Johnny Hartman

The singer’s first major LP release, Songs from the Heart, was recorded in New York in October, 1955 and featured Hartman backed by trumpeter Howard McGhee, pianist Ralph Sharon, bassist Jay Cave and drummer Christy Febbo. The album, presented here, included a unique blend of classics from the jazz and pop idiom. The timber of Hartman’s exquisite baritone and perfect vocal control, delicate mellifluous phrasing, and timeless floating delivery can be heard to great effect from the first moments of “What Is There to Say”, to the closing notes of “Moonlight in Vermont”. Backed by the sensitive yet swinging Ralph Sharon trio, and the fine muted sounds of Howard McGhee’s trumpet, Hartman makes the most of his first important recording opportunity. As is often the case with albums of rare brilliance, it is difficult to pick out any particular highlights. Cole Porter’s “Down in the Depths (of the 90th Floor)” certainly receives the most unusual treatment, with the rhythm section seamlessly switching between a Latin groove and a steady swing feel.