Hoagy Carmichael Sings Hoagy Carmichael

Personnel: Hoagy Carmichael (vocals, piano).
Recording information: 02/25/1939-03/01/1951.
Not to be confused with the Pacific Jazz album Hoagy Sings Carmichael, this LP from English MCA is much better than american MCA's The Stardust Road which covers the same timespan. Sixteen of Hoagy Carmichael's most rewarding recordings of the 1939-51 period (mostly 1942-47) are here and all of the songs are his compositions. Although the exclusion of a personnel listing and even the recording dates is inexcusable, the music overcomes the major oversight. Carmichael, who sometimes leads a trio on these performances when he is not accompanied by an orchestra (including two 1939 numbers with the Casa Loma Orchestra), is heard in prime form on such songs as "The Old Music Master," "Memphis in June," "Riverboat Shuffle," "Georgia on My Mind," "Stardust," "Baltimore Oriole" and "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening." This album is worth searching for since the material is not yet readily available on CD. ~ Scott Yanow