'round Midnight

This two-fer reissue features a pair of out of print Dakota Staton LPs: "Softly" and "Round Midnight", both originally issued on Capitol Records in 1960 and 1961, respectively. Highlights among the 24 pop standards include "The Folks Who Live on the Hill", "The Very Thought of You", and "I Can't Get Started". This is a nice sampler of familiar items that should satisfy the needs of casual fans.

Criminally unsung pianist and singer Andy Bey had the most visible career after he and his sisters Salome and Geraldine Bey broke up their performing trio after an 11-year run in 1967, but this family singing ensemble was far more than just the act that launched Andy, and he wasn't really the focus of the group.

The members of Quatuor Ébène went round the world with the complete Beethoven quartets, now they go ‘Round Midnight. This album offers a creatively conceived programme, bringing together major figures from different streams of 20th music: Arnold Schönberg, Henri Dutilleux and four masters of jazz and popular idioms – Thelonius Monk, Cole Porter, Henry Mancini and Victor Young.

In one of his films, Woody Allen set himself the task to name one by one several things that have a sense in life. Most of the items on the list were musical compositions of unquestionable artistic merit. The initial assumption behind the motto l’art pour l’art (art for art’s sake) implies that art is derived from art. It is clear that this trend in music is close to the heart of cinema’s towering figure. This does not contradict the fact that in his films, Allen elevated life above art itself, or blended art and life. An artist’s stand on the matter is surely different from that of, say, a poli­ tician, who is bound to say that everything is politics.

Bop pianist Claude Williamson takes on the standards on this 1956 session, recorded in Los Angeles, which included Red Mitchell on bass and Mel Lewis on drums. The highlight of the album is the often-covered title track by Thelonious Monk; Williamson's work at the keyboard seems to channel Monk on this song.

I grew up in Hollywood California where I started piano lessons at eight years old.

In keeping with the Jazz 'Round Midnight theme, this Anita O'Day sampler errs on the mellow side of things with 16 after-hours gems from the lady of bop vocal rhythm.

Jazz pianist Thelonious Monk's first sessions as a bandleader were recorded between 1947 and 1952, and released on Blue Note records as a series of 78 RPM singles.

Henry "Hank" Jones Jr. was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. This album has been released for Japanese market as Hybrid SACD.

Given that 'Round About Midnight was Miles Davis' debut Columbia recording, it was both a beginning and an ending. Certainly the beginning of his recording career with the label that issued most if not all of his important recordings; and the recording debut of an exciting new band that had within its ranks Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, pianist Red Garland, and an all but unknown tenor player named John Coltrane. The title track was chosen because of its unique rendition with a muted trumpet, and debuted at the Newport Jazz Festival the summer before to a thunderous reception.