidd & Hilary Brooks: advance copy

It’s So Hard - John Lennon: Imagine

A Hard Day’s Night - Ramsey Lewis: Hang On Ramsey!

A Good Man Is Hard to Find - Alberta Hunter: Amtrak Blues

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

LP Artwork: Evergreen / Todd Gordon

The extended version of Summer Wind from this week's program comes from the first sessions I ever had with a big band. The seed was sown after I guested with the Royal Air Force Squadronaires a few years ago in the Edinburgh Jazz Festival and led to this release.

The album was produced by Ken Barnes (1933-2015) who worked with Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Peggy Lee, Jack Jones and many other major stars. He was an absolute gem and is sorely missed.









Ken with Mr Astaire and arranger/composer, Pete Moore


Bing & Ken!

Series 12, Prog 4

ALL KINDS OF WEATHER

Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com (Stem Label)

On the Sunny Side of the Street - Keely Smith: Politely

Gone with the Wind - Ella Fitzgerald: Live from The Cave Supper Club, Vancouver

Winter Weather - Joe Williams & Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison: Together

Isn’t This a Lovely Day - Billie Holiday: Music for Torching

Here’s That Rainy Day (Koop Remix) - Astrud Gilberto: Verve Remixed 2

Stormy Weather - Etta James: At Last!

Summer Wind - Todd Gordon & Royal Air Force Squadronaires: Evergreen

Come Rain or Come Shine - Judy Garland: Judy at Carnegie Hall

Hello Sunshine - Aretha Franklin: Aretha Now

Rainin’ - Bobby Darin: single 

Heat Wave - Ernestine Anderson: The Toast of the Nation’s Critics

Here Comes the Sun - Nina Simone: Here Comes the Sun

Cool Breeze Woman - Jimmy Rushing & Ada Moore: Cat Meets Chick

Snow - Patricia Barber: The Cole Porter Mix

Nice Weather for Ducks - Irene Kral: Just For Now

Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks: Face to Face

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Love dot com (Stem Label)

Series 12, Prog 3

WALKING, RUNNING, ETC!

Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com (Stem Label)

I’ll Walk Alone - Nancy Wilson: But Beautiful

Sweethearts On Parade - Nat King Cole: Sincerely

I Don’t Want to Walk Without You Baby - Helen Forrest: Voice of the Name Bands

Boots (Original Melody) - Lee Hazlewood: Cake or Death

When the Saints Go Marching In - Helen Humes: ‘Tain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do

I’ll Come Running Back to You - Sophie Milman: In the Moonlight (Bonus Track)

I Walk a Little Faster - Mark Murphy: Sings Mostly Dorothy Fields and Cy Coleman

I’m Walking Through Heaven With You - Peggy Lee: Pretty Eyes

Walk On By - Morgana King: Gemini Changes

Walk Right In - Sammy Davis Jr: Sings the Big Ones for Young Lovers

In Walked Bud - Carmen McRae: Carmen Sings Monk

Come Runnin’ - Lena Horne: Lena Horne at The Waldorf Astoria

Let’s Take a Walk Around the Block - Jackie Paris: Jackie Paris Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin

Love Walked In - Ella Fitzgerald: Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George & Ira Gershwin Song Book - Vol 4

Walkin' And Talkin' (And Crying My Blues Away) - Dinah Washington: Single

Jolly Coppers On Parade - Randy Newman: Little Criminals

Runnin’ Wild - Ernestine Anderson: Ernestine Anderson

Walkin’ - Lambert, Hendricks & Ross: The Hottest New Group In Jazz [Bonus/Unreleased Tracks]

Sentimental Walk - Vladimir Costa: Diva (Soundtrack)

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Love dot com (Stem Label)

LP Artwork: Sinatra-Jobim / Frank Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

The opening track this week comes from an LP release that never happened. In 1969, Sinatra & Jobim recorded several more tracks which were to be part of a follow up to their successful debut album together. However, it was only briefly released on 8-track tape in 1970 before being taken out of print at Sinatra's behest, due to concerns over its sales potential. Several of the Sinatra-Jobim tracks were subsequently incorporated in the Sinatra & Company album (1971).