Johnny Pace

Although this LP’s original liner notes predicted a glorious future for singer Johnny Pace, the fact that he ended up, at best, a minor footnote in jazz history doesn’t detract at all from the brilliance of his 1958 debut. Supported by the Chet Baker Quintet (which at this point included flutist Herbie Mann, pianist Joe Berle, bassist Jimmie Burke, and, depending on the recording date, either Ed Thigpen or Philly Joe Jones on drums), Pace delivers a winning program of standards in a style that owes an obvious debt to Frank Sinatra, but distinguishes itself by means of fruitier tone and an occasionally pronounced vibrato. In the words of All Music Guide reviewer Rick Anderson, “Pace’s renditions of ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ and ‘It Might as Well Be Spring’ are both completely charming, and the band supports him beautifully – special kudos go to Mann, whose dry, swinging flute tone complement’s Pace’s voice perfectly.”

PERSONNEL:

JOHNNY PACE, vocals
CHET BAKER, trumpet
HERBIE MANN, flute & bass clarinet
JOE BERLE, piano
VINNIE BURKE, bass
PHILLY JOE JONES, drums (on A1, A2 & B4)
ED THIGPEN, drums (on all other tracks)

New York, December 23 (A1, A2 & B4), December 29 (A3, A5, B1 & B2) & December 30 (A4, B3 & B5), 1958.

(Original Riverside)

SIDE A:

01. ALL OR NOTHING AT ALL
02. CRAZY, SHE CALLS ME
03. THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT
04. THIS IS ALWAYS
05. WHEN THE SUN COMES OUT

SIDE B:

01. WHAT IS THERE TO SAY?
02. EVERYTHING I’VE GOT BELONGS TO YOU
03. WE COULD MAKE SUCH BEAUTIFUL MUSIC TOGETHER
04. IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING
05. YESTERDAYS