The Complete Porgy and Bess

Infobox Album | Name = Porgy and Bess
Type = Album


Released = 1956
Artist = various
Recorded = May 1956
Genre = Show tunes
Ballads
Swing
Traditional pop
Vocal jazz
Length = ???
Label = Bethlehem Records
Producer = ???
Reviews =
Last album = "Porgy and Bess (1951 album)"
(1951)
This album = "The Complete George Gershwin Porgy and Bess"
(1956)
Next album = ""
()

This 1956 recording based on George Gershwin's opera "Porgy and Bess" was the second "complete" recording of the opera after the 1951 version recorded several years earlier, and the first recording of the work to feature jazz singers and musicians instead of operatic singers and a classical orchestra. This technically makes the album not an opera at all.

Russell Garcia arranged Gershwin's work for the Bethlehem Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Australian Jazz Quintet, the Pat Moran Quartet and the Stan Levey Group. Mel Tormé sang the role of Porgy and Frances Faye the role of Bess. The Ellington Orchestra plays "Summertime" as the overture, but does not appear elsewhere on the album.

Originally released by Bethlehem Records in 1956 (3BP-1); reissued in the 1970s (EXLP-1). Highlights from this recording released by Bethlehem as BCP 6040 and BCP 6009. On CD: Bethlehem Records #BET6028-2 (Releaseed 1994), Rhino Records #75828 (Released 1999).

Cast

*Mel Tormé (Porgy)
*Frances Faye (Bess)
*Johnny Hartman (Crown)
*Betty Roche (Clara)
*George Kirby (Sportin' Life)
*Sallie Blair (Serena)
*Frank Rosolino (Jake)
*Loulie Jean Norman (Strawberry Woman)
*Joe Derise (Honey Man)
*Bob Dorough (Crab Man)
*Pat Moran Quartet (Pat Moran, John Doling, Johnny Whited, Bev Kelly)

Orchestra

*Duke Ellington Orchestra): Duke Ellington, piano; William "Cat" Anderson, Willie Cook, Clark Terry (trumpet); Ray Nance (trumpet, violn); Quentin Jackson, John Sanders, Britt Woodman (trombone); Russell Procope (clarinet, alto saxophone); Jimmy Hamilton (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); Paul Gonsalves (tenor saxophone); Harry Carney (baritone saxophone); Jimmy Woode (bass); Sam Woodyard (drums)
*Australian Jazz Quintet: Dick Healey (alto saxophone, flute); Erroll Buddle (tenor saxophone, bassoon); Jack Brokensha (vibraphone); Bryce Rohde (piano); Jimmy Gannon (bass); Frank Capp (drums)
*Stan Levey Group: Conte Candoli, (trumpet); Frank Rosolino (trombone); Richie Kamuca (tenor saxophone); Sonny Clark (piano); Leroy Vinnegar (bass); Stan Levey (drums) [http://www.jazzdisco.org/bethlehem/1956-dis/c/]

External links

* [http://www.mrlucky.com/songbirds/html/nov99/9911_porgy.htm Review by Earl L. Dachslager]
* [http://www.jazzdisco.org/bethlehem/1000-cat/a/#exlp-1 Production notes] from the Jazz Discography Project