We can hear earliest music by young John Dankworth who was clearly idolising Duke Ellington and emulated his way with instruments-as-voices. As a bandleader Dankworth was inspired, enthusiastic and passionate about this music - I remember hearing his symphonic version of Duke's "Caravan" in London's Royal Albert Hall concert and being totally fascinated with this huge sound that combined classical music with Jazz. Initially I came to hear Laine but have to admit this was very good. The rest of the audience was sitting there politely (it was "Proms" evening if I remember correctly, very serious occasion reserved for otherwise classical names) and there I was foot stomping and finger clicking.
Initially, Laine was on one of the band's (Johnny Dankworth Seven) three vocalists. She came on audition as Clementine Campbell and left as "Cleo Laine" her new name being chosen by musicians by pulling it out of the hat. On this two-CD compilation we can hear her young, chirpy voice ringing clear as bell on standards as "Honeysuckle Rose", "I Got Rhythm", "Mad About The Boy" and her earliest recorded version of "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)", a song she would sing for many years (it was 1954. recording produced by future Beatles-producer George Martin, this is also on his CD Box retrospective). Though as a singer she would change and mature a lot later, Laine was a very distinctive vocalist from the start and to hear these early recordings today is a joy. Perhaps the most interesting title is "It Was A Lover And His Lass" (1955.) where for the first time she sings Shakespeare's words set in Jazz - this was such welcome change from "American songbook" repertoire that couple would return to the same source for her 1959. EP "Cleo Sings Elizabethan" and later the brilliant "Shakespeare And All That Jazz" (1964) full-lentgh album that for me is a highlight of their creativity.
Two CD collection of early recordings by British royal couple of Jazz.
It starts with Cleo Laine 4- song EP recording "The April Age" (songs about April) and includes her complete 1957. "She's The Tops!" studio LP album that was even released overseas, though it would take some more time before she would triumph in Carnegie Hall and finally get a proper introduction to U.S. audiences. John Dankworth is present but he gets far more space on a couple of his own solo recordings from mid 1950s.
In addition to Dankworth's albums "Johnny Dankworth and His Orchestra", "Journey Into Jazz" and "5 Steps to Dankworth" (all instrumental) we also get two rare tracks where 1952. "Melody Maker All-Star" poll winners play together - on "Up the poll" and "Quick Return" Dankworth plays along the biggest names of British Jazz back than, Ronnie Scott included. As a leader of Big Band composer and a musician he was a gigantic presence on British Jazz scene and these 1950s recordings are welcome re-introduction to his formative years and the fact that even though the music genre was American invention, it inspired talented musicians in UK who would give it their own personal twist.
Cleo Laine has performed and recorded with Johnny Dankworth Seven Orchestra from early 1950s but to my knowledge "She's The Tops!" is her first studio album.
Newly remastered now as a part of "Three Early Albums and More" CD that combines this LP with contemporary solo albums by her husband, "She's The Tops!" captures Laine at the time when she was voted top female singer in the 1957. Melody Maker poll and was celebrated as "the finest female Jazz singer this country has yet produced". Gifted with a instantly recognisable, distinctive voice Laine had a good luck to be associated with the best Jazz cats of her time and she certainly had a feeling for this kind of material, though focus on "American songbook" means the listener would inevitably compare her versions with originals - that she firmly stands her ground even on well-known numbers like "Mood Indigo", "Stormy Weather", "Early Autumn" and "Our Love Is Here To Stay" just shows what a gifted singer she was from the very start.
On several titles Laine is backed only with piano (Dave Lee) and these are the highlights of the album - "Mean To Me", "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe" and the song she would often return trough decades "My One And Only Love" are lovely, sensuous and clutter-free from Big Band thunder, here she gently croons and floats above the melody in a manner reminiscent of similar piano-and-voice recordings of Sarah Vaughan (see "Sarah Vaughan In Hi-Fi"). A complete surprise to listeners familiar with her later vocal acrobatics, this early album presents Laine in different, far more subdued light. Personally I think hers is one of the best voices I have ever heard.
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